Derry based songwriter Soak is set to release her much-anticipated debut album Before We Forgot How To Dream next month (May 29th). The artist recently sat down to speak to TLMT about writing in the moment and the meaning behind the record’s evocative title.
“The title of the album is Before We Forgot How To Dream, and it’s really about that. A time before we had responsibility” states the songwriter. “I wrote ‘Sea Creatures’ when I was fourteen, and the rest of the album is everything else in between”.
Indeed with the record written over such a large expanse of time Soak worked to pick the songs that kept with this concept. “I just choose the ones that had the strongest meaning” she reflects. “The songs that were written in the moment, and felt like they were really important when I wrote them”.
A raw and emotive songwriter, Soak bravely choses not rework the lyrical nature of her past writing. “It was important to me that they remain as they were” says the artist. “Lyrically it doesn’t change at all. Even if a lyric feels a little clichéd. Like if I wrote a song when I was 15 then that’s why it’s special. So it gets left as it was.”
Speaking about the inspirations behind this in-the-moment songwriting style, Soak insists “I start writing when I feel like I have to, or if I want to talk about something. I just write it all down, even if I don’t understand it myself.”
“Especially if it’s something I want to say to someone in particular” she continues. “I just put it down in a song and it’s not as awkward somehow. Writing is therapeutic for me, it’s like sharing. That’s why I started in the first place”.
Although Soak’s career is in its early stages, there can be no denying how much of a connection the songwriter has with her fans. Commenting on this connection, Soak says. “I like that people can get something out of my music. What really matters to me is when I hear their stories and what they think the song means. That’s really important”.
With the emotive nature of Soak’s music set to take centre stage on Before We Forgot How To Dream, the artist speaks about the how the album itself plays as a whole. “Because ‘My Brain’ works as a nice interlude into the album, I wanted the rest of it to go up and down in mood. I always wanted to end the record on a massive low (laughs), and that’s why ‘Oh Brother’ had to be there. It was also the last track I wrote for the album, so it’s the freshest and most connected to where I am now. I feel like it ends the story”.
IRISH TOUR DATES:
JUNE 10th – BELFAST | Empire Music Hall -£14 inclusive of B.F
JUNE 11th – DUBLIN | Pepper Canister Church – €17 inclusive of B.F
JUNE 12th – GALWAY | Roisin DUBH €11 members / €13 non members
JUNE 13th | CORK Triskel Christchurch €16 inclusive of B.F
Soak’s first studio album Before We Forgot How To Dream is due for release on May 29th via Rough Trade Records and is available to pre-order now.
1 thought on “Soak interview – In Dreams”
Comments are closed.