Bottler breeze through the blending of styles on “Soft Winds”
Image courtesy of artist | Design credit: Lynn Filanda
It’s interesting that Brooklyn duo, Bottler, has named itself as such, given that the sound and flow of the music created by Pat Butler and Phil Shore seems to freely run the gamut of stylistic hallmarks for several genres and the end result – while astutely blended – creates a feeling that is anything but bottled up. An established friendship before an active band, Bottler’s quest for a standalone sound has been an ongoing and evolving process since 2017. Aligning themselves with the vibes of electronic, indie rock, and even touches of classical stylization, somehow Bottler have managed to unite bits and pieces of these genres and more, without creating musical nebulousness.
Today, Bottler’s latest effort in pursuit of what Butler and Shore look to as “musical freedom,” is the song, “Soft Winds,” a new single off the band’s upcoming EP Grow, due out 9 October 2020 via InFiné Records.
Image courtesy of artist | Photo credit: Rick Perez
Bottler is:
Pat Butler
Phil Shore
Initially listened to and processed from a mental distance and without too much scrutiny, “Soft Winds” is an instantly appealing piece of work for anyone who delights in the gentle tonality of rounded synthesizer beeps, laser tones, wide and sustaining synth keys, sassy R&B vocals, or whipping electronic snare beats. These are the foundational blocks of “Soft Winds” and, while in a consecutive list this sonic aggregation doesn’t allude to much seamless flow or soft and breezy music, the track (which has both a 5:17 full version and a 3:41 Single Edit) does a noteworthy job of unfolding in a gradual and followable fashion so that by the back third of the song, all the moving parts and divergent sounds have found their place in the music and none are fighting for space or value.
The inclusion of a guest feature from Pittsburgh, PA duo Samurai Velvet (Saige Smith, vocals; Joe Chilcot, production) makes for an effortless addition – like they were always meant to be part of the music. Smith’s silky enunciation of lyrics and transition between sung notes mixes with her simultaneously crisp, clear, and dynamic intention in her delivery and the result is another dual layering of contrast between delicate and bold musicality, on top of what Bottler presents through its blend of percussive intensity and tonal tenderness.
The song keeps the thematic duality and contrast going from a third vantage point with the conflict of the lyrics’ narrative. Decisively telling off a former lover after the breakdown of a relationship while also recognizing that the pain only formed because there once was affection, is the icing on the conceptual cake for this song.
I have all the power to make myself free
You ain’t f–king with that
You ain’t f–king with me
And anything you do
Get’s back to me
Get’s back to me
Get’s back to me
And anything you say
Get’s back to me
Get’s back to me
Get’s back to me
– Lyrics from “Soft Winds”
When the track’s finale is fast approaching, all the pieces are fully in action. Drum beats are loud, piercing with each of their wide smacks; smaller synth tones are rattling, sustaining, and filling every unseen crevice of empty aural space; and Smith’s repeated lyrics at the climax (“Get’s back to me”) – which seem to serve a direct purpose of not only being catchy as a sort of motif but also being a kind of continuous reminder for the party to whom she’s speaking through the song – are tucked neatly behind her melodically freer declarations on the main vocal. Put together the last leg of the track doesn’t present with an immediate air of softness per se (especially with the ever so slightly unnerving pitch shifting of Smith’s vocal at the very end).
However, even with all part hands on deck between Bottler and Samurai Velvet, there’s an unwavering poise to the music that loses none of its edge even with such a change in dynamics from the start of the song to the end. And in truth, isn’t that much like the wind itself as well? Capable of being soft and refreshing, as much as it can be severe, undeterred, and seem like more than one can handle before a natural ebbing brings back the original sense of peace, which for “Soft Winds,” is given through the ambient chirping of birds. The whole track plays so well with opposites – not just in opting to have them but in specifically noticing where and when the potential emotional consequences of each contrasting quality on the listener, would best fit in the planned route of the music.
“Soft Winds” is energetic, intricate, perfectly planned and yet somehow leaves space for what feels like moments of messiness, without letting the music run off the rails. It’s an undeniably gripping introduction to Bottler’s upcoming EP.
Check out the full version of “Soft Winds” below:
“Soft Winds” is available now via Infiné Records.
Find it on Bandcamp and iTunes.
Grow EP is due out 9 October 2020.
Stay connected with Bottler through its official website and these social media platforms:
Facebook
Twitter (@BottlerMusic)
Instagram
YouTube
Bandcamp
Spotify
SoundCloud
Leave a Reply