Zurich-based indie pop band Soft Loft have been on our radar since their debut album, The Party and the Mess, blew us away in 2024. The five-piece have now crafted a brilliant sophomore follow-up, Throw the Dice. Set for release on September 4th, the album is an evolution of frontwoman Jorina Stamm’s intricate, thoughtful songwriting and the band’s instrumental expertise and instinctive chemistry. We caught up with Jorina, who we know to be just as deeply obsessed with music as we are, to discuss making the new album and what she’s been listening to:

We love your new album, it’s beautiful. It’s so exciting to hear how you have all grown together as a band and how your sound is progressing. How do you think you have evolved as songwriters and musicians since your debut album in 2024?

I think the biggest difference is simply that we've spent so much more time together as a band. Over the years, we've really gotten to know each other, not just as musicians, but as people and I think that naturally changes the way you make music together. There's a much deeper sense of trust now, so everyone feels more comfortable bringing ideas into the room, taking risks, and being honest when something isn't quite working.

We've also become much more confident in what we want our music to sound like. We've had the time to experiment, have countless conversations about what Soft Loft is and what we want it to become. With every song and every recording, I think we get a little closer to that shared vision.

One of the greatest gifts of being in this band is that we're five very different people, each bringing our own influences, tastes, and ways of approaching music. Finding the balance between all of those perspectives can still be the hardest part of the process, but it's also what makes it so rewarding. So I think the new album is still very much Soft Loft, but maybe it's a more mature, confident version of who we are today.

Tell us about crafting this project. What was the catalyst/starting point for you?

The album wasn’t really born from one defining moment, it grew very organically over time. We started working on these songs in 2024 and kept going right up until we entered the studio. At this time we were playing a lot of shows, so the initial motivation was also to write songs that would be really fun to play live. What came together is a wild collection of songs, a snapshot of thoughts and feelings of that time.

But when you listen to them as a whole, the common thread becomes very obvious. They circle around growing older and feeling torn between your rebellious and your reasonable side. Around finding loved ones and losing loved ones, age as a number and age as a feeling, getting well, transience, and simply being alive.

Where did you write and record it? Was there a specific place that was instrumental to your writing?

This time around we wrote a lot of these songs in our rehearsal space, which isn’t very spectacular but felt very fitting this time around. We’d spend hours shut away in those rooms, just writing, experimenting and having a good time together. For the recording we went to the french countryside, to a really nice studio and kind of like a farmhouse where we stayed in.

The place couldn’t have been more fitting for us as there was a basketball court right outside the amazing studio, we could go for beautiful walks and enjoy a good meal outside anytime. Truthfully, the studio time felt a little tougher this time around. It wasn’t always easy, and we didn’t always feel like we were having the best time. But we knew these songs were the strongest we’ve ever written, and that belief kept us moving forward.

What was inspiring your writing? Were there specific themes you were exploring?

It’s always life that inspires me to write. There’s so much happening all the time, not only in our own lives, but also in this world and writing feels like the perfect opportunity to reflect on it all. I guess these songs are little glimpses into my thoughts, my way of trying to process everything that’s going on. It’s a lot of feelings and trying to make sense of them.

For this album in particular, I found myself writing a lot about growing older and everything that comes with it. The topic of missing out on life itself kind of keeps coming back in each song, the fear of not living this life fully enough and also the fear of fears standing in the way haha you see there’s a lot of thoughts processing already. But that’s also where the album title Throw The Dice comes in. We can try our best, make plans, and do everything we can to live life to the fullest, but in the end, so much of it is out of control. Life is a gamble, so instead of trying to control every outcome, we might as well throw the dice.

Who did you work with to help shape the sound this time? How did they help shape your sonic world?

We decided to take the reins and work on these songs ourselves. This time, though, we reached out to Sean Cook, an LA-based engineer who joined us in the studio and helped bring the very best out of each track. We wanted to work with someone who really was the best in capturing our music and record it beautifully and Sean did an amazing job there!

Also we had Craig Silvey mix the record which was such a treat. It felt like someone truly understood what we were reaching for with these songs, like someone had really been listening. And Josh Bonati, who we’ve worked with a couple of times before, handled the mastering and brought everything home. We couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.

What did you learn about yourselves as a band and also individually through the making of this album?

I think, more than anything, we learned how important it is for us to genuinely enjoy the process of recording and creating music. You can make the most amazing album, but if you’re not feeling it while you’re making it, it’ll never be as special as it could be.

For us, making music should be fun. We want those magical moments where everything suddenly clicks and a song comes together. For a little while, that piece of music becomes the greatest thing in life, before you eventually come back to reality, haha

But seriously, we realised that this feeling is at the heart of why we make music in the first place. We want every song to feel special to us while we’re creating it. That’s probably the biggest lesson we took away from making this album, and it’s something we want to hold on to with everything we do in the future.

We love the visuals already, too. Especially the album artwork. Tell us about creating the visual world to these songs. What was on the moodboard?

Since the album revolves around the idea of growing up and growing older, Flavio, who created the visual concept for the album spent a lot of time thinking about the tension between childhood and adulthood. What does that transition look like? How do we change? And what kind of visual world could capture both of these stages of life?

That’s where the idea of creating a set inspired by childhood came from. We ended up shooting everything at a carousel and a dinosaur in this park, places that instantly reminded us of our own childhood. The carousel also became a beautiful metaphor for the album because it’s constantly moving, just like life around us. Everything keeps turning, whether we’re ready for it or not.

We wanted the visuals to embrace that sense of nostalgia while contrasting it with the way we’re dressed. The styling feels more grown up, while the locations are playful and childlike. That contrast reflects one of the album’s central themes: like when are we really grown ups or is this all just a big scam and we’ll never really grow up in life.

In a way, it also ties back to Throw The Dice. There’s a playful side to the title, but also the idea that life is unpredictable. Slowly, all of those elements started to connect, and the visual world came together in a way that felt like a natural extension of the music.

How has your live show changed and evolved over the last year or so? How will you bring these new songs to life? We’re waiting for you in Australia!

I think, fundamentally, we’ve just become a much better live band over time haha. We’ve been lucky enough to play so many shows over the last few years, and you can really feel how much all of that experience has shaped us.

More than anything, we’ve grown a lot more confident on stage. That confidence has allowed us to connect with the audience in a much more natural way. Things like getting the crowd to scream with us during „Caught“ , encouraging everyone to sing along, or telling the crowd about what a shit day I’ve had, really shows how comfortable we are getting with being on stage and connecting with the people being there.

We would absolutely looooove to play Australia, but you might have to come along as a local to save us from all the wild animals. We also can’t wait to play the full album live in fall! Not in Australia yet, but in Europe we have a tour announced.

Is there a song on the album that might have been a challenge to finish or release for you guys? One that you are particularly proud of?

I think there’s a lot of songs on the album we really love and that have been a bit of a challenge to finish haha. I’m so proud that we finished this album as a whole and that we didn’t give up in the process of it, cause this is some of the best music we’ve created so far, but it really was a ride this time! So I might say I’m proud of all of it and especially of us as a band, that we finished this and didn’t lose ourselves along the way.

We know you have the best taste in music! Which other artists have you been listening to? Who is exciting you right now?

Some music I’ve had on repeat the past few weeks:

Dottie Andersson - Wind that makes the subway sound
ABBA - Slipping Through My Fingers
Kate Stephenson - Summerfoot
oklou - blade bird
Holly Humberstone - Make It All Better

What’s next for Soft Loft?

We’ve got a really exciting few months ahead of us. This summer, we’ll be playing a run of support shows for a big German band in stadiums, which is something completely new for us. It’s definitely a little surreal, and we’re incredibly excited for the experience.

Then, in September, Throw The Dice will finally be out in the world. We’ve been living with these songs for such a long time, so we honestly can’t wait for everyone to hear them.

After that, we’ll be heading out on tour in the fall, which is what we’re looking forward to most. Playing these new songs live and sharing them with people is the whole reason we make them. We’re so excited for this next chapter and can’t wait to see everyone out there. <3

Listen to Soft Loft HERE.

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