Swiss indie pop band Smooth Loft dive deep into vulnerability, longing, and emotional launch on their radiant six-track EP ‘Fashionable Roses,’ an achingly stunning document full of heat, whimsy, and soul-stirring sincerity. Atwood Journal sits down with frontwoman Jorina Stamm for an intimate track-by-track unpacking of affection, life, and the little moments that linger.
Stream: “Go away the Gentle On” – Smooth Loft
“You go away the sunshine on… You retain the sunshine on with the water within the pot…”
The kettle hums and the candle burns with the burden of what’s been left behind. It’s a whisper with the burden of a shout – a second of humanity at its rawest and realest. Smooth Loft’s Fashionable Roses lingers in these in-between moments – between holding on and letting go, between what we are saying and what we imply, between who we had been and who we’re turning into. It’s a document that holds area for the wonder and ache of human connection. It’s reminiscence; it’s reflection; it’s want. It’s the love, and all the things else, that lingers lengthy after the final goodbye.
Smooth Loft’s newest EP is a dreamscape of intimacy and emotion – light but gutsy, layered in heat and vulnerability, with melodies that shimmer and lyrics that sting. Launched in late April by way of [PIAS] and self-produced by the band, Fashionable Roses explores the emotional landscapes we navigate after we attain for closeness: The enjoyment of affection, the sorrow of distance, the stress of retaining and untethering. And but, these songs don’t simply replicate these sacred moments; they reside in them, respiratory life into the grey areas of relationships and the silent areas between us. Directly melancholic and radiant, this EP is a softly stirring triumph: A fearless expression of feeling in all its messy, magnificent types.
Smooth Loft are a Swiss indie pop band whose music hums with tenderness, stress, and a quiet type of bravery. The five-piece – comprised of Jorina Stamm (vocals/guitar), Lukas Kuprecht (drums), Marius Meier (bass), Sarina Schmid (keyboards), and Simon Boss (guitar) – first made a reputation for themselves with 2023’s self-released debut LP The Social gathering and the Mess, a dreamy and diaristic full-length produced by Grammy-nominated Gianluca Buccellati. With no label or press marketing campaign, the EP discovered its option to KEXP and the NACC charts, paving the way in which for a breakout yr of worldwide competition appearances and sold-out membership exhibits.
“We adore it nonetheless, however it’s onerous,” frontwoman Jorina Stamm says of the band’s one-year-old debut. “We speak about it quite a bit… We’re very blissful to launch new music as a result of we wish to present all these items we’re doing now. Subsequent week we’re going into the studio once more, so it’s all coming collectively… However it’s nonetheless very particular to have that first album. Now we have such nice reminiscences doing it with our producer, and it was the kickstart! It simply felt very particular to start the mission with that album – it began the mission, so we’re very blissful about that.”
Now signed to [PIAS], the band return not simply with momentum, however with intention — Fashionable Roses marks a turning level, cementing Smooth Loft’s voice as each emotionally resonant and artistically distinct.
This EP might sound seamless, however its coronary heart lies in spontaneity and give up. “We recorded it two years in the past already,” Stamm tells Atwood Journal. “Proper after we did our first album, we went straight into the studio once more and recorded these six songs, and it felt very releasing to take action.” With their debut already out on this planet, the band gave themselves permission to experiment. “We had music on the market, individuals knew what we’d been doing, and now we might simply type of do stuff and take a look at stuff out. That was a really cool expertise for us. We did all of it by ourselves, and it was a lot enjoyable.”
“We didn’t actually have a imaginative and prescient,” Stamm provides. “It was simply capturing all the things that we’re experiencing now… making an attempt out stuff and simply taking part in music, actually.” There was no idea, no overarching narrative – simply snapshots of life and feeling, woven into tune. “It was six tales out of my life, put collectively on an EP.”
That looseness grew to become a energy. Songs like “Le Parfait” arrived unfiltered and unforced. “It was once a sketch, and we simply stored it,” Stamm recollects. “We tried to re-record it in a studio, however we couldn’t seize the second, so we stored it because the demo model. We didn’t actually care. We simply stored it that and we launched it. We had been simply freely doing stuff and saying, ‘Okay, that’s what it’s.’” That intuition – to belief the second – is what offers Fashionable Roses its magnetic heat: It’s a doc of feeling first, polish second.
That spirit of intention and openness lives within the EP’s identify itself. “It really comes from a line from the tune ‘Paper Airplane,’ which works, ‘Fashionable roses are paper planes,’” Stamm explains. “In ‘Paper Airplane,’ the story is about eager about what might trendy makes an attempt of displaying affection be like. What are the trendy roses of at the moment? And eager about that theme we thought, what if our songs are trendy roses as effectively? What if these EP songs are trendy roses, trendy methods of displaying affection or simply sharing one thing about your self?”
Every of Fashionable Roses’ six tracks appears like its personal small gesture – a hand prolonged, a coronary heart uncovered, a thought became melody.
It’s the fragility and tenderness of Jorina Stamm’s voice that hits first on EP opener (and former Atwood Editor’s Decide) “Go away the Gentle On”: Sizzling on the mic, she aches inside and outside as she elegantly dances between the brutal and the gorgeous, the highs and lows of a love that ought to’ve ended – however received’t. “Go away the Gentle On” is a fantastically dramatic reverie; a supply of consolation and catharsis, ardour and ache, channeled right into a soul-stirring seduction. The tune swells in comfortable waves – hypnotic and haunting – as Stamm sings of missed timing, lingering reminiscences, and the sunshine that by no means fairly goes out. “It’s that high-quality line between one thing good and one thing you by no means wish to return to,” she shares. “You retain on wishing for that particular person to only flip the sunshine off.” Directly sleek and gutting, this opener builds a bridge from the band’s previous to its current – grounding Fashionable Roses within the emotional warmth of lived expertise.
In contrast, “Can” beams with comfortable, summery mild – a heat and wistful tune about vulnerability and the will to attach. “It’s type of me on this imaginary first date,” Stamm says. “I’m telling this particular person all the things about myself. I’m making an attempt to create space for connection.” There’s a deep tenderness right here, as Stamm opens the door to closeness whereas acknowledging how onerous it may be to let others in.
The sweetly spirited “Paper Airplane” takes that very same longing and twists it into a unusual, cinematic reminiscence. Set in Paris and sporting an invigorating drum beat, it turns a quiet second of awkward solitude right into a daydream of human connection. “I didn’t actually really feel good at this live performance, so I went behind the membership and checked out this flyer, and there have been directions to fold a paper airplane on it. I began folding the paper airplane, and this man came visiting and flirtatiously requested me what I used to be doing… I didn’t actually really feel good, so I shut it down, however after this second I actually began eager about the scenario – what if the paper airplane might have been a contemporary rose?” Stamm muses. “What different conditions do I do know of individuals displaying affection and connecting by way of stuff?” The monitor floats and flutters with classic textures and a dreamlike vibe, completely embodying its origin story.
The temper turns sharper on “Ohm,” a simmering breakup tune brimming with frustration and guilt. “It’s very offended and really giving feeling responsible and placing guilt on one another,” Stamm says. “Letting all of it out in a tune after which feeling higher about it.” Like its identify, “Ohm” hums with stress – a uncooked electrical present of unresolved emotion.
“Le Parfait” trades construction for softly stirring sensation. Extra mantra than tune, it loops a single longing phrase – “you don’t wish to go” – till it turns into hypnotic. “It’s simply repeating this again and again,” Stamm explains. “It’s a temper about longing.” That looseness is intentional: a cheeky, aching ode to not wanting the night time to finish.
However you don’t
you don’t wanna go
no you don’t
you don’t wanna go
I believe I actually know
I believe I actually know…
The EP closes on “Pop Up,” a deceptively playful monitor that captures a deeper battle. Based mostly on an actual dialog about gender and feminism, Stamm steps into a number of views to replicate on the complexities of listening, talking, and being heard. “It’s very difficult, as a result of I do get each opinions,” she says. “It’s onerous to be a girl typically. And it’s onerous to be a person understanding that it’s onerous to be a girl typically.” The result’s as weak as it’s thought-provoking – an surprising finale that leaves the door open for extra questions, extra conversations, extra roses to bloom.
As for favorites, Stamm finds it onerous to decide on – and possibly that’s the purpose. These songs aren’t simply tracks; they’re moments, moods, and reminiscences.
“It adjustments on daily basis,” she laughs. “‘Go away the Gentle On’ was so enjoyable to play reside… and now that ‘Paper Airplane’ is out, I simply really feel like, okay, now now we have a dancey monitor, and that’s very enjoyable as effectively. After which I take heed to ‘Le Parfait,’ and I’m like, oh, that’s so cool that we did that.” Proper now, she says, it’s “Paper Airplane” – however ask her once more tomorrow, and the reply may change.
Although Fashionable Roses wasn’t born from a inflexible idea, Stamm’s lyrics carry weight – typically playful, typically poetic, at all times intentional. One among her favourite traces comes from “Paper Airplane”: “Fashionable roses are paper planes. Fashionable speaking is texting, proper? My roommate rented a personal jet. What’s life?” It’s a line that lands someplace between confusion and appeal, capturing the strangeness of contemporary reference to a wink. “It type of captures my confusion about how we’re doing issues these days,” Stamm displays. “It’s not a really emotional or melancholic lyric – it’s a enjoyable one.”
As breathtakingly stunning as its identify subtly suggests, Fashionable Roses is a present – a heat, wistful, and wondrous EP that invitations listeners into Smooth Loft’s world of delicate truths and emotional launch.
These six songs don’t scream for consideration; they sit with you, ebb and circulation with you, and maintain you shut. There’s a quiet confidence in how this band strikes – one which doesn’t chase perfection, however as an alternative embraces feeling, circulation, and the unfiltered intimacy of constructing music with individuals you belief. With its lush soundscapes, heartfelt lyrics, and soulful appeal, Fashionable Roses is greater than only a document; it’s a reminder of how highly effective it’s to share your coronary heart, and the way therapeutic it may be to listen to another person’s.
“I believe what I would really like for individuals to assume after they hear Smooth Loft… I actually like that now we have the idea of a band,” Stamm displays. “It’s not very traditional these days anymore – 5 individuals doing music collectively and we’re deciding all the things collectively and writing all the things collectively and having lots of enjoyable collectively whereas touring and making music. I didn’t assume that it was a particular factor earlier than, however I’m listening to increasingly that it’s uncommon. I like the concept of making this area the place it ought to all be very enjoyable and lots of understanding and being your self.”
As for what listeners may take from Fashionable Roses, Stamm retains it fantastically easy: “Crucial factor for me – or the factor I hope most for – is that persons are connecting with our music. I simply want for individuals to attach with it… and simply have enjoyable whereas listening to it. I actually love listening to music on a regular basis, so I hope persons are taking our music and strolling to the bus station or driving a automotive or no matter. Yeah, I want for that.”
She provides, “We weren’t making an attempt to please anybody with our music, however we’re blissful to please if the receiver appears like, okay, I like what you’re doing now.”
Expertise the complete document by way of our beneath stream, and peek inside Smooth Loft’s Fashionable Roses EP with Atwood Journal as Jorina Stamm goes track-by-track by way of the music and lyrics of her band’s newest launch. A very gorgeous 20-minute journey, it’s a heartfelt, handmade assortment that invitations us to sit down with our emotions, savor the softness, and discover magnificence within the in-between.
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:: stream/buy Fashionable Roses right here ::
:: join with Smooth Loft right here ::
Stream: ‘Fashionable Roses’ EP – Smooth Loft
:: Inside Fashionable Roses ::
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Go away The Gentle On
“Go away the Gentle On” is a kind of breakup songs while you break up however one particular person or possibly each, they’re nonetheless leaving the sunshine on a bit. You’re not likely letting go and also you’re not likely completed with the entire scenario and also you type of go away a bit mild on nonetheless in your feelings. And it’s type of about that feeling and making an attempt to seize this second the place you’re not prepared to completely let go, however you already know it is best to. And it’s all about that, leaving the sunshine on, leaving a bit water within the kettle to boil. And you retain wishing for the opposite particular person to show the sunshine off, however you continue to see it and it’s in all places.
Can
“Can” is a really private tune for me as a result of I are likely to shut down when persons are getting too shut. And “Can” is type of making an attempt to inform the story about me being very open minded and really outgoing and really not like, me in a typical relationship. And it’s type of taking me on this imaginary first state and I’m telling this particular person all the things about myself and I’m making an attempt to create space for connection and yeah, all the things that I’m combating is, is just not there anymore. Yeah, it’s type of that feeling about wishing to be extra open – to let individuals in.
Paper Airplane
“Paper Airplane” was really a tune that we wrote very quick. We wrote it in a day, I believe. And it was completed instantly. And it type of, the lyrics are about an expertise I had whereas being in Paris and I used to be at a live performance and at this membership known as Supersonic, which we really performed after writing the tune as effectively. And I didn’t actually really feel good on the live performance and I went behind the membership and checked out this flyer and there have been directions to fold a paper airplane on it. And I type of began doing this folding the paper airplane. And there was a man coming over and flirtatiously asking me what are you doing and why are you folding the paper airplane? And I didn’t actually really feel good so I shut it down and was like, oh effectively it tells you to fold the paper airplane. Why are you asking me this? Have a look at the flyer. However after this second I actually began eager about the scenario and I used to be eager about what if I used to be into the scenario. And what if the paper plan might have been a contemporary rose? And what different conditions do I do know of individuals displaying affection and connecting by way of stuff, I assume. And all these bizarre tales got here to my roommate on his first date. He rented, not a personal jet, however a helicopter. And I used to be eager about all these items and placing it in a tune and it’s known as “Paper Airplane.”
Ohm
With the identify, we had been really very lazy, I assume, as a result of we had all these working titles and we didn’t get to the purpose to vary them. We had been too late. So, they’ve these bizarre names, and a few of them have these bizarre names that stayed. However “Ohm” is definitely additionally type of like “Go away the Gentle On” – it’s a little bit of a breakup tune, however this time spherical it’s very offended and really giving feeling responsible and placing guilt on one another and being very offended and feeling betrayed and, yeah. Letting all of it out in a tune after which feeling higher about it.
Le Parfait
“Le Parfait” might be the tune which is most simply type of a temper and it’s not very a lot a typical tune. It doesn’t have very… It’s not structured. It’s at all times the identical phrases saying you don’t wish to go. And it’s possibly a cheeky method of claiming, I do know you don’t wish to wish to go away tonight. And it’s simply repeating this again and again and it’s a temper about longing.
Pop Up
We weren’t very certain if we’d put “Pop Up” on the document, really. I believe that’s why it’s the final tune on it, as a result of we determined final on this one to place it on. We actually appreciated the pre-production of it, however we weren’t very certain about it after we recorded it within the studio as a result of we didn’t fairly really feel like we obtained the vibe. However now listening to it, it’s very enjoyable once more. And the subject of the lyrics could be very… What do you say? It’s type of about listening to a dialog with a girl and a person and their pals, however they’re speaking about feminism. And it’s very, very a lot about misunderstanding and about not feeling heard. And I’m like, because the narrator of the tune, I’m taking all these totally different views of this dialog that I’ve heard. And it’s very difficult, as a result of I do get each opinions, and I do get that it’s onerous to be a girl typically. And it’s onerous to be a person understanding that it’s onerous to be a girl typically. The tune is de facto about that dialog and about how tough, I assume, for each of the edges it’s to know.
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:: stream/buy Fashionable Roses right here ::
:: join with Smooth Loft right here ::
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an EP by Smooth Loft
