Soft Kill has returned, and they're not pulling any punches. Their latest murder suite, "Blood On My Shoes," is a darkly masterful slow burn, a four-and-a-half-minute sojourn toward the precipice of the new three-track full-length Roseland. Renowned for their proclivity to smooth the boundaries of light and dark, Soft Kill continues to expand their sounds: never at rest, never stagnant.
"Blood On My Shoes" is utterly masterful in its tension and atmosphere. Thumping drums steer its pulse while serrated, reverb-soaked guitars dig out a menacing but mesmerizing atmosphere. As "Blood On My Shoes" unfolds with an almost cinematic production level, its disquieting undertow drawing the last of you in, the two musicians tap into the veneration and discomfort in Soft Kill's world of melancholic beauty and unity.
What makes "Blood On My Shoes" so enticing is how wide it feels yet also so intimate. The band teeters between vulnerability and menace, creating a soundscape that's both chilling and oddly comforting, like the soundtrack to a long-forgotten memory or the twitch of a dream on the verge of vanishing.
With Roseland, Soft Kill further establishes their claim on being at the cutting edge of contemporary postpunk and once again proves they can't be cornered by expectation. "Blood On My Shoes" is an experience. And one that lingers way beyond the last note.