🔵 Soft Science – Without: Dream Pop Masterpiece Review

  CANADA 

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orthern California quintet Soft Science presents 'Without', a standout track from their fifth album 'Sand', their most focused, poignant collection to date, newly released via Shelflife Records in North America and Spinout Nuggets in the UK. 

Showcasing creative blend of vibrant vocals, layered harmonies, cascading guitars and electronic textures, the accompanying video was created by Italian visionary Francesca Bonci, known for her work with The Dandy Warhols, Federale (Brian Jonestown Massacre's Collin Hegna), Pete International Airport, Slowdive's Rachel Goswell, and Tombstones In Their Eyes, among others.

Soft Science features Katie Haley (lead vocals, percussion), brothers Matt Levine (lead guitar) and Ross Levine (guitar, backing vocals), partners Tony Cale (drums) and Becky Cale (bass, backing vocals), along with frequent collaborator Hans Munz (electronics). 

• “There are things I do without, there are things that I can be without.”

"‘Without’ is one of my favorite songs on 'Sand'. It drifts slightly outside our usual orbit, built around a lyric that is both simple and quietly expansive: “There are things I do without, there are things that I can be without.” Those few words open a much larger question: in a world always urging us to want more, what can we release?' asked vocalist Katie Haley. 

"Maybe it’s the pull of possessions, things in the world beyond our control, or the worry, destructive thoughts, and stressful situations we carry within us. Over the past few years, I’ve become more intentional about what I absorb and what I allow to take root in my mind, protecting space for my mental health and happiness. Sometimes less leaves room for more, and this sonic, psychedelic song floats through that possibility."

Pairing gauzy textures with restless momentum, Soft Science blends dream pop, shoegaze, and indie rock into a sound that is hypnotic, melodic, and emotionally direct, producing lush, transportive songs that balance melody, harmony, and rhythm.

"We used a reversed lead guitar on ‘Spinning,’ then experimented with reversing the rhythm guitars on ‘Without,’ which created a great vibe. Hans’ contribution to the breakdown is also one of the highlights of the entire record. For the ‘Without’ video, we wanted to move beyond a traditional band performance and create a more conceptual piece," explains guitarist Ross Levine.

• Across these ten songs, they pair shimmering textures with renewed urgency, offering an immersive record

"Shauna at Shameless Promotion PR connected us with Francesca Bonci, and we love what she created for the song. As we worked through the concept, I suggested incorporating. breakdancing silhouettes, which she wove into the psychedelic, dreamlike sequence. We’re very happy with the result and feel the visuals deepen the experience of the song."

Building on their signature sound, 'Sand' is both intimate and expansive - rooted in melody, atmosphere, and emotional depth. Across these ten songs, they pair shimmering textures with renewed urgency, offering an immersive record that explores the fragile, cyclical nature of love, tracing how relationships can shift beneath our feet while still offering moments of clarity, devotion, hope, and renewal. 

Previewed by the singles 'Spinning', 'Understand' and 'Fade', the album emits a strong sense of being stuck in cycles: spinning, circling, repeating old patterns, trying to be heard, trying to understand what went wrong. Propulsive energy, ethereal vocals and luminous guitars unite as Soft Science finds beauty in moments that inevitably slip away.

Critically acclaimed, Soft Science has done live sessions at KEXP, WFMU and Part-Time Punks, and performed at New York Popfest, Paris Popfest, The Big Takeover’s 35th Anniversary show, Schellraiser Festival, Tremolo Fest, Dreamgaze PDX, and other festivals across the USA. Soft Science was also highlighted on Sound Opinions’ “Shoegaze Genre Dissection” as one of the hosts’ recent genre favorites (August 21, 2026, Show 1082). 

• Examining how love, memory and identity are shaped by change ...

Soft Science's latest album 'Lines' (2023) was preceded by 'Maps' (2018), 'Detour' (2013), and 'Highs and Lows' (2011), along with a split 7” with The Luxembourg Signal (2015) and The House of Love cover ‘I Don’t Know Why I Love You’ and a rendition of Northern Picture Library's ‘Paris’ (2018). With 'Sand', Soft Science pushes further into the noisier edges of dream pop while preserving the hooks, texture and emotive resonance at the center of their work. Examining how love, memory and identity are shaped by change, they ask what it means to stay connected in an uncertain world.

'Sand' is out September 4 on CD and vinyl, with digital availability through major streaming and download platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
 

"A hypnotic, emotionally charged rush of shimmering guitars and restless energy that turns emotional repetition into something both exhilarating and memorable" 
~ God Is In The TV

"Soft Science push further into the noisier reaches of dream pop while keeping melody, harmony, and forward motion central to their work. For a band so interested in the things that slip away, they make an appealing case for choosing what goes first" ~ Post-Punk.com 

"Polished dream pop with heat in the guitars, motion in the rhythm, and a chorus that knows exactly how quickly it can get stuck in your head" ~ The Big Takeover

"Shimmering, atmospheric and quietly propulsive, it finds the band balancing dream pop’s hazy textures with the forward momentum of indie rock... a band with a lot of character, their positivity flowing through each and every track they offer us"
~ The Spill Magazine

Soft Science

Without

Video out October 12th. New 'Sand' album released by
Shelflife Records (USA) & Spinout Nuggets (UK)

13 October 2026

TRACK LIST

01.  Spinning
02.  Go
03.  Fade
04.  Without
05.  Sand
06.  Everything
07.  Thread
08.  Understand
09.  Hope
10.  Sway

ALBUM CREDITS
Lyrics written by Katie Haley & Ross Levine
All songs written by Katie Haley, Ross Levine,
Matt Levine, Becky Cale & Tony Cale
except 'Thread', 'Without' and 'Sway' are written by
Katie Haley, Ross Levine, Matt Levine,
Becky Cale, Tony Cale & Hanz Munz
Katie Haley - vocals, percussion
Ross Levine - backing vocals, synths, additional guitars
Matt Levine - guitar
Becky Cale - bass guitar, backing vocals
Tony Cale - drums
Hans Munz - additional electronics
Recorded at Shattered Records and The Pool House
Engineered by Jack O'Donnell
Additional Engineering by Ross Levine
Mixed by Kev Bolus at OneEleven
Mastered by Antony Ryan at RedRedPaw
Produced by Soft Science
Artwork by John Conley
c @ p Shelflife Records / Spinout Nuggets 2026
Vinyl UPC code 759159696649 / CD UPC code 759159696656
Video by Francesca Bonci
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR


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