Soul of My Shoes – 2011 EP

From the earlier half of the last decade, up until this point in time, there has been a steady rise in lo-fi pop acts emerging. The vast majority of them either try to replicate the nostalgic sounds of the ’80s, or just like the sketchy production quality aesthetic. It’s difficult to be original or appealing when creating lo-fi music. There are two paths in which an artist can take when composing it: One path leads to failure, where the artist becomes derivative and drowns in an ocean of artists who are striving, or have strived, to create the same sound as you have. The second path leads to success. It’s rare for people to go down the “second path”, but those who have have managed to forge the perfect sound. Which path has Soul of My Shoes gone down? I feel it is too early to tell, but let me elaborate on the artist and his effort:

Hailing from Torino, Italy, Davide of Soul of My Shoes has created a musical blend that he likes to call “lo-fi bedroom pop”. Indeed, he has managed to create a sound which could very well match that description. The EP creates a relaxing atmosphere which is created with sparse electronic drums and guitars that ring out behind the lonely and often mumbly vocals of Davide. There are also moments where light, and somewhat cheesy, synths support the music though, unfortunately, they remain buried in the production. That can be forgiven, however, as the artist obviously didn’t record this in a studio, and therefore, he gets props from me for being able to make do with what he has.

The highlights on the album are the tracks ‘Isa Bluette‘ and ‘2010‘. ‘Isa Bluette‘ feels like the most complete song on the EP, with a well thought out song structure, and Davide’s vocals feel appropriate, even if he does sound like he’s trying a little too hard to be sultry and meaningful. ‘2010‘ is a nice track which echoes the sound of Suicide’s ‘Dream Baby Dream‘. The downside of this track is most probably the length. It’s probably the most fun and upbeat track on the EP, and it’s unfortunate that it ends without ever feeling complete.

In fact, the incomplete feeling is one thing that will fill you once the EP ends. For the most part, the songs on the EP lack direction, and it left me feeling uninspired. Creating electro-acoustic music that is inspiring just isn’t an easy move, and the artist has to be very careful about what he creates, as they can run the risk of being boring and unsubstantial to the listener, even if they are certain of the message they’re trying to convey. The sound of Soul of My Shoes has been well-worn, but it’s early days yet; Davide is just trying to find his sound. Given more time, I’m confident that he’ll be able to release something of a high standard.

Feel free to check out the 2011 EP by Soul of My Shoes on their SoundCloud page.