Feather Beds - Softer Measures
“Using field recordings, samples and found sounds, whilst still retaining a twisted pop sensibility” – Fat Cat Records
“An immaculately formed gem, a dreamy piece of left field pop that slides past all boundaries” – CLASH
“Underpinned with touches of The Cure and a beguiling mix of harmony-drenched Beach Boys” — Irish Times
"Ambient electronics and gorgeous instrumentation" — The 405
“Occupies the space between uplifting sadness and delicate beauty, creating a sonic environment that is aptly autumnal and melancholic” — The Line of Best
Feather Beds, the solo project of Dublin-born, London-based artist/producer Michael Orange, releases his new album Softer Measures on Friday, 26th May, 2023 via Strange Brew. His first full-length record since 2017, the LP explores questions about the fragility of memory and cognitive ability, as well as how much we take them for granted. Having been based in Montreal for a few years and then back to Dublin, Softer Measures sees Orange in London full-time and adopting a more austere approach to songwriting by incorporating elements of noise and drone alongside a backdrop of jangly guitars, homemade samples, and washed-out harmonies. Orange takes inspiration from math and prog rock, with unconventional time signatures hidden under the melodic surface of his music. Taking on production duties himself and working again with long-time collaborator Stephen Shannon (Mount Alaska, Strands) on mixing duties, Orange is due to make a triumphant return with Softer Measures. He and the Feather Beds live band of Mike Liffey (Mail Order Messiahs), Ben Shorten (Tomorrows), and Paul Savage (O Emperor) are ready to bring their riveting show to fans later in 2023.
Album opener ‘Memory’ is an appropriately atmospheric introduction to the album, preparing listeners for an immersive sonic experience. Vincent Richard from WORKS played tape loops and additional guitar to add to the ambient sound.
The bittersweet push and pull of lead single ‘Really Disney’ will certainly appeal to fans of Yo La Tengo, Andy Shauf, Cornelius, and The Microphones. Orange’s sweet voice floats in, dream-like, followed by playful cascades of piano (courtesy of Ben Shorten from Tomorrows) and forlorn trumpet (Gordon Wyper). The song is subtly surreal, as are the bold, highly stylized graphics of the music video, made by Orange himself.
“It's about what is real and what isn't. The version of ourselves we present over reality,” Orange says of ‘Really Disney’. The GOO praised the single as “a beauty” that “augurs brilliantly for the album release.”
‘Saviour’ started off as a fingerpicked tune, but grew into something fuller and more complex as Orange blended programmed drums and himself playing live on a kit. The song takes cues from Atlanta post-punk outfit Omni, informed by a similar off-kilter attitude. ‘No Memory’ is the thematic core of the album, rooted in a gentle and honeyed sound. “It’s about seeing a family member fade away in front of you, trying to deal with that and also trying to understand your relationship with them,” Orange explains.
The halfway point is demarcated by ‘Macros’, which repurposes and layers the vocals from the following track, ‘Sport of Boxing’. The second part of the album kicks off with the immediacy of ‘Sport of Boxing’, a New Wave-influenced track with hints of The Cure, Cleaners From Venus, and more contemporary artists like Women.
“Lyrically, it's about trying to figure out who and what is good for you in your life,” Orange says of the jangle pop song.
Orange describes the experimental track ‘Visible Lines’ as “Americana on ketamine.” With the help of Mike Liffey on synth and additional guitar, Orange jumps between different time signatures, layering slide guitar and vocal harmonies to create a heady, disconcerting soundscape. ‘We Safari’ is one of the oldest tracks of the album, having originally been started in 2019. The song is driven by rhythmic syncopation, with the middle appearing almost like a dream sequence: everything just feels like it's falling in on itself, but then the melody re-emerges.
Softer Measures comes to a claustrophobic close with ‘Easter Island’, by far the darkest track on the record. Unconventional guitar slide, playful plinks of piano, and insistent drum machine keep listeners on edge until the very end of the LP.