‘Soak’ effectively merges the band’s core sound with new textures: strong, bold riffs link back to their self‑titled debut, but the melodies often shift into an unexpectedly upbeat indie‑pop vibe, while a haunting element streams throughout at the same time. The result is a tense, emotional tone, making the experience of listening similar to watching a classic indie movie mixed with an undertone of gothic dread.
The album touches on lead singer Izzy B. Phillips’ experience with sobriety and personal transformation being a big part of the album. She’s previously described ‘Soak’ as looking back on years worth of touring whilst writing music and touches on being an addict. The tracks don’t shy away from the darkness she’s encountered along the way, but rather embraces it, shaping that experience into something both haunting and defiant. The record’s overall aesthetic draws from Stanley Kubrick’s retro‑futuristic movies - a shift from earlier influences like Tarantino and Wes Anderson.
The tracklist reads like a mood‑board: starting with ‘Insulin’, moving into the intensity of ‘Dead’ and ‘Psycho’, and winding through amazing songs like ‘Shallow’, ‘Vampire in the Kitchen’, and the title track ‘Soak’. The band isn’t afraid to shift gears with these songs, from stormy, guitar-driven anthems to airy, melodic dreamscapes - and that unpredictability is one of the album’s greatest strengths.
Single ‘Dead’, preceding the release of the fourth album, is definitely a stand out track that successfully captures the meaning behind the project on a whole. It comes following the first released single ‘Psycho’ and it gives everything it needs to give. It’s nestled early in the tracklist and has a shoegaze element to it. It’s a slow-burning, emotionally raw song that demonstrates the pain of betrayal and numbness. The lyric “You can’t kill me now ‘cause I’m already dead” serves as both a gut-punch and a mantra: Phillips delivers the line with a chilling detachment, as if to say the worst has already happened, and now she’s untouchable. It’s one of the most vulnerable and impactful moments on the album, revealing how the band can shift from coolness to sincerity in a heartbeat.
Overall, this is Black Honey’s most cohesive and emotionally resonant work to date. It’s an album that signifies how daring Phillips and the rest of the band are to sit in the discomfort of past experiences while pushing creatively into new sounds and energy. Phillips’ lyrics are bold, unique and honest, the sounds are rich and unpredictable, and the emotional core is undeniable. Having the confidence to be able to touch upon such difficult topics and tell the world your story isn’t easy, but the record is a beautiful project that gets the points across with ease. Whether you’re a longtime listener of Black Honey or discovering the band for the first time, ‘Soak’ demands your attention - and earns it, track after track.
Neve Pomfrey
@nevepomfreyy
Image: ‘Soak’ Official Album Cover
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