Brighton chamber-pop group Soft Top release debut concept album Gathering Dust

Released via Brightonm non-profit label Crafting Room Recordings, Gathering Dust traces the protagonist’s suspended existence across its tracklist, with each song examining a different facet of that liminal state: the world continuing without him, the strange pull of “coma-land”, and the blurred boundary between reality and imagination.

The album's opening track, “Your Aching Words”, is set in the real world in the moments before and during the accident; later, “Waiting Game” places the listener in a purgatory between life and death; while “Not Enough” acts as the emotional climax, with the protagonist reflecting on his life and deciding whether to wake up. The band leave the conclusion open to interpretation.

The narrative was sparked by a real-life incident involving band leader Miles Goodall. He explains: “An out-of-control car had veered towards me when I was standing at a pedestrian crossing. I jumped out of the way and it somehow skidded past me, but the ‘what if’ of that situation really stuck with me. That lingering thought of how quickly everything can change and what happens in the space immediately after, ended up forming a large part of the album’s lyrics and story.”

The record’s sound draws on influences such as Andy Shauf, Matt Maltese, and Steely Dan. The seven-piece ensemble – featuring clarinet, cello, synths and saxophone alongside guitar, bass and drums – gives the heavy themes an orchestral breadth and dreamlike palette.

The writing of “Waiting Game” took on additional weight during the album’s creation. Goodall notes: “At the time I was writing the track, my mum was in hospital receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer... I remember the waiting. That feeling of trying to distract from bigger, darker issues inspired this and tied into the album storyline.”

The album’s title carries its own backstory. Originally recorded some time ago, its release was delayed due to health issues affecting band members. Goodall says: “It started as a joke because we recorded the album quite some time ago, and unfortunately due to the two of us having some serious health issues last year we postponed the release, leaving it on a back shelf gathering dust. It just felt right.”