Neu Soak

: SOAK (aka Bridie Monds-Watson)
Based: Derry
Listen: ‘24 Windowed House’
Similar to: Cat Power, Alt-J

What should first be noted about this seventeen-year-old Irish songwriter, Soak, is just how much melody she coaxes out of her stripped back setup.

Her song ‘Blud’ is an expert showcase of her pop-folk sensibilities. The power is in its simplicity, with only two guitars, percussion and keyboards in the mix it somehow manages to evoke all the melody and atmosphere of nu-folk artists with ample more experience and money than herself. It even attracted a remix from her highest profile fans, Scottish pop heroes CHVRCHES.

Sonically she rests somewhere between the kooky indie folk of Joanna Newsom and the infectious melodic approach of Alt-J. The maturity of her voice lends her music an authority far beyond her years. You can hear it especially on ‘24 Windowed House’, a song from her latest EP ‘Blud’, which also includes the latterly mentioned titular track.

Now releasing music under CHVRCHES’ Goodbye Records, the future looks bright for Bridie. Amidst a post-Mumford folk scene that’s prone to being threadbare and road-weary, Bridie’s about to inject some vibrancy.