Exclusive Interview with SOFTAWARE

“Molt” is the long-awaited sophomore album from dream-pop-synth-rock master Softaware (Colin Nance of Harglow). And the wait was definitely worth it.

As soon as the ethereal synthesizers begin to play, you lose all sense of gravity. Softaware’s warmth envelops you with guitars and pads that swirl. Comparable to his 80s music influences, as the beat drops and you sway helplessly to every hit. This may be Softaware’s magnum opus. Large Crescendos of morphing synths and guitars swirling with verbed-out vocals encircle your ears before falling to a single sound that suspends your body in a state of pleasure. “Soft Monster” features a more sassy groove beat with unclean spastic guitar riffs on top of attitude for days. “Lavender” is reminiscent of The Cranberries, with guest vocalist Lauren Todd (Nine Colours) belting brilliantly over a melancholy melody that is bound to elicit an emotional response. And I do mean everyone.

Unquestionably, “Molt” is destined for glory. Further evidence that Softaware is an absolute expert in his field. Check out the album and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

SOFTAWARE: I come from the Oklahoma City area. I grew up in the scene here and had the privilege of cutting my teeth alongside some incredibly talented musicians/bands. This city truly is a gem for people doing some great things amongst a sociopolitical backdrop that is not so great.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

SOFTAWARE: Self-taught for the most part. I was a percussionist in school band for 3 years, but that’s as close to formal as I ever got. I just picked things up by ear over the years.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SOFTAWARE’?

SOFTAWARE: No real deep cuts here, but all of them were incredibly important to my musical developments and perspectives when I was a teen into my early 20s. Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Tool, King Black Acid and M83 were heavy hitters for me at a young age, for sure.

As for the name, it was a product of the songs I was writing for the first record. Originally that album was going to just be a solo record that was put out under my own name. But as the concept of the record formed, the sound evolved and more people came into the fold, it felt necessary to give it a name. The album was about technology and how the evolution of it was creating a juxtaposition of deeper connection and deeper disconnection. The internet and having a mini computer in everyone’s pocket brought us together but also gave us a platform to be more divisive and ruffle more feathers.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

SOFTAWARE: I don’t feel like there is a specific or necessary element that should resonate. It’s up to the listener. If there is anything they can grasp onto that brings them catharsis, contemplation or joy, I think that’s a win.

I find it reductive and awkward when I try to describe my sound. It’s a lot of things. It’s up to the listener based on their individual experience to come to their own determination, I suppose. I just make it. It’s an expression of me.

5. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

SOFTAWARE:

I’m not really an artist who is known enough to have experienced a lot of these things up to this point. I will say though, ignoring it is the best route. There’s nothing beneficial that comes from focusing on that kind of negativity. At most you could possibly use it to add fuel to the fire. It’s just important to keep creating and servicing yourself through the medium. It’s therapeutic. Validation is of course a very nice feeling, but it should never be the driving force behind your music. If it is then you start skirting that line of the inauthentic.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

SOFTAWARE:

Music can encapsulate all those things and I try to voice and express all of them to be honest. I’m interested in all those elements and I try to tackle it all in some facet through my music. I feel that It’s crucial to use your voice when you are afforded a platform. You may be shedding some light on a subject or offering a perspective that broadens someone’s views.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

SOFTAWARE:

I think I walk a fine line internally with that question. The point of making art is to express yourself and find catharsis in that process. I would say that I succeed in that regard. The “expectations of more” would be the hope that other people hear the music and it inspires them and brings them some sort of fulfillment just as it does for me. That’s the other side of the coin with creating. One half is self-expression and the other is to inspire and continue the chain reaction.

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

SOFTAWARE:

These days it usually starts in the DAW. Writing/recording is happening simultaneously. It depends on the day with what I’m going to start with. I may program drums and build from there or I may sit at a synth and find a progression that strikes the match to follow the smoke. I collect vhs and have a combo TV/Player in the studio. I like to put on tapes in the background and dim the lights to get in a certain headspace to write a lot of the time. There’s a comfort/energy that comes from that ritual that sets the tone for me.

As far as collaboration, I’m always open to it. I love collaborating. It helps to push you outside of your comfort zone and do some things you might not typically do if left to yourself. This new record is pretty much just myself in all the roles (outside of Lauren on “Lavender”) so there wasn’t too much on this outing.

9. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

SOFTAWARE: I think everyone should be free to interpret the music as they see fit. I believe that’s where the true power and magic of music really resides.

10. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

SOFTAWARE: Both. They have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The studio is comfortable and allows you the freedom to experiment/create on your own terms. When playing live you’re at the mercy of a lot of factors completely out of your control, but that’s what is exciting about the notion. You feed off the different energies in so many ways. Although, I’ve been more of a studio hermit these days since I have not played a show since pre-pandemic. I’m definitely feeling the itch to get back out there again soon.

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