# California’s SOFT SCIENCE Releases Their Most Immersive Album ‘Sand’ - Link: https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/ - Published: 2026-09-04T16:00:00-05:00 - Author: Eugene Tierney Soft Science is releasing their fifth album, Sand, in September 2026. The ten-track record expands on the Northern California band’s signature blend of dream pop, shoegaze, and post-punk, combining layered twin twelve-string guitars, electronic textures, and ethereal vocals with hook-filled melodies. Lyrically, the album explores the cyclical nature of love, memory, and personal change. Tracks like Spinning, Understand, and Fade balance emotional weariness with themes of resilience, hope, and connection. Sand will be available on CD, vinyl, and major digital streaming platforms.   | | | |   | | | ### **California’s Soft Science releases fifth album ‘Sand’, their most immersive record to date** | | | | | | | | | | | Soft Science | | Sand | | Shelflife Records (USA) & Spinout Nuggets (UK). | | 4 September 2026 | |   | | | | | **FOR FANS OF: Alvvays, Lush, The Primitives, The Sundays, Dentist, Winter, Mo Dotti** ** INFLUENCED BY: Ride, Ivy, Stereolab, The Field Mice, The Mighty Lemon Drops, Catherine Wheel, My Bloody Valentine, Pale Saints** _“A hypnotic, emotionally charged rush of shimmering guitars and restless energy that turns emotional repetition into something both exhilarating and memorable” _ ~ **God Is In The TV** _“Polished dream pop with heat in the guitars, motion in the rhythm, and a chorus that knows exactly how quickly it can get stuck in your head” ~ **The Big Takeover** _“Shimmering, atmospheric and quietly propulsive, it finds the band balancing dream pop’s hazy textures with the forward momentum of indie rock… a band with a lot of character, their positivity flowing through each and every track they offer us”_ ~ **The Spill Magazine** **Northern California quintet ****[Soft Science](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/)** returns with [**‘Sand’**](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/sand), their fifth album, released via** **[**Shelflife Records**](https://www.instagram.com/shelfliferecords)**** in North America and** **[**Spinout Nuggets**](https://www.instagram.com/spinoutnuggets) in the UK.. Building on the band’s signature mix of dream pop, post-punk, shoegaze, and darkwave, this record is both intimate and expansive – rooted in melody, atmosphere, and emotional depth.  **Across these 10 songs, the band pairs shimmering textures with renewed urgency, delivering a dynamic and immersive record that is unmistakably Soft Science. ‘Sand’ explores the fragile, cyclical nature of love, tracing how relationships can shift beneath our feet while still offering moments of clarity, devotion, hope, and renewal.** **The singles [‘Spinning’](https://youtu.be/O3W4sO59tMw), [‘Understand’](https://found.ee/softscience_understand) and [‘Fade’](https://found.ee/softscience_fade) pair propulsive energy with ethereal vocals and luminous guitars, finding beauty in moments that inevitably slip away.‘ Spinning’ captures the frustration of being caught in a loop of recurring conversations and patterns. ‘Understand’ delivers a buoyant, Lush-infused burst of hope rooted in the healing passage of time. ‘Fade’ shifts into a more intimate yet expansive space, pairing a classic four-on-the-floor pulse with dreamy vocals and reflective lyrics about memory, change, and connection. Together, they showcase the creative blend of layered harmonies, cascading guitars, electronic textures, and hook-filled melodies that define the sound of ‘Sand’. Lyrically, throughout ‘Sand’ runs a strong sense of being stuck in cycles: spinning, circling, repeating old patterns, trying to be heard, trying to understand what went wrong. But it’s not all bleak. The album strikes chords of tenderness and resilience, as evidenced by phrases like _“there is hope for us,” “we find a way,” “let in the light” _and _“steady as we sway”_ – lyrics that create a push-pull dynamic between weariness and a stubborn belief that connection and perseverance can still produce a better tomorrow.  **Soft Science features Katie Haley (lead vocals, percussion), brothers Matt Levine( lead guitar) and Ross Levine (guitar, backing vocals), partners Tony Cale (drums) and Becky Cale (bass, backing vocals), along with frequent collaborator Hans Munz( electronics). Built around ethereal vocals, twin 12-string guitars, bass, drums and synthesizers, the band creates lush, transportive songs that balance melody, harmony, and rhythm. Praised by critics, Soft Science pairs gauzy textures with restless momentum, blending dream pop, shoegaze, and indie rock into a sound that is hypnotic, melodic, and emotionally direct.** Soft Science’s latest album[** ‘Lines’**](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/lines)****( 2023) was preceded by** **[**‘Maps’**](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/maps)****( 2018),[ **‘Detour’** ](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/detour)(2013), and** **[**‘Highs and Lows’ **](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/highs-and-lows)( 2011), along with a** split 7”** with **The Luxembourg Signal **(2015) and **The House of Love** cover** [‘I Don’t Know Why I Love You’](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/undone-i-dont-know-why-i-love-you)** and a rendition of [**Northern Picture Library’s ‘Paris’ **](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com/album/sooner-paris)( 2018). Critically acclaimed, Soft Science has done live sessions at [**KEXP**](https://youtu.be/61_fg0GAsFs)**, WFMU **and** Part-Time Punks**, and performed at** New York Popfest, Paris Popfest, The Big Takeover’s 35th Anniversary show, Schellraiser Festival, Tremolo Fest, D**** reamgaze PDX**, and other **festivals across the USA.**** Soft Science was also highlighted on Sound Opinions’ “Shoegaze Genre Dissection” as one of the hosts’ recent genre favorites (August 21, 2026, Show 1082).** **With ‘Sand’, Soft Science pushes further into the noisier edges of dream pop while preserving the hooks, texture and emotive resonance at the center of their work. Examining how love, memory and identity are shaped by change, they ask what it means to stay connected in an uncertain world. ‘Sand’ stands as the band’s most focused, poignant collection to date. As _Dagger Zine_ wrote, “Pop hooks bump up against heaving waves of sonic swirl and it all shimmers and shines in all the right places,” a fitting description of a group that continues to expand its sound without losing its melodic core.** **‘Sand’ is out September 4 on CD and vinyl, with digital availability through ** [**major streaming and download platforms**](https://found.ee/softscience_sand)**, including [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/14i6DXLV2yRbduXzTZUuy2), [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/soft-science/433437510) and [Bandcamp](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com).** **TRACK LIST** 01.  Spinning02.  Go03.  Fade04.  Without05.  Sand06.  Everything07. Thread08.  Understand09.  Hope10.  Sway **ALBUM CREDITS** Lyrics written by Katie Haley & Ross LevineAll songs written by Katie Haley, Ross Levine, Matt Levine, Becky Cale & Tony Caleexcept ‘Thread’, ‘Without’ and ‘Sway’ are written byKatie Haley, Ross Levine, Matt Levine, Becky Cale, Tony Cale & Hanz MunzKatie Haley – vocals, percussionRoss Levine – backing vocals, synths, additional guitarsMatt Levine – guitarBecky Cale – bass guitar, backing vocalsTony Cale – drumsHans Munz – additional electronicsRecorded at Shattered Records and The Pool HouseEngineered by Jack O’DonnellAdditional Engineering by Ross LevineMixed by Kev Bolus at OneElevenMastered by Antony Ryan at RedRedPawProduced by Soft ScienceArtwork by John Conleyc @ p Shelflife Records / Spinout Nuggets 2026Vinyl UPC code 759159696649/ CD UPC code 759159696656Publicity by **Shauna McLarnon** for [**Shameless Promotion PR**](http://www.shamelesspromotionpr.com/) **Keep up with Soft Science ** [Website](https://linktr.ee/softscience) | [Bandcamp](https://softscienceband.bandcamp.com) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/softsciencemusic) | I[nstagram](https://www.instagram.com/softscienceband/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/softscienceband) | [Soundcloud](https://soundcloud.com/soft-science) | [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@softscienceband) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/artist/14i6DXLV2yRbduXzTZUuy2) | [Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/soft-science/433437510) | [Press contact](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/co*****@******************pr.com) **Keep up with Shameless Promotion PR** [Website](http://www.shamelesspromotionpr.com/) | [Facebook ](http://www.facebook.com/shamelesspromotionpr)| [Twitter ](http://twitter.com/shamelesspr_) | [Instagram](http://www.instagram.com/shamelesspromotionpr) | [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/shamelesspromotion.bsky.social) | [Threads ](https://www.threads.net/@shamelesspromotionpr)| [Soundcloud](http://www.soundcloud.com/shameless-promotionpr) | [LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/company/shamelesspromotionpr) | [Email](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/co*****@******************pr.com) | | | | | | |   | |   | | | | | |   | | ![](http://7168.haulix.com/wf/open?upn=u001.3gfah00q3OVPn8XU4CyB3UdnMWitRyYaa1q13nAiIiuj3TgtkrbSEWWEa8IZxdIA3n8vBfd5palKKYZaD4J4dfnTqKl1L- 2FHQeCnND30TUwQFRUAVJlf5liGsyEAFeIGt79h6bgBgEJmDgWOFnHP5N3i5mFduQf2HQJAymUiinS1a8MardcvVviYfXGy0O4rQrp- 2FIKxuJ1LrIvLp3AascNcBAMRCrEFf-2FAvtMFXUv2T468Cd0lBjUcQDqb9gwnwfP78rK5PEfCKd0SmMamYXkOHGSFff5JcChgHPHvJwEwkQ- 2F3fLQu1JKq-2BuV8flkzS6gTtTq792MthuFKy5w1C4tuw-3D-3D) [⌊Shameless Promotion⌉⌊Shameless Promotion⌉[ ### Share this: * [ Facebook ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=facebook) * [ X ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=x) * [ Email ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?subject=%5BShared%20Post%5D%20California%27s%20SOFT%20SCIENCE%20Releases%20Their%20Most%20Immersive%20Album%20%27Sand%27&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyrdcast.com%2Fcalifornias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand%2F&share=email) * [ LinkedIn ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=linkedin) * [ Mastodon ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=mastodon) * [ Nextdoor ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=nextdoor) * [ Pinterest ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=pinterest) * [ Reddit ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=reddit) * [ Tumblr ](https://www.nyrdcast.com/californias-soft-science-releases-their-most-immersive-album-sand/?share=tumblr) ### Like this: Like Loading… ### _Related_