Singaporean producer and songwriter Nat Ćmiel — a.k.a yeule — has announced their third studio album, previewed by two new singles: "dazies" and "fish in the pool."
The follow-up to last year's Glitch Princess, softscars arrives September 22 via Ninja Tune. It includes previous single "sulky baby."
"I took the metaphor of the scar to represent each song, and each scar remains soft," yeule explained of the album, which sees the artist exploring gentler textures. "Whether you're healing from emotional trauma or a physical wound, time never heals a scar completely. There's no more pain, but you can still see the mark afterward. I have a deep feeling that the things my ancestors went through got passed down; there's some trauma that just sticks. There was always decay and distortion in my life, there's always been something wrong or ugly. So the scar reminds me that I'm being protected, and I should protect myself."
softscars also sees yeule fully embrace this musical project as who they are instead of an artistic persona to hide behind. "I was forcing myself to separate myself from my artist persona and trying to tone myself down, because I felt like people wouldn't like me if I was really that," they admitted.
"dazies" shows a new level of vulnerability in yeule's signature glitch-pop style, embracing emo-inflected guitar strums and a loping tempo. Meanwhile, "fish in the pool" is a cover of an instrumental piece from the Japanese film Hana and Alice.
The musician bring the new 12-track collection to North American stages on tour this fall, with a few Canadian stops along the way. After kicking off the trek on September 30 in Pomona, yeule will make their way to Vancouver's Celebrities on October 4, Toronto's Axis Club on October 12 and Montreal's Fairmount Theatre on October 13. The rest of the dates will be completed stateside, ending back in California on October 29.
Listen to "dazies" and "fish in the pool" below. Keep scrolling for the full album tracklist and yeule's tour itinerary.
softscars:
1. x w x
2. sulky baby
3. softscars
4. 4ui12
5. ghosts
6. dazies
7. fish in the pool
8. software update
9. inferno
10. bloodbunny
11. cyber meat
12. aphex twin flame
Pre-order softscars.
yeule 2023 Tour Dates:
09/30 Pomona, CA - The Glass House
10/01 San Francisco, CA - Portola Festival
10/03 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
10/04 Vancouver, BC - Celebrities
10/05 Seattle, WA - Neumos
10/06 Boise, ID - Treefort Music Hall
10/07 Denver, CO - Marquis
10/09 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
10/10 Chicago, IL - Metro
10/12 Toronto, ON - Axis Club
10/13 Montreal, QC - Fairmount Theatre
10/14 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
10/15 New York, NY - Webster Hall
10/18 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
10/19 Washington, D.C. - Black Cat
10/20 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
10/21 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade (Hell)
10/24 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
10/25 Dallas, TX - Studio at The Factory
10/26 Austin, TX - Levitation Festival
10/28 Mesa, AZ - The Nile
10/29 Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda
The follow-up to last year's Glitch Princess, softscars arrives September 22 via Ninja Tune. It includes previous single "sulky baby."
"I took the metaphor of the scar to represent each song, and each scar remains soft," yeule explained of the album, which sees the artist exploring gentler textures. "Whether you're healing from emotional trauma or a physical wound, time never heals a scar completely. There's no more pain, but you can still see the mark afterward. I have a deep feeling that the things my ancestors went through got passed down; there's some trauma that just sticks. There was always decay and distortion in my life, there's always been something wrong or ugly. So the scar reminds me that I'm being protected, and I should protect myself."
softscars also sees yeule fully embrace this musical project as who they are instead of an artistic persona to hide behind. "I was forcing myself to separate myself from my artist persona and trying to tone myself down, because I felt like people wouldn't like me if I was really that," they admitted.
"dazies" shows a new level of vulnerability in yeule's signature glitch-pop style, embracing emo-inflected guitar strums and a loping tempo. Meanwhile, "fish in the pool" is a cover of an instrumental piece from the Japanese film Hana and Alice.
The musician bring the new 12-track collection to North American stages on tour this fall, with a few Canadian stops along the way. After kicking off the trek on September 30 in Pomona, yeule will make their way to Vancouver's Celebrities on October 4, Toronto's Axis Club on October 12 and Montreal's Fairmount Theatre on October 13. The rest of the dates will be completed stateside, ending back in California on October 29.
Listen to "dazies" and "fish in the pool" below. Keep scrolling for the full album tracklist and yeule's tour itinerary.
softscars:
1. x w x
2. sulky baby
3. softscars
4. 4ui12
5. ghosts
6. dazies
7. fish in the pool
8. software update
9. inferno
10. bloodbunny
11. cyber meat
12. aphex twin flame
Pre-order softscars.
yeule 2023 Tour Dates:
09/30 Pomona, CA - The Glass House
10/01 San Francisco, CA - Portola Festival
10/03 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
10/04 Vancouver, BC - Celebrities
10/05 Seattle, WA - Neumos
10/06 Boise, ID - Treefort Music Hall
10/07 Denver, CO - Marquis
10/09 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
10/10 Chicago, IL - Metro
10/12 Toronto, ON - Axis Club
10/13 Montreal, QC - Fairmount Theatre
10/14 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
10/15 New York, NY - Webster Hall
10/18 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
10/19 Washington, D.C. - Black Cat
10/20 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
10/21 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade (Hell)
10/24 Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
10/25 Dallas, TX - Studio at The Factory
10/26 Austin, TX - Levitation Festival
10/28 Mesa, AZ - The Nile
10/29 Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda
