Swoon – Soft Collapse EP (Review)

The post-hardcore outfit Swoon are back with their new EP Soft Collapse. The record will be released on July 17 via Blood Blast Distribution. Originally from Leipzig, the band members are now spread-out all-over Germany. Their new release features seven absolute bangers.

Right from the start Soft Collapse grabs you by the collar. The opening mosh part on “Embers” hits like a truck, and yes fighting riffs are involved. But don’t get it twisted this EP is way more than just another hardcore release. In fact, when you hear tracks like “Echoes Fade Into Dust”, you might even start wondering: is this still hardcore? And honestly, that’s a good thing.

Swoon have always shown glimpses of variety, but this time they go all in. There are real shoegaze vibes all over the place. Fans of Fleshwater will definitely feel at home here. But just when you think it gets all dreamy, they hit you with heavy breakdowns that feel perfectly placed and never forced. The contrast works because the song writing is clever and emotionally charged.

Take “Nightshade”, for example. It starts off more melodic, even tender in a way, but by the end you’re thrown into a breakdown that sounds like an actual warzone. It’s violent, chaotic, and yet it all makes sense. You feel what they’re playing.
“Dead Weight” might be my personal favourite. The shoegaze influence really shines, the bass tone is heavy and overall the production deserves some serious praise. Everything sounds so natural, so well-balanced. Every instrument gets its moment, and the EP just flows. It’s crafted with love and it shows.

Even the interlude “Flowers” hits differently. Like… is this a lo-fi hip-hop part on a hardcore record? Somehow it works. It’s moments like this that show how Swoon isn’t afraid to break the boundaries of what hardcore is supposed to be. And in doing so, they’ve created something beautiful and heavy at the same time.

Honestly, Soft Collapse is not just their best release so far – it might be one of the most diverse releases of the year. I’m not joking. It’s that good. It feels like their breakout moment. Pure fire.
So yeah. Stay soft. And listen to Soft Collapse.