Soothe – Undercurrents
From Leuven, Belgium
Released November 21, 2025
Dreampop / Indie / Indie Rock / Shoegaze
A shimmering plunge into Belgium’s dream-rock underground
With Undercurrents, Leuven-based quartet Soothe deliver a hypnotic 4-track EP that pulls listeners into a world of soft glow, submerged emotion, and slow-building sonic power. True to its name, the record moves like something felt beneath the surface — subtle, magnetic, and quietly overwhelming.
The band’s mix of Dreampop sensitivity and Shoegaze haze is anchored by the emotional clarity of Benina Hu (vocals, guitar), the atmospheric guitar work of Haiko Van Dooren, the melodic low-end and harmonies of Bram Nijs (bass, guitar, backing vocals), and the fluid rhythmic textures contributed by Bob Moons (drums, synth). Recorded and mixed by Thomas Valkiers, Undercurrents captures the allure of their sound with depth and honesty.
Sound & production — glowing edges, submerged warmth
Soothe excel at the art of restraint.
Where many shoegaze bands lean into walls of noise, Soothe prefer soft pressure, sculpting their songs with shimmering guitars, airy vocals, and rhythms that feel more like tides than beats.
The sonic palette evokes:
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Velvet-like guitar textures, shimmering but never overwhelming
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dreamy, breathy vocals from Benina that float gently like mist
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understated drums that guide rather than dominate
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immersive low-end that warms each track without muddying the mix
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subtle synth layers that widen the emotional landscape
Even at its most hazy, Undercurrents remains clear, clean, and intentionally spacious. The production captures an atmosphere that feels both intimate and expansive — a late-night EP that unfolds slowly, inviting repeat listens.
Themes — drifting emotions, fragile connections, quiet revelations
Lyrically and emotionally, Undercurrents explores the delicate interplay between what is said and what is felt. These songs live in liminal spaces: the pause before an answer, the weight of longing, the moment when unresolved feelings rise to the surface.
There is a sense of:
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distance softened by nostalgia,
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unspoken questions,
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relationships defined more by silence than words,
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the gentle ache of emotional drift.
Soothe capture that strange tenderness of remembering something while it’s still happening — of holding on and letting go at the same time.
Why it stands out
Belgium’s alternative scene has been flourishing, and Soothe are one of its most quietly compelling voices. Undercurrents shows that the band understand the emotional potency of subtlety: they don’t rely on volume or spectacle, but on mood, melody, and feeling.
By blending dreampop clarity with shoegaze atmosphere, the band occupy a sound somewhere between Hatchie, Alvvays, and Slowdive, yet distinctly their own — warm, nocturnal, and slightly trembling around the edges.
Everything here is crafted with intention: every reverb tail, every guitar shimmer, every hushed melody.
Final thoughts
Undercurrents is a beautiful, immersive EP — a soft-blue wash of longing and texture that lingers long after the final note. Soothe manage to make music that feels both featherlight and emotionally weighty, pulling listeners under without overwhelming them.
Dreamy, melodic, and quietly devastating — “Undercurrents” cements Soothe as one of Belgium’s most evocative new shoegaze-adjacent bands.
© Thusblog
