The solo project of musician Andy Szetho – who was the guitarist and songwriter for now defunct alternative rock group Storm The Sky – Soft Powder weaves together a rich lo-fi soundscape of gorgeous dream pop.
Previously releasing two EPs (2018's 'Shangri-La' and 2019's 'Faber Ria'), thematically Soft Powder's music is connected with Szetho's journey of identity as an Asian Australian: belonging, connection and personal place.His latest release, 'Running Through The Dark', is inspired by Hong Kong and Taiwanese new wave cinema.
"'Running Through The Dark' echoes those moments when your mind spins, everything's a blur, and it feels like you're spiralling out of control," Andy says.
"It's about frantically searching for a 'spark' to make the anxiety disappear, despite not knowing when or where this 'spark' will present itself. It's about becoming obsessed with this idea of momentary relief."
Here, Soft Powder expands on his East Asian cinema influences listing five important films, filmmakers and genres that have shaped his own music.
'Taipei Story' (Edward Yang)
'Taipei Story' is a film by Taiwanese filmmaker Edward Yang, and its atmosphere has inspired my music in various ways.'Taipei Story' is set in Taiwan during the 1980s and it follows the gradual disintegration of a couple's relationship. I really like how on the surface the film centres around the couple's mundane lives, but you can feel how deeply the characters are interwoven and so integral to the fabric of Taiwan's fractured and confused identity.
The film's narrative and the lives of the characters feels intimate and within reach, but because of the way Yang subtly magnifies the city of Taipei as almost a character itself, it has more of a grand feeling to it.
Watching 'Taipei Story' kind of feels intimate and distant at the same time. I often try to capture this energy in my music. When I wrote 'Running Through The Dark', I wanted it to feel immediate, introspective and intimate, but also wide-scope and vast.
'Millennium Mambo' (Hou Hsiao-hsien)
This film was directed by another Taiwanese filmmaker, Hou Hsiao-hsien. I remember watching this film for the first time and feeling a sombre, uneasy tension the entire time, despite the narrative not being overly complex.The film follows the life of a woman as she navigates different relationships and life obstacles, however Hou Hsiao-hsien really amplifies every subtle emotion the characters experience by using really drawn out, long camera shots where the camera doesn't move much.
As the viewer, we observe the intricacies and emotions that occur between the characters so closely that it kind of feels like we're watching something we shouldn't. It's the sort of film that you can watch over and over again and each time you'd feel or notice different emotions.
On the surface, the film seems simple, but various layers unravel as the film progresses. I guess I kind of take a similar approach to my songwriting; on the surface I try to write un-complex pop songs, but there are layers and layers of sounds and emotions that become less obscure the more you listen.
Wong Kar-wai
My songwriting process is very visual, and when I'm writing songs I often try to imagine how the music sounds as if it were soundtracking a Wong Kar-wai film.His films are deeply moving and contemplative, but they are ironic and whimsical at the same time. I like this contrast of moods and I often try to convey similar feelings in my songs.
I think in particular, there's a really frantic, manic atmosphere in some of his films like 'Fallen Angels', 'Chungking Express' and 'As Tears Go By' that I was trying to recreate in 'Running Through The Dark'.
I wanted 'Running Through The Dark' to have a 'tunnel-vision' feeling to it, and this was heavily inspired by the chaos and melancholia in his films.
Hong Kong Gangster Films
It was really hard to pick just one Hong Kong gangster/ police film to talk about because they're all great and nostalgic for me.Some notable ones are 'Infernal Affairs' (Andrew Lau and Alan Mak), 'Hard Boiled' (John Woo), and 'As Tears Go By' (an early Wong Kar-wai film).
I think it's the chaotic energy in these films that I love, and how this energy is closely connected to the nightlife, the people and the food.
This cultural aspect resonates with me because the characters in these films speak the language that my family speaks (Cantonese), and a lot of the action takes place in Cantonese restaurants, bars and shops.
It's also really cool seeing badass, multidimensional Cantonese characters, something I'm not used to seeing in the western television shows and movies I watched growing up. This is a significant influence on the Soft Powder project as a whole and, as a result, my sound.
Wuxia
Wuxia is a film genre involving martial artists and they are usually set in ancient China.Again, there are so many that come to mind, but a couple of standout Wuxia films are 'The Assassin' (Hou Hsiao-hsien) and 'Hero' (Zhang Yimou). Both of these films are grand and visually stunning, and hinge on traditional Chinese culture.
I remember watching old Wuxia films with my grandparents when we'd visit them in Malaysia, so there's also a sentimental aspect to my fondness of them.
The soundtracks in these films are beautiful as well, and I have tried to harness their serene atmosphere in my music.
I like using similar sounds in my music because it evokes a nostalgia that is really obvious to me, but I'm not sure if it would be felt by other listeners in the same way. Either way, these sounds are integral to the mood I try to convey in my music.
