“Odd Numbers,” the latest single from Brooklyn-based Soft Yes, packs quite a punch for a song that barely breaks the two-minute mark. Released in mid-October, the track feels like a love letter to musical efficiency, though you’d never guess it took years to perfect. At its core is a throbbing bassline that somehow manages to both anchor the song and steal the show – imagine if your favorite post-renaissance band decided to turn everything you knew about song structure on its head.
The single, which came to life at Serious Business Music in DUMBO with producer Travis Harrison, makes its point without overstaying its welcome. Running just 1:51, it’s got all the essentials – a proper intro, chorus, and verses – wrapped up in what the band cheekily refers to as their “New York approach” to songwriting. “We give you everything and don’t waste your time. It’s a form of respect in its own way,” they explain, and honestly, it’s hard to argue with that logic.
While most artists these days seem to be chasing those streaming-friendly three-minute-plus track lengths, “Odd Numbers” feels refreshingly rebellious. The song bubbled up from the band’s jam sessions in their Greenpoint practice space, where they say the magic usually happens in the first fifteen minutes. What followed was a fascinating exercise in restraint and refinement.
Here’s where it gets interesting: while the basic tracks were knocked out in a whirlwind two-day session, the mixing phase stretched out over two years. It’s the kind of detail that makes you wonder what they were hearing all that time, but whatever it was, it worked. The result is a track that somehow feels both immediate and carefully crafted.
The band itself came together like a classic New York story. Rebecca and Imran first crossed paths in the city’s intimate singer-songwriter venues – think Pete’s Candy Store and Caffe Vivaldi. Jake joined after working with Rebecca at a restaurant (because doesn’t everyone in New York have a restaurant story?), and Noah completed the picture in perhaps the most indie-rock way possible: he was a fan who made Imran a custom pedal. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
Despite being around since the Obama years, Soft Yes has been surprisingly stingy with releases – just four songs before “Odd Numbers.” But there’s something admirable about a band that’s been quietly doing their thing for nearly a decade, perfecting their sound while the world spins madly on.
They draw their inspiration from what they call “an endless well of material” in American culture, though their sound is undeniably New York. In fact, they suggest listening to “Odd Numbers” either when leaving the city or catching that first glimpse of the skyline on your return – a recommendation that feels oddly specific yet perfectly fitting.
This isn’t just another indie release; it’s a statement piece that flips traditional songwriting priorities upside down. By pushing the bass to the forefront and treating lyrics almost as an afterthought, Soft Yes has created something that stands out in Brooklyn’s crowded music scene.
You can stream “Odd Numbers” on Spotify right now, and keep up with the band on Instagram. In a delightfully unexpected twist, they’re also on LinkedIn – because why shouldn’t a band have a professional networking presence? With their debut album on the horizon, “Odd Numbers” feels less like a single and more like a mission statement from a band that’s been quietly plotting their own revolution.
