Duo Soft Palms has returned with new single “Radio” from their upcoming sophomore album. The track marks the first new music from the wife and husband pair of Julia Kugel (The Coathangers, Julia Julia) and Scott Montoya (former member of The Growlers) since their debut self-titled album in 2020.
“Radio” kicks off with Montoya on the drums before Kugel joins in a boisterous guitar riff that drives the track. The song is about the divisive nature of media and the alienation that results from the echo chamber of negativity, hearing secondhand information and the perception of persecution.
The track’s release is accompanied by a music video featuring the duo in night vision and serves as a reflection of the lyrics’ sentiment with surveillance cameras and projected messages that reflect the idea of being watched and judged.
The Southern California couple have been making music together and separately for decades, and have decided to take their careers to what Montoya calls the “next logical step” of attempting to win a Grammy.
“Julia and I have over 40 years combined experience in music. ‘Radio’ will be our combined 352nd track on our combined 46th release, but it’s the first time we’ve ever thought to submit our work to the Recording Academy for Grammy consideration,” Montoya tells Billboard. Coming from the independent side of the music industry, he explains, the Grammys have “a stigma of being specifically for pop artists and for mainstream music, but it’s really not the case.”
The duo has also spent years strengthening their local music scene through their free annual festival, Happy Sundays, in Long Beach, Calif. The three-day event is scheduled to return this summer to several locations in the city between Aug. 23-25.
They also run non-profit Studios for Schools that provides equipment and funding for building recording/production studios in schools.
“Radio” was recorded and mixed by Kugel and Montoya at their home studio Centre of Mental Arts (COMA) in Long Beach, Calif., and mastered by BAFTA winner Mick Boggis. The entirety of the record is expected out later this year via Everloving Records.
Check out the video below.
The post “Soft Palms Returns With New Single ‘Radio’: Watch the Music Video ” by Taylor Mims was published on 04/11/2025 by www.billboard.com