Neil Soiland Channels Raw Energy and Rhythm Through “The Soul Family Band”
Neil Soiland’s new EP, “Neil Soiland Presents: The Soul Family Band,” marks a clear shift in his artistic approach. Rather than revisiting the nostalgic sound of his earlier releases, this project embraces a more immediate and hands-on style. Soiland focused on trusting his instincts and capturing whatever unfolded in the studio.
Released via Honest Tone Records, this compilation emerged during a period of burnout. What began as a short trip to Spain unexpectedly turned into a wider European detour that eventually led him to Sausage Studios in London, where he recorded the foundations of all five tracks in just two days. He played most of the instrumentation himself, with engineer Sebastian Kellig ensuring the sessions kept flowing. The performances are raw and unfiltered by design; nothing comes across as overthought or overly produced.
Back in Los Angeles, Soiland gathered a group of musicians who would become the loose collective he calls The Soul Family Band. Before this project, he had already explored a range of musical identities through his work with The Creation Factory, Sacred Orange, and solo tracks like “Harlequin Tears” and “Ode to Innocence,” making this EP feel like both a continuation and a departure.
His return was disrupted by a sudden personal crisis involving his home engineer, leaving the project in temporary limbo until Marc Agostini stepped in to help revive the sessions. Guitar, flute, sax, percussion, keys, and harmonica were added by musicians who each contributed their own style. The concept behind the “band” isn’t a fixed lineup but a rotating collective of players who share a similar work ethic and spirit of experimentation.
The songs move through different moods while maintaining their directness. “When to Fall” opens the record with a steady, forceful rhythm and lyrics about feeling overwhelmed by modern life and the constant noise of politics and media. “Think It Twice,” originally outlined years earlier, hits harder and faster with a driving garage-rock feel. “All the Things” takes a brighter turn with a pop-influenced melody, even as its lyrics address people who hide behind half-truths.
“East Side of Town” slows things down, with jazz chords and a late-night atmosphere. The track paints a picture of the parts of a city where artists and outsiders often gather, messy but honest. The EP closes with “Os Espirito Dentro,” a calm, steady groove shaped by Latin rhythms. It’s the most reflective track on the record, centered on looking inward rather than outward.
As a whole, “Neil Soiland Presents: The Soul Family Band” shows him letting go of tight expectations and working with the energy available in each moment. It’s rougher around the edges than his earlier work, and that’s part of its appeal. He sounds less focused on perfection and more intent on capturing a real feeling, a shift that gives the EP its character.
Want to know more about Neil Soiland’s upcoming work? Check out his Instagram!