Soda Blonde Dream Big Via Bad Machine

by | Aug 14, 2023

Irish indie alt-pop favourites Soda Blonde have revealed the music video for their latest single Bad Machine, the first from the band’s upcoming sophomore album, Dream Big, which drops on 8th September.

Soda Blonde (Press)

Soda Blonde (Press)
Soda Blonde (Press)

Bad Machine fuses warm vocals with fuzzy synths, bringing a sense of sonic pleasure with its self-acceptance message. Indie pop and vibrant electronica combine to create a song with vigour and excitement.

When discussing the single’s new music video, guitarist Adam O’Regan writes: “For this video we wanted to explore the idea of ‘malfunction’. In an age of increasing automation, artificial intelligence etc, it’s easy to imagine the many ways things could go awry. But also, we just wanted to break stuff! Our talented & hardworking production designers built the set in 2 days, and we destroyed it in 10 mins of 16mm film.”

Check out the video below:

Born following the disbandment of frontwoman Faye O’Rourke and bass-man Donagh Seaver O’Leary’s folk-driven favourites Little Green Cars, Soda Blonde have grown tremendously in the years since their debut, and it shows. Whereas 2021’s Small Talk was an anxiety-fuelled coming-of-age record about navigating our twenties, Dream Big is a mature awakening to the world at large; one that dives deeper and hits harder than its predecessor.

Little Green Cars @ Scala

Faye O'Rourke with Little Green Cars (Kalpesh Patel)
Faye O'Rourke with Little Green Cars (Kalpesh Patel)

Dream Big is as much a product of self-reflective reckoning as it is one of submission, and both of these experiences are borne out in its songs. Soda Blonde begins Dream Big by asking what they’re willing to sacrifice in order to achieve their dreams, and as the album continues, they wrestle with the sheer weight of that question.

Upcoming 2023 UK & Ireland tour dates:

NOVEMBER
22nd – Lexington, London
24th – Róisín Dubh, Gallway
25th – Dolans Warehouse, Limerick
26th – Connolly’s of Leap, Cork
30th – Cyprus Avenue, Cork

DECEMBER
7th – The Black Box, Belfast
8th – The Spirit Store, Dundalk
14th – Vicar Street, Dublin

Photography of Little Green Cars by Kalpesh Patel

King Princess Finds Safety At Koko

Liang Lawrence (Ana Chen)

Liang Lawrence Unveils Reflective New Single ‘A Day Off In Margaritaville’ Ahead Of Autumn UK Tour

Rising alt-pop storyteller Liang Lawrence has shared her shimmering new single A Day Off In Margaritaville, a vibrant, emotionally layered track that marks the first offering from her upcoming EP It’s A Funny Thing, due later this year via The Other Songs.

Mae Stephens (Hannah Burton)

Mae Stephens Returns With Infectious New Single ‘Tiny Voice’

Breakout pop star Mae Stephens is back with a bang as she drops her irresistibly offbeat new single, Tiny Voice — a track as addictive as it is relatable. Following the runaway global success of her hit If We Ever Broke Up, which racked up over 500 million streams, landed her a Top 15 UK single, and earned Gold certifications in both the UK and US, Stephens continues to show why she’s one of the most exciting new voices in pop.

Maya Lane (Press)

Maya Lane Announces New Single ‘I Don’t Know You Yet’ And Debut London Headline Show Ahead Of New EP

Rising UK pop-country star Maya Lane continues her impressive 2025 trajectory with the release of a stunning new single, I Don’t Know You Yet, out now. The introspective, stripped-back track offers a poignant taste of her forthcoming EP, The Hurt And The Healing, due out on 4th September, and precedes her debut headline show at London’s The Grace on 3rd September.

Perera Elsewhere (Hugo Holger Schneider x Gene Glover)

Perera Elsewhere Returns With Electrifying Double Single Ft. Andy S & Announces New Album

Berlin-based, UK-raised experimental artist Perera Elsewhere (aka Sasha Perera) is back with a high-voltage double single, F*ck Le System / Time Will Tell, out now on Friends Of Friends – both featuring viral Ivorian rapper Andy S. The release serves as a bold statement on feminine strength, social rebellion, and sonic experimentation.

Don McLean @ The Long Road Festival (Press)

The Long Road Festival 2025 Assembles Its Biggest Line-Up Yet For August Bank Holiday Weekend

Now entering its sixth and most ambitious year to date, The Long Road Festival 2025 is set to deliver its boldest celebration of country, Americana, and roots music yet, taking over the scenic Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from 22nd–24th August. With more than 80 artists across six stages, the weekend promises an immersive blend of genre-spanning music, authentic Americana culture, and inclusive community spirit — and has already become the festival’s fastest-selling edition to date.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

A Night In Wonderland: Stevie Wonder And Guests Delight At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Awwwwight!” drawls Stevie Wonder, arms flung wide, grinning like a teenager trying on cockney charm for the first...
Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park (Trudi Knight)

Dance, Shadow And Harvest Under The Full Moon: Van Morrison, Yusuf Islam And Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts At BST Hyde Park 2025

Gone are the sparkled cowgirls and pop princesses of previous BST gigs. It’s the turn of the Baby Boomer generation to make up the core crowd of Hyde Park – a sea of grey hair, straw hats, and sensible shoes. They reapply sun cream religiously, have brought picnic blankets, and can be forgiven for taking their time getting up and down from the ground between acts. This is the generation that invented outdoor rock and folk festivals – and they’re here to show the rest of us how it’s done.

Poptones (Rune Gro-Nielsen)

Poptones Play Their Wild Card With New Single ‘Say Something Now’ Ahead of Forthcoming Album ‘Pure’

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones have unveiled their new single Say Something Now, offering a taste of the unpredictability and emotional depth that defines their upcoming sophomore album Pure, out 26th September via Happy Metal Records. Where lead single Skin Of Sea teased a shift toward expansive and instinctive composition, Say Something Now dives headlong into that experimental impulse—guided, intriguingly, by the rules of UNO. Yes, the beloved card game.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing