“Tomato Soup,” the latest offering from Instructions For Song (IFS), is a musical journey that delves into the fierce emotions post-breakup, with a sonic landscape influenced by UK-based post-rock outfits like Radiohead, Squid, and Fontaines DC. The band, based in Oxford, aims to contribute to their local scene and push their alternative rock sound towards the experimental post-sounds emerging in the UK.
The track starts with a personal touch, drawing inspiration from the act of making tomato soup during times of illness, a gesture often done by a loved one. The lyrics explore the intense emotions associated with love after a breakup. IFS combines these emotional themes with a sonic direction that reflects their experimentation with post-rock influences, setting the stage for a distinctive sound.
“Tomato Soup” builds towards an impactful ending, showcasing a climax that the band takes pride in. The song serves as a directional shift for IFS, exploring the experimental post-sounds of the UK’s contemporary music scene.
The project, led by Daniel Beagin and Jack Goodman, has a history that includes their first single ‘Blue’ in September 2021, and subsequent releases that demonstrated their evolving songwriting process. In 2022, the members pursued other projects, with Dan’s solo work and Jack’s engineering contributions for Komorebi taking precedence. The band returned with ‘Her, by any means necessary’ in September, leaning into slowcore and unconventional production.
With the release of ‘Ceramics’ in September 2023, IFS continued to reinvent their sound, using varispeed and tape manipulation on old Echo Studio stems. As they move into a new studio, the band is preparing for a series of live shows in Oxford, promising evolving improvisation, unreleased tracks, and an overall exploration of their musical versatility.