SOFT PALMS

The self-titled debut by Soft Palms (out July 31) is the brainchild of Julia Kugel (The Coathangers, Julia Julia) and husband/musician Scott Montoya. The album is a feast of rich sounds and simple, comforting melodies threading together scrappy dream pop and ethereal torch songs into a sultry, spacey, and sublime journey towards brighter horizons. Kugel and Montoya’s unflappable positivity in Soft Palms serves as the creative arm of their ongoing behind-the-scenes work in the Long Beach music community, such as planning Happy Sundays free music festival, running the arts non-profit Studios for Schools, and organizing Long Beach POP local events calendar.