Joel Sarakula, the globetrotting Australian troubadour known for reviving 70s-inspired funk, soul, and soft-rock, has returned with a new album that feels like a love letter to the West Coast sound. “Soft Focus” doesn’t merely echo smooth music’s golden era—it polishes it for a contemporary listen, blending nostalgic warmth with fresh, indie-pop charm. Sarakula himself has called this album his “definitive statement” in smooth music, and he might just be right.
For those unacquainted with Sarakula, picture a fusion of Ray Manzarek’s soulfulness with the honeyed disco-pop of the Bee Gees. This record taps into that heady, blissed-out vibe, channeling 1970s California through the lens of a wry, modern-day poet. Across the twelve tracks of Soft Focus, Sarakula stays true to his signature “sunset disco” aesthetic, a gentle yet groovy blend of sounds that’s ideal for a golden hour drive down the Pacific Coast Highway, real or imagined.
The title itself, Soft Focus, is a fitting metaphor. Like the photographic technique that offers a flattering but slightly blurry view, these songs have a gentle, forgiving quality—atmospheric without pushing too hard. Each track seems to drift by, creating abstract vignettes of a vintage world filtered through Sarakula’s artfully hazy vision. The soft focus is particularly apt for an artist who’s spent his career reflecting on his journeys around the globe, from Norwegian fishing villages to Caribbean streets.
Sarakula’s Soft Focus is packed with standout moments. Tracks like “I’ll Get By Without You,” produced by music wizard Shawn Lee (Young Gun Silver Fox), shimmer with lush instrumentation and smooth vocals. It’s a dreamy anthem for anyone who’s coasted on resilience through heartbreak. “Telephone Calls” doubles down on that West Coast vibe with breezy keys and a funky bassline that instantly transport the listener back to a lost decade. Sarakula’s flair for genre-crossing reveals itself in “King of Spain,” with its Iberian rhythm and rockier edge, while “Back For Your Love” takes a more soulful turn, offering a hopeful affirmation wrapped in laid-back grooves.
One of the album’s more experimental tracks, “Microdosing,” edges into psychedelia, a nod to Sarakula’s more whimsical side. It, alongside “Bird of Paradise,” weaves a subtler, layered soundscape that’s more kaleidoscopic than dance-floor ready. Yet even at his most introspective, Sarakula’s music retains a sense of buoyant ease, making Soft Focus an inviting listen start to finish.
The album carries echoes of soft-rock luminaries like Boz Scaggs, Todd Rundgren, and Michael Franks, while bearing comparisons to modern-day smooth music revivalists like Young Gun Silver Fox, and Prep. Yet Sarakula’s knack for blending soulful pop with disco-funk feels distinctly his own. Soft Focus reflects the maturity of an artist who has spent decades touring, absorbing, and reshaping his sound across continents. As he croons his way through the album’s groovy, sun-dappled landscape, it’s clear he’s found his musical home.
Ultimately, Soft Focus is a celebration of the vintage, the retro, and the timeless. For fans of soft-rock and sunset disco, Sarakula has crafted a modern classic that’s as much a tribute to smooth music’s past as it is a statement on its place in today’s scene. It’s the kind of record you want to play on repeat, let it blur the edges of reality, and settle into that unmistakable, comforting glow.
