Dry Cleaning's new song sounds like it's about halfway between Sonic Youth and Stereolab. There. That oughta do it, right? If you're sitting here and reading Stereogum, that was probably enough to make you click play already. My work is done here.
You shouldn't need more context than that, but if you do: On Friday, London post-punkers Dry Cleaning will release their new Cate Le Bon-produced LP Secret Love. We've posted their songs "Hit My Head All Day," "Cruise Ship Designer," and "Let Me Grown And You'll See The Fruit." "Joy," the last song on the LP, is a tangled-guitar workout with deadpan vocals and intricate rhythm-section business. According to its press release, the song's lyrics were "initially pieced together from advertisements in Virginia Tech University’s History of Food and Drink archive." Here's what bandleader Florence Shaw says about the track:
Recently, I feel very pessimistic about the world. The influence of what they call “the manosphere”, the genocide in Palestine continuing despite huge protests, the rise of the racist Reform party in the UK, the spread of AI in art and music amongst other regressive things. I wanted to stoke my drive to stay positive and promote softness, joy and compassion.
That seems like a worthy goal. Watch director Cuan Roche's dance-centric video below.
Secret Love is out 1/9 on 4AD.
