South London-based band Dry Cleaning’s music lies at the intersection of beat poetry and ambient instrumentals. With the release of their debut EP, Dry Cleaning coined their signature sound marked by funky basslines, catchy guitar riffs and spoken-word lyrics. The release of their latest album, Secret Love, on Jan. 9 provides 11 tracks for new fans or old devotees to sink their teeth into, continuing their burgeoning legacy of avant-garde post-punk greatness.
According to an interview with Rolling Stone, the tracks that would compose Secret Love came to fruition between tours, as Dry Cleaning opened for Nick Cave and worked with artists including Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Gilla Band. Equipped with a myriad of inspiration from these acts, Dry Cleaning, alongside their new producer, Cate Le Bon, took to a studio located inside an old French farmhouse to record Secret Love.
The album opens with “Hit My Head All Day,” featuring a pulsing beat and heavy breaths from lead singer Florence Shaw. Her unique voice welcomes listeners to the record, casting a deep, melodic spell as she oscillates between low, spoken word verses and smoothly sung choruses.
Snappy electric guitar guides listeners through most tracks in Dry Cleaning’s whimsical sonic universe. On the title track, “Secret Love (Concealed in a Drawing of a Boy),” guitarist Tom Dowse’s guitar riff brings a semblance of stability to the rather otherworldly track.
Dry Cleaning’s strength as a band remains on full display on Secret Love, as the mirage of spoken word poetry melts into atmospheric instrumentation. A particularly beautiful lyrical performance on “Let Me Grow and You’ll See the Fruit” uses warm guitar and vocal tones, empowering listeners as Shaw softly sings, “I can do anything, say anything, power / A whole day to spend / No limit, no restriction, no interruption / Tears squeeze out.”
“Evil Evil Idiot” proves a standout track. Its slow, driving beat leaves ample room for Shaw’s poetic musings, verging on ASMR as her deep tones highlight perfect enunciation, creating an intimate effect. Lyrics describe chemicals leaching into foods before drifting off to the subject of Christmas television programs, with Shaw singing, “Flames baptise the filth of plastic surfaces that has migrated onto my precious natural ingredients / I could never live with someone / Who didn’t enjoy scorched and burnt foods as much as me.” Her emotions verge on quiet rage as a heavy guitar interrupts, echoing her thoughts. Dowse’s guitar provides a pleasing level of dissonance from the intro, making the track a complex and strange blend of anger and sweetness.
On the track “The Cute Things,” Dry Cleaning opts for a more conventional structure, providing the most traditional song on the album. Its catchy tune and sweeping slide guitar make a fun, accessible foundation for new listeners.
Throughout Secret Love, listeners can expect Dry Cleaning’s unique magic, as a myriad of moments are documented through Shaw’s seemingly disjointed lyrics, yet they are expertly threaded together by the band’s sonic unity and commitment to the strange, wonderful universe held within a Dry Cleaning song.
4 Christmas TVs out of 5
