DRY CLEANING
SECRET LOVE
REVIEW WRITTEN BY JD ESTRADA
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When I think of Dry Cleaning, the best way I can describe it is indie/industrial. The tracks have an industrial rock feel to them in regard to how they’re composed and how you take disjointed elements that somehow smoothly slide into one another. Vibes of Lou Reed, David Bowie, David Byrne, and St. Vincent definitely ring true and when I read that the concept is for this to feel like you’re walking through the city, I can’t help but agree.
Let’s dive in track by track...
1. Hit My Head All Day – Groovy and a track MADE to be walked to. You can stumble into a three step here and there, though the dreamy groove is undeniable. Driven by a fucking and deep bass line, this track gets your walk through the city started in style. Florence Shaw rarely pushes her vocal range, often whispering sweet nothings in too cool for school spoken word.
2. Cruise Ship Designer – While the first track was driven by the bass, the second track is definitely guitar-driven, pushing the bass back and letting the groove continue. Mid to slow tempo, the textures here are great, with synth-laden guitars in the background, new wave worthy background guitars. Indie Velvet Underground vibes ensue with style for days.
3. My Soul / Half Pint – While track one was bass-driven and second was guitar-driven, track three brings them to the same level. Florence continues her spoken word Daria-esque phrasing. It’s like she’s over it, and by it, I mean EVERYTHING. “I don’t give a fuck? I feel resentment in my soul?” Meanwhile, the guitars bounce between jangly grooves and abrasive accents to inspire you to strike a pose or three whilst you walk.
4. Secret Love (Concealed in drawing of a boy) – Four tracks in and the walk continues. No jogging. No sprinting. Walking. Talking. Grooving. The vocals in this track are a bit more ethereal, while the guitar groove is undeniable.
5. Let Me Grow and You’ll See The Fruit – the arpeggio intro sets the tone of possibly one of the most stream of thought tracks on this album, which is saying something. “No one coming along with a video call or a survey or a dick pic or a loud bang or a smell that comes up.” It is so random yet somehow very lovely. The Sax flare 2/3s of the way into the track is a wonderful touch and the horns definitely bring a new flare during our walk…yet we still walk.
6. Blood - Finally, we pick up the tempo, and Blood continues the groove on the rest of the daydreamy album, but with a bit more oomph until the song settles into its groove. It’s a quicker pace, but more than racing, it’s a power walk across a shady part of town. Can’t help but feel the kick drum as a heartbeat, slightly elevated, but in control. And that’s something evident throughout. Restraint and control, but not to take away from the art, but to accentuate.
7. Evil Evil Idiot – while the previous track brought up the tempo, #7 takes it back down. Heavy bass with some surrealistic xylophones or synths in the background. Neon Noir with dark, particularly when the guitars screech in at the 1:14 mark.
8. Rocks – White stripes-ish drumming brings the tempo up a bit, and wouldn’t be hard to imagine this track playing if you happen to get into a scrap with someone. It’s not metal or punk, but it definitely has an edge to it, even with the spoken word attack.
9. The Cute Things – after our little gritty foray, we get back into our groove with Strokes-ish guitar riffs and Florence giving us just a taste of her dreamy vocals, “For you, sha la.”
10. I Need You – Our walk is suddenly at night, and this electro-drony track definitely brings things down to further settle into the chill. Percussion brings some mid-career Peter Gabriel vibes. The spoken word approach continues, and although I enjoy it, every time I hear a vocalization, I find myself craving a bit more of that. Consider that Dry Cleaning’s cowbell, and I wonder what a liiiiiiittle more vocals would bring out in these songs. The too cool for school approach continues and lyrics continue to strike a chord.
11. Joy – The last track brings up the tempo again with a charming chorus that helps the album end on a bright note. Lots of textures and not a track to go away gently into the night.
If you like Dry Cleaning, you’ll most likely love this album for good reason. Music throughout is tight, adventurous, creative, catchy, and fun. Vocals often dance in the spoken word approach, and that might be hit or miss, though if you like it, you’ll LOVE this one..
YOU CAN CHECK OUT SECRET LOVE AND ALL OF DRY CLEANING'S ALBUMS HERE
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