Preoccupations Announce New LP 'Arrangements', Stream "Ricochet"

Canadian post-punk/new wave band Preoccupations (formerly known as Viet Cong) have announced the release of their fourth studio album 'Arrangements'.

Set to arrive on September 9, the follow-up to their 2018's album New Material, finds the band restoring their roots with the singular, guitar driven, dissonant yet anthemic washes of intricate noise that has brought them international acclaim since their basement beginnings. It will be out , pre-order your copy here.

For lovers of all things Bowie, Branca, Spacemen 3 and MBV, progressive punk, jangle rock and mangled goth.

Arrangements sees Preoccupations finally and confidently inhabiting the dystopia that they have been carefully creating from their musical genesis. They are in a room with taped up windows, except for a tiny pinprick of light beaming from the otherworld onto the far wall, upside down and blurred, it’s recognizable enough to fill you with warm familiarity and nostalgia of unknown origins.

Check out the album's tracklist and listen to new single "Ricochet" below.

Arrangements Tracklist:

1. Fix Bayonets!

2. Ricochet

3. Death of Melody

4. Slowly

5. Advisor

6. Recalibrate

7. Tearing up the Grass

(facebook.com/Preoccupationsband)

Tags: Preoccupations

Dry Cleaning Announce New LP 'Stumpwork', Stream "Don't Press Me"

London post punk four-piece Dry Cleaning have announced the release of their sophomore album 'Stumpwork'.

The follow-up to last year's debut New Long Leg,  will be out on 21st October 2022 through 4AD. Pre-order your copy here.

Nick Buxton (drums), Tom Dowse (guitar), Lewis Maynard (bass) and Florence Shaw (vocals) returned to rural Wales in late 2021, partnering once more with Parish and engineer Joe Jones.  Working from a position of trust in the same studio and with the same team, imposter syndrome and anxiety was replaced by a fresh freedom and openness to explore beyond an already rangy sonic palette, a newfound confidence in their creative vision.  A longer period in the studio afforded the time to experiment, improvise, play, sharpen their table tennis skills. 

Stumpwork was inspired by a plethora of events, concepts, and political debacles, be they represented in the icy mess of ambient elements reflecting a certain existential despair, or the surprising warmth in celebrating the lives of loved ones lost through the previous year.  Surrealist lyrics are as ever at the forefront – but there is a sensitivity now to the themes of family, money, politics, self-deprecation, and sensuality.  Furious alt-rock anthems combine across the record with jangle pop and ambient noise, demonstrating the wealth of influences the band feed off and their deep musicality.  With the pressure of their debut album behind them, Dry Cleaning have crafted an ambitious and deeply rewarding new work that marks them out as one of the most intelligent and exciting acts to come out of the UK.

Check out the album's tracklist and watch the video for their new single "Don't Press Me", below.

Stumpwork Tracklist:

1. Anna Calls From The Arctic

2. Kwenchy Kups

3. Gary Ashby

4. Driver’s Story

5. Hot Penny Day

6. Stumpwork

7. No Decent Shoes For Rain

8. Don’t Press Me

9. Conservative Hell

10. Liberty Log

11. Icebergs

(facebook.com/drycleaningband)

Tags: Dry Cleaning

Watch: Pol Share New Single/Video "Boys Are"

Dutch new wave duo Pol, made up of model/musician siblings Ruben Pol and Matthijs Pol, have shared their new single "Boys Are", alongside an accompanying music video.

The song is out today (June 14) and features layered drum machine samples, syncopated synthesised claps, and shoegaze-y vocals that oscillate around jocular synths for an 80s tinge. Grab it here.

Speaking on the track’s sound, the Pol brothers explain: “It was important to us to not only find the right sounds, but also to give those sounds the right texture and weight. When the pieces came together, immediately everything made sense.”  

The track’s resultant sound provides the basis for its subject matter, that Pol describe as an exploration of male gender roles: "‘Boys Are’ is about toxic masculinity, something that still lingers in current society. With this song we want to celebrate self expression."

Watch/listen below.

Tags: Pol