Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg

4AD

'New Long Leg' is London Post-Punk/Spoken Word outfit Dry Cleaning's eagerly anticipated debut album, released on 4AD Records.

'New Long Leg' walks a fine line between a simplistic sound and a simplistic, on the surface, style. Not everything is as it seems however. Dry Cleaning are masters of making material that is easy to get right, but even easier to get wrong. It maintains a healthy balance right down the middle of the 'style/substance' seesaw. The slightest of changes to the mood or lyrical content and the tunes get thrown off course. It's alchemy at its finest.

Lead vocalist 'Florence Shaw' sounds as if she's become disengaged and stonewall disinterested with everything in her immediate surroundings. Her vocal performance, if you want to call it that, is as acerbic and monotone as you're going to find in contemporary music - bitingly careless. Tone down Mike Skinner and his cheeky chappy deadpan persona a few levels, and you're left with Dry Cleaning.

Jam-packed with peculiar one-liners, ‘New Long Leg’ catches the listener off guard with the sorts that you would never expect to hear. Surreal mental pictures - women in aviators firing bazookas for example. Lyrical content that throws off your train of thought, creases your brow and paints intriguing impressions.

The backdrop to Florence Shaw’s dilapidated delivery consists of beautiful atmospheric guitarwork - turning dissonant and angular on occasion - and a rhythm section that harks back to the likes of The Strokes and The Pixies. Basic, but fun and effective.

Dry Cleaning offer up one of the most unique and authentic records of the year. A palette cleanser and appetite teaser for further releases down the line. It'll be interesting to see where they take the formula. London once again delivers on the post-punk front - it's a given at this stage.

Favourite Track: New Long Leg