“Secret Love” is the finest expression yet of the profound friendships that created Dry Cleaning. Here, frontperson Florence Shaw, guitarist Tom Dowse, drummer Nick Buxton and bassist Lewis Maynard take their place in rock’s avant garde, catalysing the Reaganite paranoia of early 80s US punk and hardcore with the dry strut of Keith Richards, stoner rock, dystopian degradation, playful no wave and pastoral fingerpicking, while Florence’s delivery, meticulously calibrated to her bandmates’ soundscapes, asserts her in a lineage of spoken-word artists stretching from Laurie Anderson to Life Without Buildings’ Sue Tompkins. Producer Cate Le Bon likens the impression of listening to walking through a city; these 11 songs might also arrive like distinct images in a gallery.
Dry Cleaning have announced the new album, “Secret Love”, which will be out January 9th via 4AD. The album was produced by Cate Le Bon and recorded at Wilco’s Loft studio in Chicago. “Being in a room with them and hearing that vitality and life force that exists between them all, it’s such a unique expression,” Le Bon says.
The first single is the album’s opening track, “Hit My Head All Day,” a slow strut with dubby post-punk bones. “The song is about manipulation of the body and mind,” singer Florence Shaw says. “The lyrics were initially inspired by the use of misinformation on social media by the far right. There are powerful people that seek to influence our behaviour for their own gain; to buy certain things, to vote a certain way. I find it hard to read people’s intentions and decide who to trust, even in everyday life. It’s easy to fall under the influence of a sinister stranger who seems like a friend. We took a playful approach to the song. At one point it had harmonica on it instead of a vocal. At the demo stage we were inspired by There’s a Riot Goin’ On by Sly and the Family Stone.”
‘Cruise Ship Designer’, the second single to be taken from ‘Secret Love’ (released January 9th) is out now. The video for the track features Lewis Maynard at The Ivy House in Nunhead.
To celebrate the single announcement, an outstore tour during the release week of ‘Secret Love’ will take place at the following venues in the UK. Ticket bundles will be onsale from 10am UK on Wednesday 12th November.
9 January – BRIGHTON, UK, Chalk (Resident)
10 January – LONDON, UK, Rough Trade East
13 January – BRISTOL, UK, Strange Brew (Rough Trade)
14 January – LEEDS, UK, Brudenell (Crash)
15 January – NOTTINGHAM, UK, Metronome (Rough Trade)
“Secret Love” is a singular, career-defining statement, coming after debut “New Long Leg” (2021) and “Stumpwork” (2022) and will be released on 9th January 2026 via 4AD Records.
The Fat Angel Sings 