Dry Cleaning’s 2021 debut album New Long Leg was one of our favorite LPs of the year, and now the London group is ready to follow it up, as they’ve announced Stumpwork today. The new record is set for release on October 21 and ahead of then, they’ve shared a video for “Don’t Press Me,” a sub-two-minute tune carried by Florence Shaw’s subdued vocals and contrasting indie rock instrumentation.
Shaw says of the tune, “The words in the chorus came about because I was trying to write a song to sing to my own brain: ‘You are always fighting me / You are always stressing me out.’”
A press release notes the new LP 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.” It also reads, “Furious indie-pop anthems combine across the record with psych and prog influences, demonstrating the wealth of influences the band feed off and their deep musicality.”
Watch the “Don’t Press Me” video above and find the Stumpwork art and tracklist below, as well as the band’s upcoming tour dates.
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”
06/16 — Edinburgh, UK @ Hidden Door Festival
06/17 — York, UK @ Castle Howard w/ Duran Duran
06/18 — Helsinki, FI @ Sideways Festival
06/21 — Zagreb, HR @ INmusic Festival
06/24 — Pilton, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
07/02 — Ewijk, NL @ Down The Rabbit Hole
07/03 — Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter
07/09 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
07/10 — Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
07/11 — Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
07/12 — Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
07/14 — Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
07/15 — Detroit, MI @ El Club
07/16 — Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival
07/23 — Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade (in-store)
07/24 — Hertfordshire, UK @ Standon Calling
07/29 — Co Waterford, IE @ All Together Now
07/31 — Thirsk, UK @ Deer Shed Festival
08/06 — Katowic, PL @ OFF Festival
08/11 — Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop Festival
08/19 — Crickhowell, UK @ Green Man Festival
08/25 — London, UK @ All Points East
08/27 — Manchester, UK @ Dept Mayfield with The National
09/18 — Los Angeles, US @ Primavera Sound LA
11/11 — Utrecht, NL @ Le Guess Who? Festival
Stumpwork is out 10/21 via 4AD. Pre-order it here.