It’s been two years since we last heard from Seattle indie rock outfit Sloucher. Well, not really. They’ve been heavily supporting their 2016 LP Certainty, constantly showing up on bills around town and at local festivals with their fiery, undeniably alluring take on the genre. And while Certainty certainly gave us enough exquisite hooks and riffs to hold onto, selfishly I’ve been anxious for some new music. Now we’re finally getting it with their furious new one-off single, “Existentialist,” out now on Swoon Records.
”Existentialist” was worth the wait. The song doesn’t necessarily up-end the sounds and aesthetics defined buy Certainty, but instead it builds upon them. The shrieking howls of guitars at the beginning of the track are some of the most thrilling tones the band has explored yet. Right away the song feels like it’s bursting through the speakers, the guitars, drums, and bass pushing themselves to their sonic brink. But vocalist Jay Clancy’s lead melody remains a constant, giving a steady support to hang onto as listeners make their way through the brutal arrangements.
"Existentialist was originally just about the energy of the grungy riff and driving drums,” the bands shares in a statement to KEXP. “From that kernel came lyrics about a different sort of energy - energy that needs to be expelled, negative energy turned inward in order to explode out. Filing through the same thought patterns can be repetitive but occasionally liberating. ‘Existentialist’ is about finding new ways out of the circuit."
That “Existentialist” was born from compulsions, a need to free themselves from an “energy,” makes sense when hearing the final product. It’s an explosion of guitar noise, guided by the band’s consistent sense of melodic structure. Wherever the band goes next, I can’t wait to hear what other energies they have to let out.
Listen to the track below.
The group shares the title track from their upcoming album, Back to the City, out this Friday, Aug. 24 via Nevado Music.
Tonight The Paramount is filled with Northwest pride, a sense of growing up, and “WOOOOOO”s. Seattle band Sloucher is first to take the stage. They are quite the classic take on a Northwest pastime of mixing grunge with alternative rock and singer-songwriter vibes. Sparklehorse, Ben Kweller, and Sw…
Normally, you wouldn't find a local band with only one EP to their name playing the Main Stage at the Sasquatch Music Festival. Then again, Sloucher, who played The Gorge on Friday, aren't a normal band. Their debut EP, Certainty, is an exceptional collection of introspective indie-pop gems, equal …
