Flowers & Neutrals share new singles for Slumberland’s 30th Anniversary Singles Club, the last in the series; stream both of the A-sides via The Vinyl District
both 7″s are due 12/4 via Slumberland Records
sign up for the SLR30 Singles Subscription Series here
STREAM: Flowers’ “Erik” –
The Vinyl District / SoundCloud
STREAM: Neutrals’ “Personal Computing” –
The Vinyl District / SoundCloud
Today, Flowers & Neutrals both share new singles ahead of their upcoming 7″s for Slumberland’s 30th Anniversary Singles Club. Check out both of the A-sides here via The Vinyl District. Both singles are due out on 12/4 & mark the end of the SLR30 series; sign up for the SLR30 Subscription Series here.
If you know much about the history of the label, you know that Slumberland began in 1989 as a 7″ label and was always inspired by the ephemeral and often electric pleasures to be had from the perfect single. Featuring a concentrated taste of what an artist has to offer, the 7″ was traditionally the format of choice for young bands just getting their feet under them, as well as for chart-bound efforts by established bands. Over the last 30 years Slumberland has released over 130 7″s, and even though downloads and streaming and playlisting have stolen a lot of the “you heard it here first” thunder from the vinyl single, we think that there’s still something pretty magical about the not-so-humble 7″.
To help celebrate Slumberland’s 30th birthday and help folks reconnect with our favorite vinyl format, we have launched the SLR30 Singles Subscription Series. The goal is to work with a group of artists not traditionally associated with the label, to showcase bands’ best material and, as always, to help get some of the finest music around out there in a tangible format. The end of the series will also include a bonus single from Black Tambourine, which will be exclusively for SLR30 subscribers.
Flowers:
Formed in London in 2012, Flowers have released two albums and an increasingly assured string of singles on labels like Fortuna Pop, Kanine, Oddbox, Cloudberry and Where It’s At Is Where You Are. Those associations might give you an idea of where they are coming from: beautiful, effecting pop with echoes of C86 indie, post-punk pop, shoegaze, 90s 4AD and even a dash of early Slumberland Records. Far more than just a sum of their influences, they’ve dazzled pop fans around the world with their distinctively spiky songs and Rachel Kennedy’s thrilling, ethereal vocals.
“Erik” is their contribution to Slumberland’s SLR30 Singles Series and their first single since 2017. Written about their wayward pet hamster, it’s a lovely tune that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Belly or Breeders record, a prime piece of the grungy, fuzzy pop that Flowers are so expert at creating. On the flip, “Candour” is deeper and slower, recalling early SLR groups like Black Tambourine and Henry’s Dress, a connection that makes their participation in our singles series all the more appropriate.
Neutrals:
Neutrals are a punk band from the San Francisco Bay Area, channeling a wide range of ’70s and ’80s punk, post-punk, and indie-pop influences. Their debut album “Kebab Disco” came out in 2019 on Emotional Response Records and garnered universal acclaim as “an excellent collection of terse melodies, unique storytelling, and scraping pop. (AllMusic)”. The band followed-up with an excellent five song EP earlier this year on Domestic Departure.
“Personal Computing” b/w “In The Future” is their new single and has the distinction of being the final entry in our SLR30 Singles Series. Both sides were recorded just before the COVID-19 lockdown began and share a bittersweet nostalgia for an imagined rose-tinted future that never was. The mood of thwarted utopian dreams feels all too appropriate right now and the tense, angular songs on this single are an ideal soundtrack for this unsettled moment.
Neutrals
Personal Computing 7″
(Slumberland Records)
Street Date: December 4, 2020
Track List:
A. Personal Computing
B. In The Future
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