Our weekly fix of the best new music as Julia Mason brings us her reviews of new singles from The Last Dinner Party and Slow Pulp

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Artist: The Last Dinner Party

Track: Sinner

Are The Last Dinner Party this year’s Wet Leg? They have released only their second single Sinner, the follow up to their debut single Nothing Matters which instantly grabbed attention. The London five-piece are already making waves with their live performances including their debut at Glastonbury playing to a near capacity crowd at Woodsies in the Saturday breakfast slot. They converted curious passers-by into fans with a 45-minute impassioned performance.

Sinner starts calmly enough but do not be fooled, it quickly builds into a tub thumping track. The combined vocals and then those guitars.

There is a drama and depth to Sinner and it is absolutely 100% ear-worm material – be warned. The plinking keyboard takes centre stage until the electric guitar dominates. The Last Dinner Party do allow for space mid-track before launching into the high energy gallop to the end. Yes there is a theatricality about Sinner but that’s an observation not a criticism. Point to note - the video was directed by The Last Dinner Party and Balan Evans. It’s from a live session and was filmed in one take – a demonstration of authenticity from the band.

Guitarist Lizzie Mayland expands on the new single: “Sinner is a story of self-acceptance, and the longing for the past and present self to become one. Born from a breakbeat drum sample, it's punctuated by ripping guitar lines and harmony-filled vocal breakdowns.”

There will be plenty of opportunity to see The Last Dinner Party live in the coming months with early slots at the likes of Green Man, End of the Road, Latitude and Reading & Leeds Festivals. This will be followed by a new UK headline tour in the Autumn, and then an arena tour of Europe and UK in support of Hozier. Catch them while you can.

The Last Dinner Party live Summer dates 3rd July – Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux Switzerland

8th July – Bilbao BBK Live, Bilbao

20th July – Hare & Hounds, Birmingham SOLD OUT

21st July – Latitude Festival, Southwold

22nd July – Bodega Social, Nottingham SOLD OUT

23rd July - Truck Festival, Stevenage

27th July – Headrow House. Leeds SOLD OUT

28th July – The Deaf Institute, Manchester SOLD OUT

29th July – Y Not Festival, Derbyshire

4th August – Smukfest, Skanderborg

12th August – Boardmasters, Newquay

14th August – O2 Academy, Liverpool (w/ First Aid Kit)

15th August – O2 Academy, Liverpool (w/ First Aid Kit)

16th August – O2 Academy, Edinburgh (w/ First Aid Kit)

18th August – Paredes De Coura, Coura Portugal

20th August – Green Man, Brecon Beacons

25th August – Reading Festival

26th August – Leeds Festival

31st August – End of the Road Festival, Salisbury

1st September – 3rd September – Electric Picnic, Stradbelly

https://youtu.be/oFsJuYb42hw

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Artist: Slow Pulp

Track: Slugs

Chicago-based Slow Pulp have released their new single Slugs, taken from a forthcoming album Yard which is set for release on 29 September via ANTI-. Emily Massey (vocals/guitar), Henry Stoehr (guitar/producer), Teddy Mathews (drums), and Alex Leeds (bass) combine to produce a dreamy shoegaze track in Slugs, perfect for summer. The chords to Slugs were written by song guitarist / producer Henry Stoehr for his crush in the sixth grade, and one of the first songs he ever wrote.

To be honest I’m not too sure where the song title comes from as it is completely incongruous with the song itself! Nonetheless this is a track full of breezy vibes and gentle fuzzy guitars, a gorgeous slice of Americana, which simply oozes happy vibes. Vocalist Massey further expands on the track: "Slugs, put simply, is about falling in love in the summertime. The song lives in that place where the newness and freshness of getting to know someone turns into a tinge of fear because you realize how much you have come to care about them. I tend to get so overtaken in feelings of uncertainty or impermanence when it comes to relationships. Probably due to having rocky foundations or complications in them in the past. But suddenly, for the first time, I found myself in something that felt safe, with healthy attachment and mutual admiration, and the inevitability of uncertainty became more easily accepted. I think it's so sweet that the song found this full circle moment in the timelessness of different types of firsts in love."

Slow Pulp also confirm an extensive EU and UK tour towards the end of 2023.

Slow Pulp UK / EU Tour Dates 2023

Wed Nov 29 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, UK

Thu Nov 30 - Jimmy’s, Liverpool, UK

Fri Dec 01 - The Hug and Pint, Glasgow, UK

Sat Dec 02 - The Workman's Club, Dublin, IR

Mon Dec 04 - YES (Basement), Manchester, UK

Tue Dec 05 - Strange Brew, Bristol, UK

Wed Dec 06 - MOTH Club, London, UK

Thu Dec 07 - The Green Door Store, Brighton, UK

Sat Dec 09 - Paradiso Upstairs, Amsterdam, NL

Sun Dec 10 - TRIX, Antwerp, BE

Mon Dec 11 - L’International, Paris, FR

Wed Dec 13 - Badehaus Szimpla, Berlin, DE

Thu Dec 14 - Conne Island, Leipzig, DE

Fri Dec 15 - Manufaktur, Schorndorf, DE

Sat Dec 16 - Gleis 22, Munster, DE

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