Slung – Neurotic (Fat Dracula Records)
Brighton alt-rockers Slung release their debut single Neurotic and it’s a brilliant introduction to the four-piece with doomy riffs rising to a crescendo
Artist: Slung
Track: Neurotic
Label: Fat Dracula Records
Released: 12 September 2024
Find it: Spotify
There’s a late night confessional atmosphere simmering away on Neurotic, the debut single from Brighton alt-rock band Slung. That atmosphere is backed with a dark, grunge sound that draws you in with soft beginnings but builds through the track until it’s a devastating squall.
Vocalist Katie Oldham said of the track, “There’s something quite validating about hearing someone admit to things about themselves that they’re not proud of, but not ashamed of either, and I was considering what kind of confession would be true for me.
“The song is a series of small moments from my life that have been representative of this more encompassing overall fear of disempowerment and relinquishing control… the song is representative of so much vulnerability: imposter syndrome, fear of letting people down, fear of failure, losing control, literal disempowerment.”
There’s plenty of texture and weaving of melodic lines between bass, guitar, and vocal with drums keeping a steady heartbeat that begins to race as the lyrical thoughts spiral. The softly softly vocal builds to a scream, the repeating lines part incitement part self-soothing mantra.
There’s a good dose of ’90s alt-rock about this track, but it’s far from retro. As a debut it’s polished and a great introduction to what might yet be to come from Slung.
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Neurotic by Slung is out now digitally.
Find Slung: Website | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Upcoming live dates:
- 19 September – The Black Heart, Camden
- 5 October – Dust, Brighton
- 25 October – The Lounge Bar, Alton
- 26 October – Frog and Fiddle, Cheltenham
- 30 October – Purple Turtle, Reading
- 31 October – The Hope and Ruin, Brighton
- 2 November – Exchange, Bristol
- 22 November – Apple and Parrot, Torquay
- 24 November – The Victoria, London
- 6 December – JT Soar, Nottingham
- 7 December – Alphabet, Brighton
Image: Arabella Wynn-Hughes
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Sarah Lay
A long-standing music journalist she's also co-founder of independent record label Reckless Yes, an author of novels, and when not messing around with words and music, a digital strategist.
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