Dry Cleaning have confirmed their return with Secret Love, scheduled for release on 9 January via 4AD. The London quartet’s third studio album arrives with lead single “Hit My Head All Day,” which the band shared today.
According to vocalist Florence Shaw, the track addresses contemporary anxieties around misinformation and influence. “The song is about manipulation of the body and mind,” Shaw stated. “The lyrics were initially inspired by the use of misinformation on social media by the far right. There are powerful people that seek to influence our behaviour for their own gain; to buy certain things, to vote a certain way. I find it hard to read people’s intentions and decide who to trust, even in everyday life. It’s easy to fall under the influence of a sinister stranger who seems like a friend.”
The album represents a departure from the band’s usual recording approach. Shaw, Tom Dowse, Nick Buxton, and Lewis Maynard began sessions at Jeff Tweedy’s Chicago studio The Loft before moving to Dublin’s Sonic Studios for heavier takes with Gilla Band members Alan Duggan and Daniel Fox. The band ultimately enlisted Cate Le Bon as producer, recording the 11-track collection at Black Box in France’s Loire Valley.
Secret Love follows 2023’s Stumpwork, which saw Dry Cleaning further developing the spoken-word post-punk sound that defined their 2021 debut New Long Leg. The new material continues the band’s tradition of pairing Shaw’s deadpan observations with angular guitar work and rhythmic precision.
Dry Cleaning have several European dates scheduled through early 2025, including a 2 October performance at Warsaw in Brooklyn. The band will then play Madrid, Barcelona, and Brighton before closing out the year with festival appearances. They’ve announced their largest headline show to date at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on 22 April 2026.
Photo by Max Miechowski
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