Bands like Slung are a reminder that even though certain musical styles originate from specific regions, anyone can build upon that foundation from anywhere in the world. The UK based group released their debut full-length In Ways at the beginning of May, and it finds them fusing together a wide range of genres that are often associated more with the US than their home territory. Initially coming in somewhere between lumbering yet melodic doom and 90s alternative rock, later tracks pull in more of a smoky shoegaze and stoner/desert rock aesthetic. There is room for the band to further expand upon the louder side of their sound, but this is still a captivating start that has plenty of staying power.
Between the first and second song, Slung makes it clear that they’re not going to be a band that sticks too closely to one specific formula. Opener “Laughter” places a lot of emphasis on the low-end, with rumbling drums and bass that have dreamier melodies layered over top of them. It’s the type of explosive entrance that makes a strong first impression, and it feels like the poppy doom of Torche fused with some of noise rock’s jagged edges. The band could’ve easily stayed on this path for an entire album, but as you reach “Class A Cherry” the instrumentals shift to a slower, more methodical pace and warmer tone. Here the way the melodies are layered have an almost post rock type build-up, but the hooks recall 90s alternative rock. It’s an effective shift and the transitions between the loud and mellow are seamless, avoiding the jarring nature of some of the other groups out there that attempt this type of fusion. In Ways spends much of its first half moving back and forth between these elements, with some songs leaning more into the 90s alternative and shoegaze vibe while shorter bursts like “Matador” bring some of the metallic edges back to the spotlight. Once you reach “Limassol” things mellow out significantly for the remainder of the record, and the band shifts towards sprawling instrumentation and melodies that bring more of that southwest desert/stoner rock sound alongside more recent alternative acts. “Heavy Duty” and “Nothing Left” both give off a Emma Ruth Rundle meets True Widow vibe, and the lushness of the melodies have drawn me in again and again. Admittedly the second half does run together a bit, as the back to back run of “Nothing Left” and “Falling Down” has some very similar approaches. I found myself hoping for one more “Laughter” or “Matador” type track to finish things with a bang, and this is one area I’d like to see Slung expand on.
Vocalist Katie Oldham has the type of range that’s well suited to the soft vs loud dynamic Slung utilizes in their songwriting. “Laughter” is a great example of that, as the first thing you’re greeted with upon pressing play is a scream, but over the next minute you’ll hear everything from lighter, ethereal singing to much sharper pitches that have more of a punk vibe. When things head into mellower territory I again get a lot of hints of Emma Ruth Rundle as well as the more shoegaze and spacey side of 90s alternative rock, which the group pulls off wonderfully. The blend of bouncier high energy singing with hints of yelling/screaming and the ethereal, introspective moments give Slung a lot more depth on the vocal front than one might initially expect, and it’s an area they should continue to highlight in the future.
The emphasis on slower burns on the second half does result in some moments that blur together, but the combination of styles that Slung has put together has drawn me back for weeks on end. Sometimes there’s grunge, alternative rock, and even Americana, while other sections bring in heavier rock and a slight metallic sheen that showcase the band can be jagged and heavy when they want to. I’d like to hear just a bit more of that weightier, heavy side interspersed with the mellower one in the future, as some unexpected flourishes could really set things over the top. But this is a great foundation for the group to build off of, and I’ll be waiting to see how they choose to proceed when it’s time for album two. In Ways is available from Art As Catharsis and Fat Dracula.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg