On their third album, '
Secret Love',
Dry Cleaning are a band fully formed. There's no sense of provocation for its own sake here, no anxiety about sprechgesang novelty. Instead, it unfolds with a quiet confidence, as though the group have developed a proper appreciation of how the music actually feels when it's given room to breathe.
Following '
Stumpwork', 'Secret Love' is Dry Cleaning sounding less brittle, less pinned to a single set of post-punk reference points, and more open to texture, atmosphere and variation. The band's identity remains unmistakable, but it's no longer confined to one lane.
The choice of Cate Le Bon as producer proves quietly decisive. Her influence commands the art of creating space. Instruments feel separated rather than stacked, allowing details to register that might have been flattened otherwise. The result is a record that feels more three-dimensional than its predecessors, even when the songs themselves remain deceptively simple.
That sense of openness is clear from the start. Opener '
Hit My Head All Day' is built around a slow-burning momentum that signals a broader palette. A confident start, it trusts atmosphere and repetition to do the work rather than leaning on immediacy. From there, 'Secret Love' moves with fluidity. '
Cruise Ship Designer' leans into angular propulsion, while '
My Soul / Half Pint' thickens the air, allowing the band's heavier instincts to surface.
