‘Limassol’ tells the tale of a tragic and existential love story centered around the holiday resort in Cyprus in the 90’s. It’s exemplary of vocalist Katie Oldham’s ability to weave a narrative full of poeticism and emotion. She says: “The song and video tell the story of a sickly man, who, whilst reflecting back on his life as he draws close to the end, decides to take a trip back one last time to a holiday resort where he worked one summer when he was young and in love. There he met a girlfriend who he partied with and had a summer of love, until the end of the season where he bailed out and left her there because he didn’t want to be the one abandoned. He’s lived with that regret ever since, never knowing what happened to his love.

“In his final days he decides to make one last trip back there to try and relive the memories. But when he returns, the place is entirely different, and he struggles to hold on to those precious memories that are slipping even further away: ‘All of the rest that’s left in the dust, collects on my hands, what became of us? A face in my head that I don’t recall, do you know what it means? Did it matter at all?’”

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Katie says: “This song was inspired by strippers, escorts and sex workers and the power dynamics that come with that profession. It’s told from the perspective of a woman weaponizing the male gaze that she must endure regardless, and advising others to use it for their own advantage.”

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“‘Laughter’ is about a face-off that’s been a long time coming, and the difficult relationships we can have with members of our family, especially our parents,” says vocalist Katie Oldham. “When we’re children we’re so desperate for our parents’ attention and approval that their dismissal or rejection can feel agonising. With an emotionally absent parent, trying desperately to earn love or consideration from someone who isn’t capable of giving it can be so destructive. This hurt can often develop into resentment as we age and we may even later villainise this person, wanting to fight, confront, defeat them.”

Slung’s debut album is a collaborative combustion of its members’ experiences, circumstances and supreme musicianship. Their sonic universe – comprising the power of guitarist Ali Johnson’s incendiary riffs, vocalist Katie Oldham’s enviable dynamic and tonal range, bassist Vlad Matveikov’s undulating, yet grounding basslines and drummer Ravi Martin’s expert rhythmic punctuation – is a veritable musical supernova. Influences within the Slung camp are far reaching, with the band’s members referencing artists from Deftones and Baroness, to Wednesday and MJ Lenderman, to Queens of the Stone Age and even a sprinkling of Chappell Roan and Fleetwood Mac.

In Ways:

1. Laughter
2. Class A Cherry
3. Come Apart
4. Collider
5. Matador.wav
6. Limassol
7. Heavy Duty
8. Thinking About It
9. In Ways
10. Nothing Left
11. Falling Down

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Says vocalist Katie Oldham “I fully believe that whatever divine intervention first brought the seeds of this song into our lives was not going to let us form it incorrectly, as our first attempts at completing it were thwarted. Notably, this was very soon after we visited a museum of magic and witchcraft whilst on tour. Throughout the whole process of writing this track there seemed to be this kind of mystical guiding force nudging it away from being anything other than what we ended up with. When the final vocal melody mainlined into my brain from this mysterious otherworldly donor, I instantly knew the lyrics needed to be about witchcraft.

“Our bassist Vlad had recently learned a tale about an ancestor of his who was regarded as a ‘superwitch’ in her village and the townsfolk would go to her for healing with herbs and medicines. That was until fear and hatred gripped the people and they eventually turned against her, forming a mob to drive her from her home and execute her.

“This misidentification of a friend as a foe out of fear is something we still see prevalent today, and I wanted to channel her POV into the lyrics. They communicate her frustration and lament this misperception of her as an enemy instead of an ally, detailing how the most important thing in the world is being able to recognise who the real villain is. The song culminates in a final warning to the people who wronged her, the mortal folk who live in fear of losing their wealth and material goods when none of it will matter in the end: ‘It’s all about the coin you never thought that you would have to spend.’ That final coin being the price you pay with your life, at the inevitable end.”

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Opening ominously, the track builds to a devastating crescendo with vocalist Katie Oldham baring her soul, really tapping into the fear of not having control over your life or the things around you. The delightfully vulnerable and self-aware track is inspired by truly personal and confessional songwriting. Oldham explains her process: “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. Being the passenger of a bad driver and there’s nothing you can do but sit tight and hope you’ll make it to your destination safely, the feeling of imminent sickness and physically not being able to prevent it from happening, a recurring dream of being born with superpowers, but then one day, when everyone’s counting on you, your power just disappears and you have no idea how to bring it back.

“To me, the song is representative of so much vulnerability: imposter syndrome, fear of letting people down, fear of failure, losing control, literal disempowerment…”

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