Slow Pulp have revealed details of their third studio album Melodie, due for release on 18 September through ANTI-, alongside the release of the album’s lead single ‘Better Man’. The announcement marks the next chapter for the Chicago based quartet, who have steadily built a reputation as one of the more distinctive voices in contemporary American indie rock since emerging from Wisconsin’s underground music scene a decade ago.
by Paul Cashmere
The new album arrives following the critical reception of 2023’s Yard, a record that expanded the group’s audience and reinforced their standing after years of touring and independent development. For Slow Pulp, comprised of vocalist and guitarist Emily Massey, guitarist Henry Stoehr, bassist Alex Leeds and drummer Teddy Mathews, Melodie represents both a continuation of that momentum and a reassessment of the band’s creative process.
Leading the campaign is ‘Better Man’, a track written by Stoehr that places self-reflection at its centre. Driven by forceful percussion and expansive guitar arrangements, the song features one of Massey’s most commanding vocal performances to date. The accompanying video was directed by Ben Turok.
Discussing the origins of the song, Stoehr said the lyrics emerged from a period of personal reassessment.
“I realised that I had let go of the controls of my own life and instead was fully prioritising what I thought people around me wanted from me,” he said.
Stoehr explained that the song reflects an attempt to reconcile past insecurities with present stability.
“This song is me both letting go of control but taking control of myself in a new way, and accepting myself for who I am, and hoping that can be accepted by everyone else.”
The release also highlights a significant shift within the band’s songwriting dynamic.
While Massey has traditionally been the primary lyricist, Stoehr contributed five songs to Melodie, creating a more balanced creative partnership. According to the band, many of the songs blend both writers’ perspectives to the point where authorship becomes difficult to distinguish.
The album’s creation also introduced a new collaborator. For the first time, Slow Pulp worked extensively with producer Elliot Kozel, whose credits include projects involving Rosalía, Yves Tumor, Björk, SZA and Eartheater. Up until this album, Stoehr had handled production duties for the band’s recordings.
Bringing Kozel into the process represented a notable departure from the group’s established method. Stoehr acknowledged that sharing production responsibilities initially required an adjustment, but ultimately expanded the possibilities for the record. The resulting album is described by the band as moving between power-pop, acoustic songwriting and more expansive sonic textures.
Slow Pulp’s story has often been shaped by unusual recording circumstances. The band formed in Madison, Wisconsin, after childhood friends Stoehr, Mathews and Leeds began making music together. Their early releases, EP1 in 2015 and EP2 in 2017, established the group’s foundations, with Massey joining before the second EP. A third EP, Big Day, followed in 2019.
Their debut album Moveys arrived in 2020 after being completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parts of the record were recorded remotely while Massey cared for her parents following a serious car accident. The album introduced Slow Pulp to a broader international audience and led to touring opportunities with Pixies, Death Cab for Cutie and Alvvays.
The follow-up, Yard, was also shaped by disruption. A COVID-related isolation period forced Massey to complete much of the writing while staying in a remote Wisconsin cabin, with the band exchanging recording files across state lines. Despite those challenges, the album helped cement Slow Pulp’s reputation as a significant presence within the modern indie rock landscape.
The development of Melodie appears to reflect a broader trend among established independent artists who are revisiting their earliest creative instincts while embracing collaboration. Leeds described the record as a return to formative influences and experiences.
“There’s the sense of a full circle, tapping back into things and transforming through them,” he said.
That philosophy extended throughout the recording process. All four members contribute across multiple instruments, maintaining the collaborative approach that has defined the group since its earliest releases.
With ‘Better Man’ now available and Melodie scheduled for September, Slow Pulp enter the next phase of their career with a record that looks inward while building on the foundations established by Moveys and Yard. Whether viewed as an evolution or a return to first principles, the album represents another significant milestone for a band that has steadily expanded its reach without abandoning the creative partnership at its core.
Melodie Tracklist
Yellow And Green
These Days
Better Man
Melodie
Red Car
Not For Nothing
Entertainer
Like Me
Spill
Up To You
Slip Away
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