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Dry Cleaning strive for optimism on ‘Secret Love’ closer ‘Joy’
The London outfit’s third album lands this Friday.
Dry Cleaning have offered up a fourth and final taste of what to expect from their new album ‘Secret Love’ (out on 9th January via 4AD) with new track ‘Joy’, which seeks to focus on the light amidst word-weary darkness.
Lyrically drawing on advert copy from Virginia Tech University’s History of Food and Drink archive (frankly, we’d expect nothing less), vocalist Florence Shaw delivers something of a rallying cry for empathy and positivity. “Recently I’ve felt pessimistic about the world,” she has explained. “The influence of what they call “the manosphere”, the genocide against Palestinians continuing despite huge protests, the rise of the racist Reform party in the UK, the promotion of AI in art and music.
“I wanted to try and stoke my drive to stay positive and spread softness and compassion. The wishes in the song have a naive quality.”
What’s more, ‘Joy’ has arrived accompanied by a delightfully idiosyncratic music video choreographed by BULLYACHE and starring the band’s own Tom Dowse. Of the concept, he has noted: “we’ve seen the vastly different ways people behave at our shows – pogoing singalongs, full wig-outs, lone figures inhabiting the sound in their own private universe.
“With that in mind, we asked Bullyache to design a set of moves to each song on ‘Secret Love’ as a starting point for ourselves and others to mimic or interpret them in a fun and idiosyncratic way, regardless of technical ability.”
Get practicing those moves and check out the video for yourself below.
Dry Cleaning are hitting the road this week to celebrate the release of ‘Secret Love’ with a handful of intimate UK shows, before heading out on tour proper later in the Spring. You can catch them live in venues across Europe, the UK, and North America on the following dates:
JANUARY 2026
09 Brighton, Chalk (Resident)
10 London, Rough Trade East
13 Bristol, Strange Brew (Rough Trade)
14 Leeds, Brudenell (Crash)
15 Nottingham, Metronome (Rough Trade)
APRIL 2026
07 Berlin, Festsaal Kreuzberg
09 Copenhagen, Vega
10 Hamburg, Mojo Club
11 Amsterdam, Melkweg
13 Brussels, AB Box
14 Paris, Le Trianon
17 Dublin, Vicar Street
18 Limerick, Dolan’s
20 Cardiff, Tramshed
21 Birmingham, XOYO
22 London, O2 Academy Brixton
24 Glasgow, SWG3 TV Studio
25 Manchester, New Century Hall
30 Chicago, Thalia Hall
MAY 2026
01 Toronto, Concert Hall
02 Montreal, Foufounes Électriques
03 Hudson, NY, Basilica Hudson
05 Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club
06 Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer
07 Brooklyn, NY, Brooklyn Steel
08 Washington, DC, Howard Theater
10 Nashville, TN, Basement East
12 Omaha, NE, Slowdown
13 Denver, CO, Meow Wolf
15 Salt Lake City, UT, Kilby Block Party
16 Boise, ID, Shrine Ballroom
17 Portland, OR, Wonder Ballroom
18 Seattle, WA, Showbox
20 San Francisco, CA, August Hall
21 Los Angeles, CA, The Belasco
22 San Diego, CA, Casbah
JULY 2026
24 Southwold, Latitude Festival
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