Dry Cleaning

The British post-punk band Dry Cleaning was formed in 2018 by singer Florence Shaw, bassist Lewis Maynard, guitarist Tom Dowse, and drummer Nick Buxton. Based in South London, the band created a unique sound that juxtaposed Shaw's spoken-word delivery with her bandmates' tense, taut performances. That sound was introduced with 2019's "Magic of Meghan," a song that contrasted a messy breakup with the headline-making engagement of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The dual EPs Sweet Princess and Boundary Road Snacks and Drinks both appeared later that year, earning comparisons to Joy Division, Wire, and other avant-garde pioneers. Now championed by NME and other British outlets as one of the year's most promising acts, Dry Cleaning signed with the record label 4AD in 2020 and began working on new material. New Long Leg, the group's full-length debut album, was released in April 2021, featuring production from PJ Harvey's longtime collaborator, John Parish. The album received critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, with much attention paid to Florence Shaw's dry, deadpan and acerbic vocals. Although it didn't crack the charts in America, New Long Leg was a commercial success in Europe, where it climbed to Number 1 on the UK Independent Albums chart, Number 4 on the all-genre UK Albums chart, and Number 4 on the Scottish Albums chart.