Slow Riot – “City of Culture” [SoundCloud Song Stream]

The Skinny: Brooding post-punk trio, Slow Riot, are releasing their debut single, “City Of Culture,” via Straight Lines Are Fine on July 10th. A three minute blast of angular, chiming guitars and half spoken/half shouted vocals, the song is a sardonic paean to the cultural status their native Limerick was awarded in 2014.

“City Of Culture” works as a perfect introduction to the band, infusing their indebted post-punk influences – Gang of Four, Television, Wire – with more contemporary bands such as Girl Band and Future of the Left. Dark, swooning guitars are layered over deep, rumbling bass tones reminiscent of the early garage-rock of The Horrors, whilst the unorthodox songwriting keeps the single deeply rooted in Slow Riot’s totally refreshing sound.

“City Of Culture”, and the forthcoming Cathedral EP from which it is taken, were both recorded at the Manic Street Preachers’ FASTER studio in Cardiff under the watchful eye of producer Kevin Vanbergen, whose back catalogue includes the likes of The Pixies, The Maccabees, Dinosaur Pile-Up, The La’s and Biffy Clyro. FASTER’s in-house engineer Loz Williams and the Manics’ James Dean Bradfield further extended a helping hand to the band, offering the use of their equipment and instruments, many of which were used in the making of past chart-topping records.