Following slowthai’s third studio album UGLY, the British super star unleashes a new set of visuals for opening track “YUM”.
A stand out from the album, it’s a visceral vociferous introduction to UGLY and the last song slowthai and producer Dan Carey, with additional production from Zach Nahome, created for the record.
Speaking on “YUM”, slowthai states: “”YUM” is me saying this is what people want me to do but this isn’t doing anything for me. I’m ready to leave it all behind but it keeps pulling me back — more this, more that, it’s never enough.”
Produced by Dan Carey at his home studio in South London alongside frequent collaborator Kwes Darko and further production work from Zach Nahome and Sega Bodega, UGLY (u gotta love yourself) brings slowthai’s love of rock, indie and punk to the forefront and features a fluid combination of musicians including Ethan P. Flynn, Shygirl, Jockstrap’s Taylor Skye, Beabadoobee guitarist Jacob Bugden, drummer Liam Toon, and on the dark and woozy title track, his friends Fontaines D.C.
Musically, UGLY shows a side of slowthai that people haven’t heard before but he sees it as the fullest picture yet. “The first album was the sound of where I’m from and everything I thought I knew,” he says. “The second album is what was relevant to me at that moment in time, the present. And this album is completely me — about how I feel and what I want to be… it’s everything I’ve been leading up to.”
To celebrate the album’s release and coming off the back of a short, sharp 6 date gig run of local pubs and small venues in the UK, slowthai hosted the UGLY pop-up shop at Truman Brewery in London over the weekend. Partnering with Rough Trade, slowthai greeted fans at the shop all day on Saturday, signing copies of UGLY and printing exclusive T’s. Archive merch plus items from music videos and artwork such as the stocks from Nothing Great About Britain, and the decapitated Boris Johnson head that he pulled out of a bag during his performance at the Mercury Music Prize Awards, were all on display.
