First and foremost, Dry Cleaning is a voice: spoken word with a female voice that reaches the low notes and is always impassive, even when voicing non-conformist ideas. This captivating timbre belongs to Florence Shaw, formerly a student at London’s Royal College of Art, who joined the band in 2010, three years after its creation. Convincing her to join wasn’t easy, but the three founding members, Nick Buxton, Tom Dowse and Lewis Maynard, were so convinced she would be perfect that they redoubled their efforts to recruit her. They were so right. Rather than singing, it feels more like you’re swept up in an internal monologue, a train of thought that happens to be set to the music of the three other band members. It’s stripped back post-punk from the same family as Wire, with a touch of funk that’s reminiscent of Talking Heads.
Book now