Speedy Wunderground Announce New Single Release From Tummyache
Listen to “Circling the Drain”
Out 14th June 2023 (digital) and 8th September 2023 (physical) – limited 7” – 500 copies
Speedy Wunderground, the revered London-based indie label headed up by producer Dan Carey alongside Alexis Smith and Pierre Hall, reaches 10 years old in 2023. The fast-moving, ever-evolving creative force that is Speedy has seen numerous professional accolades and personal triumphs over that time, always acting on intuition and their own terms.
Fresh from announcing a series of events and releases in celebration of their anniversary year (including a 10-disc ‘dubs’ box set, huge Village Underground party in September), the release of the critically acclaimed debut-EP from South-London auteur Heartworms and a triumphant first trip to SXSW – the label now pulls focus back to what it originally became famous for – it’s iconic single series.
Next in line to join the prestigious SW alumni are DIY stalwarts Tummyache, the brainchild of prolific producer / singer songwriter Soren Bryce. The project started in 2018 after Bryce decided to switch gears from a solo career to a more band focused project. Their first EP “Humpday” which was released in 2019 was recorded in between Nashville and New York in a DIY fashion, and “SOAK” the debut album that came out in 2022 was produced and engineered by Bryce in her parent’s backyard shed with some remote help from friends on bass and drums.
‘We’ve been fans for a while’ says Speedy co-runner Pierre Hall – after being introduced to their music via fellow Speedy signings Honeyglaze. ‘We loved it immediately and aside from her obvious talent Soren’s whole ethos really seemed to fit in with ours.’
The resulting track ‘Circling the Drain’ is a melodic, assured statement of real beauty – channelling early PJ Harvey, The Bends-era Radiohead as well as Kristin Hersh and Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker. ‘It definitely feels different to anything we’ve put out on the single series previously’ continues Hall, ‘but in a good way – I feel like it occupies the same space of bits we’ve done outside of it – like Honeyglaze – or something from the Tiña album. It’s refreshing.’
As for the song / recording process itself Bryce says – ‘I wrote Circling the Drain as a very tongue-in-cheek response to male music critics reviews of my album and shows, however the end is a more inward reflection on how to accept critique and fight negativity with acceptance and love, and more self-assuredness. I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to have worked with Speedy and help bring this tune to life, which we tracked live and got in the second take. I think what’s special about the way Dan works is he doesn’t hyper-fixate, and you as a player start to let go of the little details and just put your energy into it. I find it difficult to be on the other side of the mixing desk, but I trust Dan wholeheartedly after this experience, for sure.’
From the first introduction to the melodic pace of this track and its immersive atmosphere, you embrace this journey, you feel the heartfelt emotion that cascades into the air of this composition. tummyache has created this deeply moving, affectionate arrangement with this lasting catalyst to the sentiment. The lyrics and the alternating vocal harmonies captivate, Bryce delivers this crushing sincerity, this refreshing honesty to the soundscape.
Attached to the deliverance of the lyrics, the words and the more complex, expressionist tones, joins the shifting intensity via the instrumentation. Sustained fuzzy notes, brooding inflictions, more aggressive passages, this energy flaws you. Motivating through this unstable apex, dynamic and as in the name, circling through hypnotic passages of crushing aggression to softer, sweeter notes.
This is a truly standout track from an act producing such weight to their vision, delving into such articulate adventures.
Live Dates
July 7th – London, UK – Climate Live Stage / Community Festival
August 12th – London, UK – 9294 / Only Here For You Tattoo Shop Birthday Party
October 14th – Leeds, UK – Live @ Leeds in the City Festival
October 18th – Gonna Be Big @ Supersonic – Paris, FR
October 20th and 21st – Rotterdam, NL – Left of the Dial Festival
Preorder: https://ffm.to/sw046_tummyache
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