Review | Dry Cleaning – Secret Love

Label: 4AD

By Toby Furlong

‘Secret Love’ is the surreal sound of the death of disco. Discordant, impenetrable, but strangely human in a way that only Dry Cleaning are qualified to present. These associations are no stranger to the group when you analyse the cryptic nature of their previous releases.

‘Cruise Ship Designer’ plays into this attribution with teasing affect. As the track ends vocalist Florence Shaw adds: “I make sure there are hidden messages in my work.”

However on this project, by submerging beneath the surface, there is a confronting expanse that allows hidden vulnerabilities and the group’s most bewildering horrors to affront the listener.

The vulnerability manifests itself in different forms with each track a mouthpiece for the fears and emotions of its central characters. ‘My Soul Half Pint‘ centralises around a character who refuses to clean her house, realising that their are greater injustices at stake.. “Maybe it’s time for men to clean for like, 500 years.”

Continuing onwards, ‘Secret Love (Concealed in a Drawing of Boy’ and ‘Let Me Grow and You’ll See The Fruit’ are a beautiful foray into the groups gentler side; you can peer inside these tracks and see Florence Shaw’s thoughts at their most crystalised and deeply wounded. She sings “The world is laughing at me. I am such a disaster.”

The album’s central point, ‘Blood‘ offers minimal reprieve from any unease. Transmitted messages become sharp and bruising, a lurking horror manifests itself through the lyricism. As Shaw cuts through the angular guitar she speaks: “Blood on my skin and hands and nails and in my eyes as well,” as the album cascades into unsettling territory.

In a similarly anxious vein, ‘Evil Evil Idiot‘ marks new creative territory for Dry Cleaning, the sound of creeping trip-hop that wouldn’t be out of place on Portishead’s ‘Third‘. Such experimentation can only have been assisted by fellow sonic innovator Cate Le Bon, operating in the producer role. It feels as if the project has to reach into the most uncomfortable and restless places to truly express itself; the sound of distorted rhythms and synthesised drones rise to the surface.

As ever when things are looking bleak, Dry Cleaning know how to look towards the light, as they conclude the record with ‘I Need You‘ and‘Joy‘. Sometimes it’s the ones who have cracked who the light shines through and with these tracks, there’s a parting of the clouds through breezy guitars, complimenting the group’s parting contemplations on love, unity and friendship.

‘Secret Love‘ finds Dry Cleaning operating at their most masterful level yet, a group far removed from anything you would expect from the typical post-punk noise. Free to experiment, and exploring further into new wonderful new territory, already a highpoint of 2026 and for all years to come.