Dry Cleaning have released the wiry new single ‘Cruise Ship Designer’ and announced a run of intimate UK outstore shows.
The South London band are preparing to release their third studio album ‘Secret Love’ on January 9 via 4AD, the follow-up to 2022’s ‘Stumpwork’. You can pre-save/pre-order your copy here.
They have already shared the lead single ‘Hit My Head All Day’, and now they have given fans another taste of the record with ‘Cruise Ship Designer’, a track that shows off the band’s trademark deadpan spoke-sung vocals and fidgeting, post-punk guitar spikiness.
The song’s video sees bassist Lewis Maynard dancing his way through the track, with choreography from BULLYACHE. Watch here:
Vocalist Florence Shaw has said: “The song is about a cruise ship and hotel designer who’s skilled and paid well, but who doesn’t believe his role has real worth. He tries to enjoy it, and invests himself in meeting the challenges of the job.”
Last month, the band announced a run of headline shows for the UK, Europe and North America for 2026, kicking off in Chicago on January 23 and concluding with dates around the UK in April. See all of those dates here and find any remaining tickets here. They have also been announced for Latitude 2026.
Now, they have added an extra run of outstore shows across the UK in January, including at Brighton’s Chalk, London’s Rough Trade East, Bristol’s Strange Brew, Leeds’ Brudenell and Nottingham’s Metronome. Tickets for those are on sale now and you can find yours here.
Dry Cleaning’s outstore dates are:
JANUARY 2026
3 – Bognor Regis, Rockaway Beach Festival
9 – Brighton, Chalk (Resident)
10 – London, Rough Trade East
13 – Bristol, Strange Brew (Rough Trade)
14 – Leeds, Brudenell (Crash)
15 – Nottingham, Metronome (Rough Trade)
Shaw wrote the new LP in various practice rooms with her bandmates – guitarist Tom Dowse, drummer Nick Buxton and bassist Maynard – with production coming from Cate Le Bon (Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart, Wilco, Horsegirl).
She has also said she took suggestions from the other members this time around, rather than sticking to a preconceived plan. “If I want things to be more open or blunter, a bit less sophisticated, that would be helped by not allowing myself to ringfence the whole thing,” she added.
Early last year, Dry Cleaning won the Best Recording Package award at the Grammys for their ‘Stumpwork’ album artwork.
NME gave the LP a glowing five-star review, describing it as “a record that, when given the requisite time and attention, offers unfathomable depths to explore”.
