Slum Sociable are gearing up to release their debut self-titled album, and we literally cannot wait. We’ve only got two days left to wait – well a day and nine hours to be exact. It will be officially released on 24 November 2017.
They are an alternative duo from Melbourne, Australia. Consisting of Edward (Cregan) Quinn and Miller Upchurch, Slum Sociable have been building up their career for a number of years. They had originally planned to release this album on 13 October 2017, however, they pushed it back due to mental health, which certainly makes us respect them even more.
The album contains 12 tracks, five of which are available to download and stream right now as instant grat singles. Parts of the album was recorded in London, UK, with producer Rich Cooper – who has worked with Mystery Jets, Josef Salvat, and Lucy Rose – whilst mixed by Ben Allan – who has worked with Animal Collective, Cut Copy, and Gnarls Barkley. Other parts of the album were recorded with local esteemed producer Russell Fawcus – who has worked with Temper Trap and Paul Kelly, amongst others.
This album has some definitive indie and jazz vibes throughout. We highly suggest you keep a look out for our upcoming album review. For the time being, you should check out our exclusive interview below, where Slum Sociable talks about pushing the album back, the tracks on the album, and their inspirations.
Hi, Slum Sociable, we hope you are well. What have you been up to lately?
We’ve just been rehearsing for our national tour coming up in December. It’ll be the first time playing these new songs and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve also got a couple of surprises in store.
You’re gearing up to release your debut album soon, how excited are you for it to drop?
There’s a nervous excitement with putting anything out into the world. These songs have been with us for almost two and a half years, so we’re interested to see how people react to them. We’re really proud of this album.
Now, we have to mention that you’ve delayed the release by a month and a bit, for a whole host of reasons, that you explained on social media. How difficult was it to make that decision?
It wasn’t really difficult at all. Mental health is far more important than a release date, and our fans are really down to earth and understanding. I think recognising that we needed to push it back was the hard part, but once that was done, announcing the push back was almost liberation.
The reaction has been hugely positive since the announcement, what is that like to see from your fans?
Overwhelming really. We’re so proud to have a fan base with such humility and kindness. We were offered so many messages of support, and it dawned on us that we’re kind of one with the people who love our music. It’s an inexplicable feeling really.
Your album is self-titled, what made you decide to name it after yourselves?
As cliché as this sounds, this collection of songs is what best represents Slum Sociable. We put so much work into this record, and the work ethic and friendship that this project is based upon is Slum Sociable. That’s what is exemplifies I suppose.
Of course, with that question comes this one… Where did the name come from?
Daniel Day Lewis in American Gangster.
There are 12 tracks in total, can you tell us more about the album as a whole?
I think there’s a nice mix of upbeat tracks with slower, more nostalgic ones. We’ve got a lot of different musical influences that I think are apparent in different tracks. But to be honest, the album will be what the people who listen to it want it to be. And that’s really important to us.
Is there a particular track that you like the most, or have the biggest connection to? And why?
I think “Treated Like The Weather” has the best story because it’s essentially a remix of a very old song that was worked upon during a two week break in recording. We were just mucking around with it, and then were kind of like ‘Holy shit, this could actually work on the album’. We sent it to our label and they responded with similar positivity. It was a lovely moment.
What inspired you when it came to this album?
Friends and family really inspire us. We’ve got such incredible people in our lives that influence us every day. Cregan’s grandfather is the cover star, and his life and message is incredible in itself.
There has been an amazing reaction to promotional track “Candle”, released in August. What was it like seeing all the positive comments to the song?
We hadn’t released anything in a while, and sometimes you forget whether people actually give a fuck. When we released it and the response came in, it was a really great feeling.
Tell us more about the song in particular.
It was recorded and written in London last year. We were there touring for the first time, recording in a studio that had some incredible musicians working on tracks. It was crazy. Definitely a highlight in our career so far. We worked with producer Rich Cooper who was just such a lovely guy.
The release follows up your 2015 7-track LP, titled “TQ”, how does this new album differ?
I think everything has stepped up – the songwriting, the attention to detail, the instrumentation. We’ve also gone through a few things since that release that have taught us some pretty real life lessons I think. It feels like the next step in our musical journey I suppose (I hope that doesn’t sound too lame).
Your early tracks “All Night” and “Anyway” have been streamed over a million times on Spotify. What’s it like knowing that they’re that popular?
It’s crazy. This whole process over the last three years has been crazy. Those songs were written in Cregan’s bedroom for fun.
What do you hope the future will bring for you?
Hopefully touring the world and more albums.
Finally, do you have a message for your fans?
Thank you so much for your patience.
Slum Sociable, you have been amazing to interview. We thank you for your time to answer our questions, and we look forward to seeing your fans’ reactions to your incredible debut self-titled album.
Don’t forget to pre-order “Slum Sociable”, right now. It’ll be available to download and stream on 24 November 2017.