It wasn’t a surprise that London’s Dry Cleaning had a new record in the hopper – they’ve been respectably prolific since coming on the scene in 2021 and it’s been three years since their last full-length Stumpwork – and just wrapped a short North American tour ahead of more European dates this Fall. This is not the agenda of a band who has not been busy.

But they finally dropped details of album number three this week, accompanied by a single and video that should reassure fans of deadpan sprechsang over steady grooves and abrasively anthemic guitar lines. Which, really, is all of us. The Cate Le Bon-produced Secret Love will ring in the new year, hitting streets on January 9. Of working with the band as the recorded in Chicago and Dublin, Le Bon says:

Being in a room with them and hearing that vitality and life force that exists between them all, it’s such a unique expression

Cate Le Bon
Dry Cleaning: New Album ‘Secret Love’ Out 9th January 2026, Single ‘Hit My Head All Day’ Streaming Now @ 4AD.com

And of the single, which combines interpretive dance, industrial waste disposal, and green screen, singer Florence Shaw offers:

The song is about manipulation of the body and mind.  The lyrics were initially inspired by the use of misinformation on social media by the far right.  There are powerful people that seek to influence our behaviour for their own gain; to buy certain things, to vote a certain way.  I find it hard to read people’s intentions and decide who to trust, even in everyday life.  It’s easy to fall under the influence of a sinister stranger who seems like a friend.

We took a playful approach to the song.  At one point it had harmonica on it instead of a vocal.  At the demo stage we were inspired by ‘There’s a Riot Goin’ On’ by Sly and the Family Stone.

Florence Shaw, Dry Cleaning
Dry Cleaning: New Album ‘Secret Love’ Out 9th January 2026, Single ‘Hit My Head All Day’ Streaming Now @ 4AD.com