California-based indie pop duo Slenderbodies has been hard at work all summer and shows no signs of slowing up with the arrival of fall. With two songs already out since July 20 — the latter of which pays homage to pop icon Britney Spears’ hit “Toxic” — the group is premiering a new single today (Sept. 24), “The One.”
“’The One’ is definitely the most unique song in our roster to date in a lot of aspects, especially in the vocal space,” the duo says via email. “We are excited to see how people receive it [and] it opens doors for us to experiment further in the future.”
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Comprised of Max Vehuni and Benji Cormack, the band hasn’t taken much of a break since forming in 2016. They dropped Sotto Voce, their debut EP, June of that year, and followed up in April 2017 with another EP, titled Fabulist. Though already dropping Fabulist: Extended in January 2018, Slenderbodies plans to release its second EP of the year, Soraya, this fall. With it, the group explores translating personal experience into sonic growth.
“The concept delves into the importance of intimacy in our lives, whether that comes from partners, family, friends, mentors, and more,” says the group. “We see this EP as a big step forward sonically, and a bigger step forward songwriting-wise. We’re opening up to more dance-oriented tracks.”
Much of the recent experience to draw from comes via the current international tour that Slenderbodies is playing, performing in several U.S. locations and European countries alike. Most of the Slenderbodies’ catalog has been born out of their surroundings, and getting to see more of the world over the past few months has only benefited the indie pop group.
“It’s been very special to be in these old, beautiful cities in Europe, or small towns in the U.S. and find inspiration in the beauty each place has, or the contrast in culture. We love to write stories with our songs, and being out in the world gives us a bigger encyclopedia of personal experience to pull from.”
With “The One,” Vehuni and Cormack draw inspiration from the women in their lives who helped them grow. Though the newest single doesn’t provide the same upbeat, bouncy chorus featured in “take you home” — the first track released ahead of Soraya — the intimacy remains in “The One,” swaying the listener with a repeated “You could be the one to take my breath away.”
As Slenderbodies continues its impressive release rate, the duo is careful to keep an ear open for feedback. “At the end of the day, we think songwriting and accessibility is crucial to inspiring experimentation in production,” the group says. “It defines the mood for us, and for the listeners.”
Though the two hold a lofty goal to someday headline their home state’s Coachella, they appear to be taking things day by day and enjoying every moment of it. They’re certainly not at the level of their biggest influence, Radiohead, but Soraya stands as the group’s most daring project to date and a step in the direction of their ultimate aspirations.