There's a bittersweet feeling among us Slum Sociable fans right now, as the Melbourne duo have officially called it quits with the release of their final EP The Street of Dire Needs.
They announced their impending breakup in an emotional social media post back in early March. Recalling their journey from humble beginnings to international touring and radio play, Ed Quinn and Miller Upchurch thanked all of their faithful supporters and collaborators.
"Even ruminating on it now, it's still f*cking mind blowing really. Ridiculous. So yeah. We're excited to move onto the next phases of our lives, and thank you all for your love."
But before the end, they've treated us to one final gift in the form of this new five-track EP. Featuring three previously released singles and two brand new songs, The Street of Dire Needs is a fitting finale to Slum Sociable's brief but memorable lifespan.
With the first single, 'Explain Myself', the duo abandoned their usual subtlety and melancholy in favour of an upbeat, anthemic festival jam, with bouncy synths, a "phat riff" and a massive chorus.
They continued this evolution with the following single, 'You're In My Head', which kicks the tempo up a notch with a wicked energy created by the funky bass lines and eccentric percussion. The single also features vocals from fellow Melburnian KYE, in a collaboration that works so well it makes us wonder why the duo haven't worked with more featured artists in their previous releases.
'Questions' reverts back to the gloomier side of Slum Sociable that we've come to know and love. As the song they released to coincide with their breakup announcement, it's a treat as well as a thank you directed to their die-hard fans.
The two previously unreleased songs, 'Lookin' Up' and 'The Street of Dire Needs', were the first and final songs that Quinn and Upchurch wrote together respectively. 'Lookin' Up', which was first penned for the duo's previous band Cold Hiker, is another uptempo track, yet it still has that classic Slum Sociable feel. The title track is a six minute epic starting with an extended instrumental intro and building up to a massive final chorus with powerful strings and synths. Quinn says it's "probably my favourite song Slum has ever done".
The Street of Dire Needs marks a satisfying conclusion to the discography of Slum Sociable. They may be finished as a group but their memory will live on.
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Ed Quinn is moving on to exciting new project Telenova.