The spacey, hypnotic track serves as the second early single from the South London trio's third album, 'Below The Waste', which is due out on June 7 via Rough Trade.
Following the LP's first single Ride Around, it comes with a video helmed by choreographer and director Holly Blakey, known for her work with Florence and the Machine, Harry Styles and Rosalía. Head below to check out the clip, which features dancers dressed in archival Vivienne Westwood pieces, with Matthew Josephs assisting with styling. In a statement, singer Lottie Pendlebury said:
"Motorway was born out of a desire to write a song where the main focal point was the voice. In listening to lots of music where the vocal line commanded all the attention through unexpected turns and developing melodies, I knew I wanted to try something similar. I sat with a simple sub bass line and experimented with letting the voice move however it wanted and recorded a video of myself to capture the moment. ‘Driving on the motorway’ were initially the only lyrics I had and would annoy everyone by repeatedly singing them. It became this really catchy riff that found its place as the track’s opening line and of course, main theme. It conjured up feelings of being a kid in the backseat of a car, not knowing where you’re heading but feeling content, or the fleeting moments you spend in new cities, and how the journey rather than destination sometimes feels like the main component.
"Instrumentally writing together, we naturally gravitated to a more electronic sound which suited the pop-esque style of the track. As a band we have a shared love for pop music of the noughties and would reference tracks like Kid Cudi’s Pursuit of Happiness or Day n Nite to try and reflect in the song. We really lent into the epicness of this track and its pop sensibilities, through holly’s melodic sub bass synth that constantly weaves between the vocals, rosy’s drum beats that in their space create heaviness, and the Juno 60 that chimes away throughout the chorus. Whilst leaning in we also wanted to subvert the classic pop ballad trope and include organic instruments, like the air organ that plays the main chords heard in the chorus, placing the sonic in a unique place."
The band will support the follow-up to 2021's 'On All Fours' with a run of out-store dates around its release. They've also scheduled a UK and European tour for the autumn, with tickets on general sale at 10am local time on Friday (April 12).
Fri June 07 2024 - KINGSTON Banquet Records
Sat June 08 2024 - LONDON Rough Trade East
Sun June 09 2024 - NOTTINGHAM Rough Trade
Mon June 10 2024 - LEEDS Crash Records
Tue June 11 2024 - BRISTOL Rough Trade
Wed June 12 2024 - BRIGHTON Resident Outstore
Fri June 28 2024 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Boiler Shop
Tue October 08 2024 - PARIS POINT EPHEMERE (France)
Wed October 09 2024 - BRUSSELS AB Club (Belgium)
Thu October 10 2024 - LUXEMBOURG CITY Rotondes (Luxembourg)
Sat October 12 2024 - COLOGNE MTC (Germany)
Sun October 13 2024 - BERLIN Privatclub (Germany)
Mon October 14 2024 - UTRECHT EKKO (Netherlands)
Thu November 21 2024 - LEEDS Leeds Irish Centre
Fri November 22 2024 - EDINBURGH La Belle Angele
Sat November 23 2024 - BIRMINGHAM Castle and Falcon
Wed November 27 2024 - SOUTHAMPTON Papillon
Thu November 28 2024 - LONDON Electric Brixton
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