Glasgow-based twin-sibling indie/alt pop duo Cloth (Rachael and Paul Swinton) have shared their new single “Polaroid” alongside a music video.
The song, produced by Ali Chant (Perfume Genius, PJ Harvey, Yard Act), marks their first new music since the Scottish Album Of The Year Award nominated 2023 album for Rock Action, Secret Measure. Get it here.
The pair’s feather-light approach and intrinsic quiet drama have been fundamentals of the Cloth sound, providing a way to express the grandest of sentiments in the most persuasive of ways. A daring rhythmic streak combined with the patience and restraint to let the space in their music do the talking, make each new Cloth song feel like a world within itself.
On ‘Polaroid’ the band toys with texture and with the addition to their palette of a string section, their intentional subtlety is elevated to lofty new heights.
Speaking about it, Rachael says:
“We knew that we wanted to push ourselves outside our comfort zone and write a really upbeat, fast track which would feel great to play live. ‘Polaroid’ has such a strong, driving beat and a soaring string arrangement from Owen Pallett. We’ve never had strings on our music before so this was a real first for us. I was a little nervous about the idea because I think adding strings can sometimes go one of two ways – they can sound great or they can overpower the nuance of everything going on underneath. I can still remember hearing Owen’s arrangement for the first time and just turning to Paul with the biggest smile on my face – they absolutely nailed it. ‘Polaroid’ is quite different to anything we’ve done before, but I think it’s one of the most exciting songs we’ve made.”
“Lyrically, the song deals with the gradual loss of a friendship which used to burn very brightly. I think a lot of people can relate to the peculiar and quietly devastating feeling of becoming isolated from a person they once shared so much with. That preoccupation with loss – of friendships, of loved ones, of relationships – is such a universal thing and something I definitely found myself mired in when writing. I can trace it across a lot of the record.” Paul adds.
Watch / listen below.
Cloth will also be heading out on a UK headline tour through March. See the dates below.
Cloth 2025 Tour Dates
MARCH
4th – Forum, Tunbridge Wells, UK
5th – Boiler Room, Guildford, UK
6th – Esquires, Bedford, UK
7th – The Gregson Community & Arts Centre, Lancaster, UK
8th – Sugarmill, Stoke, UK
10-17th – SXSW, Austin, Texas, USA
22nd – Mac Arts Centre, Galashiels, UK
29th – Tunnels, Aberdeen, UK
There will be further new music to follow in 2025.
