Lo-fi experts Animal Scream debut their newest single, “Slow Down.” Their first release from an upcoming EP releasing in February of 2025, the new track is now available on most streaming platforms.
Exploring themes of consciousness, lucid dreams, and realms beyond our control, “Slow Down” is a hazy lo-fi track for a breezy autumn day. Sonically capturing a cacophonous sound actively fighting to achieve tranquility, the tune demonstrates the bliss of artists like Youth Lagoon, Craft Spells, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Clocking in at just two and a half minutes, the track provides a great screenshot for what’s to come on Animal Scream’s upcoming EP, Otherworldly Pictures. By reflecting on acts of kindness and forgiveness, the new track acts as a triumphant anthem for those struggling with similar issues.
Animal Scream are Pittsburgh Doom Pop artists founded by Chad Monticue & Josh Sickels, joined by multi-instrumentalist Caleb Pogyor. The band combines sound design with a psych-pop psychedelia that’s dark and cinematic, a noir-tinted sound in thrall to the eternal groove. Influences vary from David Lynch, MF DOOM, and ’60s reggae to woozy film scores carving out nocturnal soundscapes for the alienated and brokenhearted.
Creating cinematic, yet otherworldly sounds in the vein of psych-pop psychedelia, the band are heavily influenced by greats such as Radiohead and Beach House. Decadently mixing supernatural and sci-fi elements with more straightforward pop tones, the duo creates earworms that are tender and ominous, yet also emotionally devastating at their core.
Are you vibing with Animal Scream’s “Slow Down”?