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Apr 10, 2025 By Andy Von Pip Photography by Jimmy Quinn

NYC quintet Slow Fiction delivers an urgent, confrontational track as part of the Speedy Singles series

New York City’s rising indie outfit Slow Fiction has released their latest single “When,” now available on Speedy Wunderground as part of the label’s celebrated Speedy Singles series.

The new track showcases the band’s tightly-wound intensity, with vocalist Julia Vassallo immediately setting the tone with pointed lyrics: “You are a clock without a face, You are a mouth without the taste.” Throughout its tightly-packed three minutes, “When” finds the quintet channeling controlled chaos as they grapple with feelings of disillusionment.

“I think everyone has had a moment where their expectation of the world, a relationship, the audience they are performing for falls short, and it sends you into a wild spiral downwards,” Vassallo explains. “Losing faith feels so desperate, like falling into a pit of snakes. And the snakes all have faces that seem familiar, and they’re talking, but the words are all garbled. I guess this was trying to get to the bottom of that pit of disillusionment, or maybe get out of it altogether.”

Drawing inspiration from noise rock pioneers like Sonic Youth and The Jesus and Mary Chain, Slow Fiction creates what they describe as “a landmine of sound.” Their music blends elements of early 2000s guitar-driven indie with contemporary angst, resulting in a sound that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly current.

“When” will be available on 7-inch vinyl on April 25th, featuring a dub remix B-side by producer Dan Carey titled “Who Is the Dub.”

Slow Fiction consists of Julia Vassallo (vocals), Paul Knepple (guitar), Joe Skimmons (guitar), Ryan Duffin (bass), and Akiva Henig (drums).

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