Slow Pulp Hit That Sweet Spot Between Indie Rock and Power Pop on “Spill”

The band’s final preview of their upcoming album, Melodie, leans right into the messy, overthinking side of modern dating.

If you have ever found yourself stuck in that awful limbo of a casual relationship—where you’re too terrified to catch feelings first, but completely attached anyway—Slow Pulp gets it.

The Chicago and Madison crew just dropped “Spill” the last taste we’re getting before their third studio album, Melodie, lands on September 18 via ANTI- Records. Mixing hazy dream-pop guitars with sharp, driving power-pop hooks, the track nails that very specific, exhausting anxiety of waiting for the other person to make a move.

Finding a Home for “Spill”

Interestingly enough, “Spill” wasn’t actually built yesterday. It was one of the very first songs written back when they were piecing together their 2023 record, Yard, but it just didn’t quite click at the time.

It wasn’t until they started working on Melodie alongside producer Elliot Kozel (who’s spent time working with heavy hitters like SZA, Rosalía, and Yves Tumor) that the track finally found its footing.

As frontwoman Emily Massey explained about the track’s mindset:

“It’s that delicate dance where you wait for someone else to take the leap. Too afraid to say it too soon but also too afraid to say it too late, waiting to see how it will all play out.”

Musically, it pulls off a great trick: it’s bright and infectious enough to bounce along to, while the lyrics stay wonderfully raw and self-doubting.

What to Expect from Melodie

Dropping alongside earlier singles like “Better Man” and “Not For Nothing,” “Spill” rounds out a really strong run of teasers for the new record.

Melodie also marks a cool shift in how the band operates behind the scenes. While Massey usually handled the bulk of the lyric writing from her base in Chicago, this album marks a return to their Madison roots with a much more collaborative approach. Guitarist Henry Stoehr split writing duties right down the middle with Massey, giving the new material a shared, cyclical energy that feels like the band turning a corner.

Catch Them on Tour

Slow Pulp are taking Melodie on a massive run of headlining dates across North America, the UK, and Europe.

• North America: Kicks off this fall, running through major stops in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Seattle before wrapping up in November.

• UK & Europe: Hits the road in January 2027, touching down in Berlin, Paris, and Dublin before finishing up at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town in February.

Listen and Pre-Order

• Stream “Spill”: Out everywhere now on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp.

• Pre-order Melodie: Grab your vinyl bundles and digital copies straight from ANTI- Records ahead of September 18.