Slow Cooked has today released their double-single titled ‘Vest Poets’ and ‘Gammon’. The dream child of Louie Barby, Slow Cooked delves into the wild and wicked world of electronica by infusing their flair and originality with an original brand demanding a listen.
Not carved from the same wood, the two tracks are merged with a reprise that fits them together like musical bookends that fuse the yin and the yang with little effort and even less dissonance. I love it when a band or an artist shows their creative diversity with only a couple of songs. It makes me want to listen to more and research their background.
While ‘Vest Poets’ dives into the deep end with a trance feel and dance beat, ‘Gammon’ goes dark and deep into the feels with an almost obscure sound and underground movement. This is what music should go back to.
About Slow Cooked
Hailing from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, but now well and truly nestled in South London’s creative sprawl, Louie Barby, AKA Slow Cooked, has established himself as a central figure in the city’s music scene. Bringing his unique brand of cello playing to a range of projects, he’s supported artists such as King Krule, Black Country New Road, Nourished by Time, and Katy J Pearson and collaborated with the likes of Goat Girl, heka, and Skydaddy.
Marbling the grit, gristle, and gloom of punk with his background in classical training, new double A-side release ‘Vest Poets / Gammon’ – lands today (22nd July) via Plum Cuts (Rosie Alena). United in their critiques against the sickly sincerity of online personas within self-promotion, together they reveal the broad Slow Cooked musical spectrum, brawny and baleful at one moment, exquisitely tender the next.
Produced by regular Dan Carey collaborator, Adele Phillips – a member of Miss Tiny, and who has worked on records by Grian Chatten, Royal Otis, and Sailor Honeymoon – the tracks were originally written using only a cello and loop pedal, later utilizing glitched samples to create an air of restless energy and experimental fervor.
Discussing more on Vest Poets, Louie says: ‘Surrounded by the sickly sincerity of online life coaches and artists, you boil with hatred and frustration until you realise you’re becoming the very thing you love to hate. A ballad wrapped up within a punk song.’
Offering more on its companion track, ‘Gammon’, he adds: “‘Though the messages are ones you hold dear, confusion and bitterness exclude from you and your skin turns gammon pink in allergy to weaponization of sincerity by online influencers. ’
Releasing his debut EP Plastic Values last April, this past year has seen Louie play at the legendary Crows Nest stage at Glastonbury and tour across the UK and Europe. Winning comprehensive 6Music radio backing from New Music Fix, he has also won the favour of Emily Pilbeam at BBC Introducing, who named his debut single as a ‘Track of the Year’ in 2024.
Curating ‘Cello Sunday’ alongside the legendary booker of the Brixton Windmill, Tim Perry, Louie has also founded his night Hard Drive, blending drag art and live music to highlight the beauty of the London creative scene.