dollhouse

dollhouse–the self-produced debut album from New York City's Slow Fiction–frames identity as something both intimate and observed: a private world that's always, somehow, on display. An uneasy sense of play runs throughout these 11 tracks, where surveillance and introspection blur together to probe the line between who we are in private, and who we become when we're seen; by others, via the internet, or by ourselves. Lyrics twist in perspective, circling petty pain and other people's cruelties, searching for some kind of clarity. “Who are you when no one's looking back or through,” Julia Vassallo sings on opener “junior year,” over a quizzical bass line and refracting guitars that build to catharsis. It's propulsive rock that encourages reflection.

Anyone who moves to NYC understands that survival hinges on some sort of makeshift family for sanity's sake. Over five years, Slow Fiction's dynamic has evolved from natural friendship to a familial bond where they artistically challenge each other. Close proximity has become a creative engine: bassist Ryan Duffin and guitarists Paul Knepple and Joseph Skimmons now live together, while drummer Akiva Henig and vocalist Julia Vassallo are just a short walk away. In mid-2022, the five-piece began to further define their standards as a band. “We are a family and we work on our music like that. Everyone is part of the organism,” says Vassallo, stressing the group's close-knit dynamic. The band's foundation of trust allowed dollhouse songs to be revisited and reshaped over time rather than locked in too early.

Merchandise available here. dollhouse comes out on August 7th.

Track Listing
junior year
ninetynine
mouthpiece
what the night told me
bottle episode
idle hours
g.a.l.s.
dollhouse
satellite
heavy metal
turning down flowers

This is a pre-order that will ship to customers in early-August.