There have been few acts in the alternative scene with a more meteoric rise than Static Dress over the last few years. Fusing the nostalgia-rendering sounds of the mid-00s with a very future-facing attitude towards sound design and a razor sharp thirst for infectious songwriting, the UK quartet have emerged as a true force in global rock music and beyond, being named as Kerrang’s Best New Band in 2021, as well as winning the Heavy Music Award for Best Breakthrough Live Artist in 2023.
Their debut album Rouge Carpet Disaster was a watershed moment for modern alternative music, hailed as a future classic of the genre while capturing imaginations for a sound that transcends emo, screamo, metal, pop, electronic and so much more; making for one of the most ambitious statements made from within the rock format in decades. Signing with the legendary Roadrunner Records, last year saw the release of the album’s Redux version; a fully fledged reinterpretation of the project that saw each track exist within parallel universes while featuring contributions from the likes of Loathe, Creeper, World Of Pleasure and more. After a sold-out UK tour of the album and subsequent arena run supporting Bring Me The Horizon, as well as a packed out performance at this year’s Sick New World festival and a sold-out headline of their own at California’s iconic Chain Reaction venue, today sees Static Dress return for their first truly new music in two years in the form of a brand new single, ‘crying’.
A bold step in a forward-thinking direction for the band, ‘crying’ immediately showcases the growth of one of alternative music’s greatest hopes. Opening to fragile, almost guttural tones, ‘crying’ shows its bones from the outset; setting a bare, despondent stage for Static Dress’ most dynamic moment yet. Blurring genres further than they have before, ‘crying’ utilises a blend of soaring modern rock, dancefloor-ready indie, devastating metal and textured electronics to create an energy completely unique to their own world. It’s the most instantly impactful the band have ever sounded – setting the scene for the Static Dress’ deft pop-leaning touches to take centre-stage for the track’s three minute runtime.
Static Dress’ highly revered visual world also receives an expansive growth with the single, as the track’s self-directed video finds the band breaking out of the insular confines of their Rouge Carpet Disaster universe to present their own nightmare set within the psyche of contemporary society. ‘crying’ explores modern existence’s own innate evils that are hidden in plain sight, resulting in a surreal yet richly cinematic experience that leaves a mark long after the first viewing.
On the video, vocalist Olli Appleyard says:
“The video for ‘crying’ explores several themes of the song’s lyrical character, revolving around taboo topics presented as a battle between the sacred and the profane. Rather than focusing solely on striking presentation and the visual stimulation of colour and design, we ask the viewer to travel through multiple scenes, all with their own subject matter; guilt and battling with self-loathing, mass corporate manipulation, capitalist horde mentality and weaponised lust.
We hope to provoke further questions and conversation with this piece, aiming to push the boundaries of our own storytelling and visual presentation in a way that exhibits the growth we’ve experienced in recent years.
After two years of relentless touring and a subsequent rise to the summit of global contemporary alternative music, Static Dress have emerged with a glimpse into a bold, uncompromising future with ‘crying’. Already regarded as one of the most relentlessly creative bands in their field, Static Dress have challenged their own formula with the track, providing an unspoken promise that wherever they venture next, it will be certain to provoke conversation and impossible to predict.
STATIC DRESS 2024 TOUR DATES
All Dates Supporting Underoath Except*
06/24 – Bristol, UK – O2 Academy
06/25 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute
06/26 – London, UK – O2 Forum Kentish Town
06/27 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz
07/11 – Cheltenham, UK – 2000 Trees Festival*
09/18 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa
09/20 – New York, NY – The Palladium
09/22 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome
09/24 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
09/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall
09/27 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
09/28 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
09/29 – Columbus, OH – Kemba Live
10/01 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
10/02 – Indianapolis, IN – The Egyptian Room
10/04 – Milwaukee, WI – The Eagles Ballroom
10/05 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
10/06 – Birmingham, AL – Furnace Fest
10/08 – Kansas City, MO – The Midland Theater
10/09 – Minneapolis, MN – Myth
10/11 – Denver, CO – The Summit
10/12 – Denver, CO – The Summit
10/13 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
10/15 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SODO
10/16 – Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
10/19 – Las Vegas, NV – When We Were Young
10/20 – Las Vegas, NV – When We Were Young
10/22 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
10/23 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
10/25 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
10/26 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
10/27 – San Diego, CA – SOMA
10/28 – Phoenix, AZ – The Marquee
10/30 – Dallas, TX – Southside Music Hall
11/18 – Austin, TX – Stubbs
11/19 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
11/20 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom
11/23 – Cincinnati, OH – Megcorp
11/24 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed
11/26 – Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom
11/27 – Green Bay, WI – Epic Center
11/29 – Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe
11/30 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom
12/01 – Toronto, ON – History
12/03 – Buffalo, NY – Riverworks
12/04 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
12/06 – Stroudsburg, PA – The Sherman Theater
12/08 – Richmond, VA – The National
12/09 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
12/10 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
12/13 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
12/14 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
12/15 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
*Festival Date, No Underoath
