Contributing Writer
Rising UK indie duo TENDER continue their blistering start to 2024 with new single ‘come clean’, out on 1st March via Nettwerk.
‘come clean’ is a typically lush and enigmatic production from the duo, with lead singer James Cullen’s reverb vocals mingling with pitched-up samples and atmospheric synths over a muscly trip-hop groove.
Speaking about the single’s themes, the duo explained that ‘come clean’ is about “When the walls feel like they’re closing in around you and life is getting the best of you. Being scared and wanting to give up. Asking for help when you need it.“
The track is the follow-up to previous single ‘daydreamers’, their acclaimed 2024 comeback after two years, which received BBC Radio 1 support on Nels Hylton’s ‘Future Alternative’ show.
The fast-climbing indie pair have their sights set squarely ahead on a full album, much of which was written throughout the pandemic focusing around the journey of both band members – made up of London/Brighton-based James Cullen and Dan Cobb.
Since the band’s inception, TENDER has specialised in walking that artful line between personal and the universal. The British duo’s acclaimed debut, Modern Addiction, charted the aftermath of a tumultuous breakup, earning rave reviews in the UK and US for its soul-baring candour, with Stereogum calling it “vibrant and entrancing”, while Metro hailed it as “stunning”.
The band’s debut album lead single ‘Nadir’ was an early career highlight and featured in the soundtrack of the Netflix smash To All The Boys I’ve Ever Loved. The LP followed a series of similarly celebrated singles and EPs that saw the duo rocket from an unassuming bedroom project to an online sensation seemingly overnight success. Overall the band have now amassed over 500 million streams across the DSP platforms, as well as boasting nearly 300K YouTube subscribers.
With the gorgeous ‘come clean’, TENDER expands on a new chapter in their musical journey. 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for this captivating duo.
Stream the single in full HERE
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