Slowly Slowly Share Alternate Version Of Single ‘Nothing On’ Featuring Shannen James
Fresh off releasing their driving single Nothing On back in February, Melbourne indie dynamos Slowly Slowly bounce back with an alternate version of that very track, bringing singer-songwriter Shannen James into proceedings with lush and languid results.
Evolving from an unreleased acoustic version of the single, the alternate Nothing On burrows deeper into the track’s elegant melodics and intrinsic nuances, fusing Slowly Slowly’s effortless hypnotism into a far more intimate setting.
Boasting humid beats, stripped-back instrumentals and the addition of James and her creamy vocals alongside Slowly Slowly frontman Ben Stewart, Nothing On’s sister track retains the same sonic spirit and narrative of the original, while blossoming into a sensuous slow-burner that bewitches the soul.
Working with James and also with producer Simon Lam, Stewart was able to collide creative worlds on this latest release, resulting in some modest yet natural stylistic shifts, as Stewart explains: “This alternate version came about in quite a natural way – Shannen and I have been friends since she supported one of my solo acoustic shows in 2020. I’ve been a huge fan of her work and really admire her songwriting.
“Simon Lam is also a good friend who has worked on some of my favourite releases over the years (Kllo, Armlock). We had an acoustic version of the song (just the very basic bones) kicking around for a while as we wanted to showcase Nothing On in a different context that highlighted the romance in the song; the original is quite fun and I knew there was a more delicate version of it in there somewhere. Simon’s production and Shannen’s voice helped tease that out in a way that maintained a hypnotic groove, but that shaped the narrative a little more towards intimacy. It feels like a windows down cloudy hot summer afternoon before rain now as opposed to the original, which to me feels like blue sky and hot sun.”
The alternate version of Nothing On is officially out now on UNFD, and Slowly Slowly will also be christening the track’s moniker live in action in April and May, with a run of capital city shows set to delight fans around the country.