Slow Mass have shared “Blur,” the second single from their long-awaited second full-length Low on Foot, due out May 16 via Landland Colportage. The track includes guest contributions from NNAMDÏ and Jon Nuñez of Torche, pulling together a mix of layered vocal harmonies and searing post-metal guitar textures.
“Blur” arrives a month after the band debuted “Hogtied,” which came with a video directed by Marisa Dabice of Mannequin Pussy. Where “Hogtied” leaned into angular urgency, “Blur” stretches out and breathes more, opening with fragmented guitar lines and slow-burning drums that eventually crash into a dense, distorted crescendo.
Vocalist and bassist Mercedes Webb described the song as a reflection on the fear of rejection and the temptation to contort oneself to avoid it. “It’s about the fear that people won’t want you for who you are, and the temptation to mold yourself to others’ needs in order to prevent it,” she said.
Webb traced the origins of the song to a transitional period in 2017, recalling a shift in her daily rhythm and personal life. “I had just moved neighborhoods, met someone new after lots of heartbreak, and started a night job when I had only ever worked mornings,” she explained. “The lyrics evolved around my reflection of first impressions. How someone can seem incapable of hurting you upon first meeting them, and then tethering begins, and before you know it, you can feel them realize you aren’t for them. Despite the case being that they probably aren’t for you either, the pain of feeling rejected when you convinced yourself you were safe from that is hard to leave with integrity intact.”
The song took several years to reach its final form. Guitarist Dave Collis said it went through multiple revisions between 2017 and 2021: “It changed keys, tempos, etc. Sometimes the feel of a song comes immediately, whereas other songs take a long time to have the proper metamorphosis.” He credited the pandemic with giving the band time to refine ideas without the pressure of touring.
Collis also shared how the guest appearances came together. “Nnamdi and I toured together a bunch from 2012–2014 in my old band My Dad, so asking him to contribute some vocal harmonies was a no-brainer. Jon Nuñez had messaged us on Instagram about wanting to record us, but we had already made plans to make the next album with Scott Evans. Even though that specific idea of collaboration wasn’t possible, I asked if he’d want to contribute some guitars to a song on the album. Jon’s guitar leads on this track are so incredible and truly complete the composition.”
“Low on Foot” was recorded in Chicago with Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City, SUMAC, Thrice) and written across five years. Since On Watch (2018), the band has expanded to a seven-piece lineup, evolving their sound into something more sprawling and dynamic. The upcoming album features contributions from Nick Reinhart (Tera Melos), Macie Stewart (Finom), and others, in addition to NNAMDÏ and Nuñez.
The band will support the record with a run of shows beginning in late May, including stops in Minneapolis and their hometown of Chicago, followed by Midwest dates in July with Edhochuli.
“Blur” is streaming now, and preorders for Low on Foot are available via Landland Colportage.
