Slow Joy is the solo project of alternative rocker Esteban Flores. Heavily influenced by the emo and alternative music of his adolescence, his describes himself as follows: “when I was 14 I was an emo kid, now I’m emotional man.” His new single “Gruesome” is accompanied by a music video as well as an album announcement for A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming.
A very guitar-heavy track, the main melody revolves around one riff with a cacophony of guitars chiming in for the chorus. A repetitive and short track, “Gruesome” is light but contains lyrics that have a little bit of an edge. The refrain, “Do we have to be gruesome, to feel / For something to make me feel alright,” is a simple yet universal message fit for the pop leaning vocals.
“Gruesome” is a strong first single for an album. It has Slow Joy Sticking to his roots, with confident guitar and vocal performances. The track is safe if anything, putting only a slight modern edge on the expected alternative rock sound.
Stream “Gruesome” below and watch the music video. The new Slow Joy album, A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming, is out May 15, 2025.
