TENDER reveal trippy new single ‘cutting grass’ off upcoming album ‘Flux’ out Sept 6

July 30, 2024 BY Bailey Vigliaturo

TENDER, the magnetic indie electronic pop duo coming out of Brighton and London, today reveals their new single ‘cutting grass’ from their upcoming third album, ‘Flux’. The album is set for release on 6th September, while the single will be available from 26th July via Nettwerk.

cutting grass’ balances danceability with eeriness, pairing acoustic instruments with an ecosystem of synths that form everything from its mechanic beat to its whirring, muffled melodies.

Thematically, the deeply introspective song centres around, according to the band, “taking kindness for granted.” TENDER explain further: “When someone gives you undivided love and attention that it becomes the norm and you don’t offer the same back. What does it take for you to realise what you have is sacred before it is too late?”

Listen to the track here and watch the visualiser below:

cutting grass’ is the fifth single to arrive ahead of their forthcoming ‘Flux’ album (pre-save album here). So far, fans have been enriched by four singles – the soothing ‘daydreamers’, accompanied by a sunset-drenched music video, the ethereal ‘come clean’, the band’s downtempo dance-y ‘sprinkles’, and the hip-hop-flecked ‘go steady’.

Since their much-awaited comeback, they have received tremendous radio support across their four singles from BBC Radio 1’s Chillest Show with Sian Eleri, BBC Introducing Solent, BBC Radio London with Jess Izzat and ‘Track of the Week on 6 Music with Craig Charles and Huey Morgan show.

TENDER, made up of James Cullen, based in London, and Dan Cobb, based in Brighton, are in a transformative chapter of their lives, which has been the key inspiration behind ‘Flux‘. The pair recently left their shared life as flatmates in London, moving out, changing cities and becoming fathers. The album delves into themes of individual evolution, encapsulated through tracks that mirror their personal journeys and artistic growth. Recently, Cullen faced significant life changes, navigating travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic that affected him being with his partner in New York during her pregnancy. All of these experiences have been thrown into the album, shaping its lyrical and emotional landscape.

Since their 2015 formation, the year in which they released their first EP, ‘Armour’ followed by 2016’s ‘Tender EP II’ and their debut full-length album, ‘Modern Addiction’ in 2017, TENDER’s extensive electronic-tinged alt-pop catalogue has garnered hundreds of millions of streams. Some highlights include their stunning, buttery single, ‘Slow Love’ (nearing 8 million Spotify streams), a collaboration with Claptone called ‘Stay The Night’, and their psychedelic dubbed-out ‘Outside’, now boasting over 24 million streams.

If you’re itching to see TENDER live, then the Winter of 2024 is the time. The group are embarking on a huge 14-date tour of the US and Canada, kicking off in October in Seattle, then concluding in New York in November, and a London show at Lafayette on 9th December, the latter their only UK/EU tour of this year.

While TENDER have delivered lyrically honest and sonically transcendent music now for nine years, ‘Flux’ is surely shaping up to be the duo’s most introspective work to date. ‘cutting grass’ adds to their new narrative, as they gear up to be one of the coolest UK bands out there.

Upcoming Live Dates
28th Oct – Seattle, WA – Madame Lou’s
30th Oct – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
1st Nov – San Francisco, CA – Swedish American Hall
2nd Nov – Santa Ana, CA – New Parish
3rd Nov – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo
5th Nov – Denver, CO – Bluebird
7th Nov – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar
9th Nov – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
11th Nov – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
12th Nov – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick
13th Nov – Toronto, Ont – Velvet Underground
15th Nov – Washington, DC – DC9
16th Nov – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Neck Tie
19th Nov – New Your City, NY – Racket
9th Dec – London, UK – Lafayette