Slough - S/T (Pre-Order)

In stores October 30, 2026.

Fusing walls of scuffed up guitars with crystalline atmospherics and honeyed power pop hooks, Kitchener rockers Slough arrive kinetic and fully-formed on their self-titled debut. Across seven tracks, the group reveals a distinctive but familiar sound that would not be out of place on 1990s MuchMusic rotation, indebted as much to the aesthetics of CanCon alternative rock as they are to the Glasgow school of indie songwriting. It’s an accomplished and succinct first statement that wastes no time introducing this exciting act’s big, shiny tunes. The album arrives October 30, via Having Fun / We Are Busy Bodies.

Slough is led by Marcus Wanka, a rock veteran with about 20 years of songwriting experience in acts like Teen Violence, Hank, and Hyness. The new record finds him handling much of the instrumental work, playing guitar, bass, and some drums in addition to vocals. Wanka recorded the album with his longtime friend and collaborator Joe Shugan. The resulting production period was long and fluid, making full use of studio time and recording environments – the duo transformed Shugan’s house into a makeshift space for tracking drums and utilized his kitchen as an echo chamber, among other unorthodox methods. Because of their collaborative working relationship, Shugan and Wanka followed through on most of their creative impulses, even if that meant fashioning a makeshift amp out of a reel-to-reel machine or trying a vocal with 10 different vintage microphones. Each layer and arrangement decision was put together with exacting attention to detail, with recording and mixing handled almost in tandem. “Laid Up” was mastered at Abbey Road to give the duo a blueprint for the rest of the tracks, which Shugan took on with aplomb. 
 
Rounding out the proceedings are contributions from sibling duo Softcult’s Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn, who perform drums and guitar/bass, respectively. Wanka workshopped the songs with Phoenix before starting production, then brought them in to assist with singing/drumming in the studio. The two often sing in unison; doubled to add an ethereal quality to the vocal sound. To further shake up the largely one-man-band recording, Mercedes brings dreamy, shoegaze-esque textures to her bass and guitar overdubs. The rich guitar sounds on the record were largely shaped by two storied effects units – the Electro-Harmonix Mistress flanger/chorus and the Maestro Exchoplex delay unit. This, coupled with a unique signal chain devised by Shugan for maximum force, lends a sonic heft to the record, elevating the already strong songs to new heights.
 
Influences / FFO: Teenage Fanclub, Thrush Hermit, The Breeders, Oasis, The Inbreds, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, Limblifter, By Divine Right, JAMC.