Esteban Flores has been consistently releasing compelling EPs as Slow Joy for several years now, nursing a sound that incorporates elements of grunge, punk, and dream-pop into its emo base. He’s finally on the verge of releasing his debut album A Joy So Slow at Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming, which drops tomorrow via Mick Music, but before then he’s sharing one last pre-album taste of what’s in store via the song “Te Amo.” Based on the title you can probably guess what the single is about, though the emotions behind it may be a bit tougher to pin down.
“‘Te Amo’ is, as the name probably suggests, a love song,” Flores shares of the track, an angsty and darkly driving post-punk jam that wraps up in just over two minutes. “But in more of a desperation, feel-more-than-you-understand kind of way. Love is such an intense feeling that can make you want to scream and cry. ‘I’ll keep holding my breath and puff out my chest to give you a place to lay your head’—caring about someone so much that you’d rather they be comfortable in your arms than breathe is chaotic and beautiful.”
Check out the new tune below, and pre-save the record here.
