Slow Cooked

Plastic Values was written during an identity crisis. These songs act as a cathartic release, reflecting wryly upon Louie Barby’s move to London to work within the sales department of a waste management company. With these songs he attempts to poke fun at the man he’s becoming whilst also highlighting a deeper feeling of turmoil and resentment.

Written using only a cello and loop pedal, Slow Cooked now performs his music with a band of bass and drums. The recording process wanted to stay true to the song's origins and therefore most sounds and rhythms were created using the cello in various ways.

“Plastic Values promises to be one of the year’s most original EP’s and must not be missed.” – The Most Radicalist “Like Squid at their best” – Hard of Hearing “It pushes and pulls what a track can be… it’s really experimental and tries a lot of different things that makes for something really special” - Emily Pilbeam, BBC Introducing Following last month’s debut single “Mice in Jeans”, Barby returns with new single "Free Toast”. The song is described by Barby as "Trapped in the fires of repetition, you boil like a kettle in the break room of your corporate existence, attempting to wield the sexiness of small talk and jargon". The Plastic Values EP, Louie Barby's debut release as Slow Cooked, was written during an identity crisis. These songs act as a cathartic release, reflecting wryly upon his move to London to work within the sales department of a waste management company. With these songs he attempts to poke fun at the man he’s becoming whilst also highlighting a deeper feeling of turmoil and resentment. Written using only a cello and loop pedal, Slow Cooked now performs his music with a band of bass and drums. Produced by Oli Barton-Wood, the tracks have become muscular, full of energy and quirk. By experimenting with contact microphones on the cello, a raw hunk of sound has been developed, embracing Louie’s punky aesthetic with his classical background. Plastic Values will be released on April 12 on Plum Cuts digitally and on very limited dubplate vinyl.

SLOW COOKED BIO: Originally from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, Barby moved to London in 2019. Since then he’s established himself a central figure in the London music scene bringing his unique brand of cello playing to a range of projects. Sharing the stage with the likes of Goat Girl, PVA, Shame etc, this year has seen him touring the UK, Europe and festivals supporting artists such as King Krule, Black Country New Road and Katy J Pearson. Louie has also founded his own night Hard Drive, blending drag art and live music to highlight the beauty of the London music scene. Along with this he co-founded and curates Cello Sunday with legendary booker of Brixton Windmill, Tim Perry.

PLUM CUTS BIO: The brainchild of producer Oli Barton-Wood, South London label Plum Cuts started in 2021 as an outlet for the all the great music he was helping create in his Little Legs Studio in Peckham. Previous releases include the first EP from Oxford’s Premium Leisure and the debut singles from South Londoner Barnaby Keen, before an EP release with studio partner and long-term collaborator Mellah. Starting out as an engineer for one of the great indie producers of this century Jim Abbiss, Oli went on to engineer sessions for the likes of Michael Kiwanuka & James Blake, before turning his hand to production and mixing working with Porridge Radio on their Mercury Prize-nominated Every Bad, as well as Nilüfer Yanya, Celeste, Tom Odell, Black Midi, Joe Armon-Jones and more.