Review || Spanish Love Songs - "A Brief Intermission in the Flattening of Time"

 November 21st of 2025 sees the release of Spanish Love Songs’ new EP titled “A Brief Intermission in the Flattening of Time” via the band’s now long standing mega-label Pure Noise Records. 

I don’t remember exactly when I randomly discovered Spanish Love Songs, but it was during the pandemic (remember that?) and it was their third studio album “Brave Faces Everyone” that hit me like a hard-knuckle punch to the face. Their light - punk - emo sound and especially their over the top - hopeless - depressive lyrics got me hooked so bad, that I couldn’t stop listening to that record for over a year straight, thinking I had struck gold, which in musical terms, was not even close to the truth. Transitioning slightly from a pop punk induced playlist to a more indie - emo selection of bands, Spanish Love Songs were at the forefront of my quest and the treasure just kept coming in waves, in the form of an unending array of incredible songs and artists. Their detrimental approach to an almost joy - less life in the capitalistic era of the western civilization for a young generation who was learning the daily hardships of societal existence - even as a somewhat privileged white selection of people - was a match made in “heaven” for me, in the post - covid craziness of the entire human race. And it was balanced with an amazing musical selection, making it impossible to not keep listening. Needless to say, I was in awe. 

2023’s “No Joy” took things a bit further into a more post punk - 80’s synth pop aesthetic, but still the main recipe was the same; gloomy lyrics sung perfectly through Dylan Slocum’s vocals with an unmatched musical synthesis which builds to catchy choruses. It seems impossible to be disappointed by this band, if you’ve ever liked them during their twelve year history, and my final stage of accreditation came when seeing them perform live in the midst of Europe a few weeks ago, headlining the best selection of bands I’ve ever attended in my life, over a two - day festival (the once-in-a-lifetime Common Thread tour).  In preparation for that EU tour and as a reminder of presence in the musical universe, Spanish Love Songs were getting ready to deliver a four-song EP comprised of new songs with notable guests on each of them. 

“A Brief Intermission in the Flattening of Time”, aptly titled, is a further exploration of the aforementioned 80’s synth pop sound on the very light - dreamy, more on the indie/ alternative and not at all on the punk or emo side of things, equally as endearing and beautiful, however. Did I mention this band can do now wrong? All of the songs highlight Dylan Slocum’s ability to deliver anthem-like choruses in a very harsh / crash-futuristic reality and every collaboration fits like a glove with notable female contributions from the very famous Sarah Tudzin’s Illuminati Hotties (what a name!), to my personal favourites “Berlin” ft Tigers Jaw and “Lifers Too” fr Dan Campell (the Wonder Years). And then there was “Cocaine and Lexapro” (ft Kevin Devine)…        

Put out the lights and listen to “A Brief Intermission in the Flattening of Time” in full blast, while contemplating the journey of human ineptitude and the void desire of not feeling helpless in a modern-day dystopia. Who gives a fuck about landing?

10/10

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