Downward releasing '2 Songs' (stream one of them)

Downward are a band from Tulsa, Oklahoma named after Hum’s Downward Is Heavenward, and their music is very much cut from the atmospheric, shoegazy post-hardcore cloth of Hum, but Downward do it in a way that feels fresh. They released a self-titled LP on New Morality Zine in late 2018, and now they’re putting out a new two-song 7″, 2 Songs, next week (5/11) via the same label. Drew, the singer, calls these songs “a continuation of that LP structurally and vibe-wise,” and you can hear the first one, “Leechy,” which premieres in this post. The other is called “Your Way.”

Drew says. “‘Leechy’ is definitely one of the more frustrated/angry Downward songs thematically. I think in the last 6 months i’ve been less bummed and more pissed.” He also adds, “We had those verses written when I was writing the LP, when I came up with the riff for the chorus I had the thought ‘I guess I’m writing Downward songs.’ Ideas don’t come to me quickly, and I tossed that song around for months before I sent it do the rest of the band and [engineer] Phillip [Odom]. I can write lyrics for 2 or 3 whole songs in one good night and then get stumped for a couple months.” “Leechy” is a very good example of what this band does, and you can hear it for yourself below.

As for what’s next, Drew says, “When it’s safe for us to meet up on a regular basis, we’re gonna work on another LP.”

Downward also contributed a recording of “Budge” to MEMO SESSIONS, the comp NMZ released on Friday for Bandcamp Day, where “artists were asked to pick one of their songs and use the Voice Memo app to record an unplugged version of their song.” You can stream that below too.