Written by Josie Guzzo | Artwork by Clay Frankel
Chicago based alt-rockers Uniflora return this Friday with new single “Jack and Annie.”
The track finds the band shuffling roles around while preserving the spark that makes their sound so distinct. The opening notes are Uniflora’s unique brand of spine-tingling, infusing the song with a frenetic energy that only intensifies as it plays out. Guitarist and vocalist Quinn Dugan steps back to give bassist Theo Williams a stab at the mic, lending hollow, echoey vocals
that haunt long after the track’s conclusion. Ruby O’Brien’s drumming is ferocious, giving “Jack and Annie” a raw, nervous heartbeat against Williams’s guitar, played as though it is the band’s last stand against some unknown force.
The shouting breakdown exemplifies what makes Uniflora so disconcertingly addictive. It’s that punchy, pulsing drive that makes the track compelling to the point of being otherworldly. And in a sense, it is– “Jack and Annie” is a direct reference to the time-traveling main characters of the Magic Tree House book series popular in the band’s childhood.
Despite the callback to youth, “Jack and Annie” reveals an iteration of Uniflora that has matured. In a moment of respite from July’s heat, I was lucky enough to sit in on a studio session that birthed this track in its current iteration. The inside of West Town Magnetics hummed with life as Williams sharpened his bassline, then nervously heard his own vocals played back against it. Though the track brings on a new era for the band, one thing became clear in that moment: they are far from losing their signature eclectic flair.
No album has been announced yet, but the band wants listeners to know they have been hard at work making new music.
Uniflora will be playing alongside fellow Chicago group Clickbait in support of Sweeping Promises on Friday, October 30th at Empty Bottle.
