How to Dress Well

'Total Loss' (album stream)

BY Alex HudsonPublished Sep 10, 2012

We've been anticipating indie R&B act How to Dress Well's new album Total Loss for several months now, and the wait is finally over. The singer, also known as Tom Krell, has shared his new album in full, meaning that you can stream the whole thing prior to its September 18 release through Acephale.

The disc was co-produced by Krell along with Rodaidh McDonald (the XX, King Krule). Sessions took place over a 15-month period in Brooklyn, Chicago, Nashville and London.

How to Dress Well's music has always been dark, but the material on Total Loss is particularly forlorn. In a press release, Krell explained, "I found myself feeling stranded, alone and depraved, and generally run the fuck down...while writing these songs I was trying to learn to lose in a meaningful way and to sustain loss as a source of creative energy."

Influences include Janet Jackson, plus "the elegant weeping arcos and pizzicatos of neo-classical music" and "the rude drums of trap-rap." Listen to the collection below, and check out Krell's upcoming tour dates here.

If you like what you hear, pre-order Total Loss from Acephale.

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