In his new single, "Super," Jonni Slater explores the complicated and polarised world of how we see ourselves and what we strive to be. A raw and human account of the tension between who we are and who we want to be, "Super" is less about superpowers and more about our power to grow into the people we're meant to be. "Super" is a quiet, witty recognition of progress. Slater doesn't cover up the tension with overproduction or bombast. Instead, he embraces it. Grounded in a foundation of vintage textures, the song begins with an intro synth that has been recorded to four-track tape, and it has a fluttering, analog heartbeat that establishes a retro yet fresh sound.
The opening groove is all crunchy vintage drum machine, skip-whipping its way into the mix and later embellished with live kit overdubs by Doug Knight. Together, they lend the track a bracing, rhythmic thrust like a train finding its wobbly initial purchase down the track. The song's emotional heart lies in Slater's piano. He recorded it on a feisty Yamaha upright at 45/R studio in Glasgow. The piano tone feels vulnerable and tactile, mirroring the emotional uncertainty woven into the lyrics. The result is a track with an intimate cinematic sweep that is rooted and searching.
"Super" was filmed in a deserted southside tenement in Glasgow, and it tells you everything you need to know. Both the audio and the visuals convey a sense of transit, a gap between old and new, shadow and light. "Super is the first single from Slater's forthcoming album, "Between the Shadows," due September 2025. "Super" doesn't offer answers, but it does offer honesty, and maybe that's the first step toward something true. In a universe awash in high-gloss perfection and empty anthems, "Super" is a refreshingly grounded step forward, and maybe that's the super thing of all.
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