Afloat - Speak Slow, Then Leave [EP]
South Jersey emo outfit Afloat continues to build serious momentum with the release of their newest EP, featuring the singles “Go and Say It,” “Speaking Slow,” and “Knuckles.” Recently joining Mint 400 Records, the band has quickly become one of the most promising voices rising from New Jersey’s underground scene, blending the emotional weight of classic emo with sharp modern indie rock songwriting. Drawing influence from bands like Tigers Jaw, Balance and Composure, and Arm’s Length, Afloat balances cathartic tension with soaring melodies and deeply personal lyricism. Early praise for the new material has already started pouring in. Under the Radar praised “Knuckles” for how it “captures both the band’s technical side and their penchant for big, open-hearted melodies,” while highlighting the song’s anxious emotional core and explosive release. Meanwhile, “Go and Say It” delivers a raw, unresolved farewell, unraveling the exhaustion of being trapped in a one-sided relationship and finally letting it collapse under its own weight.
Since first emerging in the late 2010s, Afloat has become a vital presence within the South Jersey DIY community. Fronted by singer-songwriter Gabby Relos alongside bassist and songwriter Josh Rubeo, the band has earned a reputation for emotionally charged performances and an unwavering connection to the local scene. Beyond the music itself, members of Afloat have remained deeply involved in fostering the New Jersey underground through the Head Above Water Collective, organizing shows and supporting independent artists throughout the region. Writing for WXPN, John Vettese described the band as “a force on the South Jersey indie rock scene,” noting both their powerful songwriting and their grassroots dedication to the community around them. Elsewhere, Josh Ejnes of Swim Into the Sound praised the band’s breakthrough EP Where I Stand as “a great collection of songs with a post-hardcore edge and melodies that are pure pop,” further cementing Afloat as one of the most exciting new acts currently emerging from the Northeast emo revival.
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