New York, NY – 28 February 2025 – Slow Joy – Dallas-based, New Mexican born Chicano artist Esteban Flores – is set to release his full-length debut album A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming, on May 16th via Mick Music – pre-save/pre-order HERE. For the LP Flores hunkered down with venerable alt rock producer Mike Sapone (The Front Bottoms, Oso Oso) at Ghost Hit Recording in Springfield, MA, and Sonic Ranch in El Paso, TX to craft his highly-anticipated debut. The announcement comes with the release of the album’s melodic and hard driving first single, “Gruesome,” available now on all streaming platforms – listen HERE and watch HERE.
Slow Joy blends grunge, emo, and shoegaze with raw, heartfelt storytelling, turning loss and transformation into powerful songs. What began as a means of processing grief after his mother’s passing has since blossomed into one of alternative rock’s most compelling new voices and a full-time project. Slow Joy’s Flores first went into the studio with Sapone last year to record his now critically acclaimed EP Mi Amigo Slow Joy (June 2024, Mick Music). The release quickly earned him press accolades from FLOOD, Under the Radar, Chicago Reader, and KXT, among others, as well as the title of “Best New Band” from the Dallas Observer. Critics have likened his sound to The Pixies, Modest Mouse, and Smashing Pumpkins. Kicking off 2025, his first US headline tour was included in Entertainment Weekly’s “Biggest Tours of 2025” placing him alongside Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and Hozier.
A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming is a sonic journey through longing and resilience, and throughout the album, Flores’ Mexican-American pride resonates. The gut-punch rocker “Te Amo” is especially moving and tracks like “Do I Wear You Out” and “Crawl III” showcase his ability to weave vulnerability into sweeping, cathartic soundscapes. In addition to working with Sapone, the album also features collaborations with Josh Varnadore (OneRepublic), Zach DeGaetano, and Jordan Witzigreuter (The Ready Set). “Gruesome,” co-written by Flores, Vandadore, and DeGaetano, epitomizes the LP’s dynamic emotional depth—a fierce, chugging anthem that blends punk energy with tight hooks. The track marks a bold step forward for Slow Joy, further cementing his place as a breakout act of 2025.
Traversing the country on his first US tour in late 2024, Flores felt his Chicano identity come into focus. “You’re on the East Coast in a super white city, you see four brown kids there and go, ‘Those are Slow Joy’s.” One conversation in Albuquerque, New Mexico was particularly resonant. “Someone told me, ‘It’s important to keep doing what you’re doing, championing it for all of us, because we had to work really hard to get to do music. Our families didn’t come from much. We had to grow into this. This is important for our culture.’”
Flores will take A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming on the road in 2025 and beyond, bringing his story and Chicano roots to stages across the country. Since “Crawling” went viral on TikTok, Flores has built a devoted following—but he prefers not to call them fans. “The term fan is weird to me,” Flores explains. “I don’t think of myself as elevated above anybody else. So I call everybody my homies. I’ve done that my entire life.”
Currently on his first-ever headline tour, Flores is bringing Slow Joy’s magnetic live show to audiences across the country. With his grassroots rise powered by TikTok virality, DIY ethos, and a deep connection with his fans, Flores is set to make an indelible mark on the alt-rock landscape.
A Joy So Slow At Times I Don’t Think It’s Coming arrives May 16 on Mick Music – pre-save/pre-order HERE. Listen to “Gruesome” now HERE and watch HERE, and catch Slow Joy on tour in a city near you.
