shortstraw. – Dot Cotton

Coventry-based artist Erin West, who performs under the moniker shortstraw., has released her new single “Dot Cotton” via Our House Online. The track is a perfect introduction to her unique sound, which she calls “the chaotic intersection of grime, rave, and punk.”

“Dot Cotton” exemplifies shortstraw.’s distinctive approach to music-making, repurposing an iconic grime sample and pairing it with a robust mid-2000s synth line.

The song itself is deeply steeped in British cultural references, as West explains: “This song is reflecting on all things ‘UK pop culture’ as it references Dot Cotton, Calvin Harris, my Ford Fiesta falling apart and expressing my love for raves.” Beyond these pop culture touchpoints, there’s a deeper layer examining past behavior and its consequences, “looking back on doing anything for a laugh and everyone finding it funny until it all goes west combined with not knowing when to say no.”

The EastEnders reference in the title wasn’t just random – West reveals it was a long-held ambition: “I feel like I’ve always wanted to slip Dot Cotton or Pat Butcher’s name into a song, and as I was writing this song the rhyme just fell into place with the context.” The specific lyric she references, “you weren’t even there don’t tell ur mates that u got them, that sh*t runs deeper than the wrinkles on Dot Cotton,” shows how she weaves these cultural figures into her narrative.

shortstraw. has been making waves in the UK music scene, regularly performing with Soft Play and recently touring with Sleaford Mods. Along with collaborator Leo White, West has built a reputation for transforming venues of all sizes into “sweaty messes” with her high-energy performances.