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May 03, 2017 Slowdive By Matthew Berlyant

After their breakup following 1995’s Pygmalion, Slowdive reunited after almost 20 years in 2014. Following a slate of well-received live shows comes this, their first full-length or new music of any kind since the aforementioned Pygmalion and in many ways their first true full-band album since 1993’s Souvlaki. As such, the eight songs here often feel like the album they would have made between Souvlaki and Pygmalion, with tracks such as the first single “Star Roving” (like the majority of the tracks here) nodding towards Souvlaki, while the ambient-influenced, post-rock beauty of album closer “Falling Ashes” leans towards Pygmalion. At eight songs in 46 minutes (an average of almost six minutes per song), this is an album unconcerned with making a quick impression and one that rewards, and in fact demands, repeated listening. It’s interesting to note how easy it was for songwriters and vocalists Neil Halstead and Rachel Goswell to make an album in this style again given how different their subsequent band Mojave 3 was from Slowdive, despite sharing most of its membership. Perhaps the key that opened those floodgates was the full-on 2013 shoegaze album that Halstead released with Mark Van Hoen and Nick Holton as Black Hearted Brother on Slumberland, a label that favors the shoegaze and dream-pop groups influenced by bands like Slowdive. Regardless, it’s an absolute pleasure to hear them again, melodies cascading alongside as Goswell and Halstead’s vocals harmonize and often times meld into one. This is one of the strongest comeback albums in recent memories. Let’s hope they stick around for a while longer this time around! (http://www.slowdiveofficial.com)

Author rating: 8/10