Slowdive - S/T
(Dead Oceans)

It’s safe to say that Slowdive have become one of the most revered bands of the UK Shoegaze era 25 years ago. At that time, the band had a somewhat tumultuous career with the UK press after being lauded for their debut, Just For A Day, being slammed for their follow up, Souvlaki, and then being received indifferently for their 3rd LP Pygmalion. Since disbanding in 1996, Souvlaki has grown to become a Shoegaze classic while the band itself has become celebrated far more than the original scene ever could. 
With that said, the time was nigh for a reunion with the band doing so in 2014 for the Primavera Sound Festival. Neil Halstead, the bands’ primary songwriter, had new material so the band regrouped in Oxfordshire to put together new music over the last 2 years. Musically, it’s as if they never broke up. Slowdive nicely coalesces the sonic beauty they were able to channel in the early 90’s with fuzzy noise pop brushing up against ambient and minimalist textures. “Sugar For The Pill” is a good example as shimmering guitars and expansive keyboards beautifully fill space in between Halstead’s haunted melody. “Star Roving” feels like a time capsule. The production cues and the arrangement could have easily been generated in 1992. Rachel Goswell nicely complements Halstead’s vocals for the signature harmonies they’ve conjured in the past and the soaring guitars by the pair with Christian Savill is dreamlike to say the least. 
If you were excited for the return of My Bloody Valentine 5 years ago, you should be just as elated for Slowdive’s 2nd act. They sound revitalized and as important as ever. (Dom)
Check out a track here.