Slowdive: S/T (2017)
The original band reformed for 2017's self-titled reunion album, and it's a beautiful gem. Again, while you get the distorted atmospherics, it's far more partial to a gorgeous dream-pop ambience. The opening numbers are particularly stunning, perfect headphone fodder for a lazy day. The aptly-titled opener "Slomo" hews closer to ambient music than rock, conjuring a bit of latter-day Talk Talk's penchant for post-rock strangeness. The vocals are especially haunting. "Star Roving" is more in the shoegaze camp, a driving riff-rocker that shakes off some of the opener's spookiness. And "Don't Know Why" sort of splits the difference, poppy and perky but still bathed in layers of quiet ambience.
With the exception of the more buoyant "Everyone Knows," the balance tends towards the dreamy side of things, artsy and even a little creepy. (Again, those shades of Talk Talk and a bit of the ol' goth edge into the mix.)
Overall, it makes for a surprisingly enchanting rainy-day headphone mix.
"Star Roving":
"Slomo" (live in the studio):
Comments
Post a Comment