Slowdive

The new Slowdive album, who would think this would ever happen until the reunion chatter and subsequent tours 2014. I've always been keeping my eye on them, in the hope they would get back together and it blew me away to find out it happened. I'm a bit late on recent events with the album release, as I've only just got it yesterday, but already listening to it this morning in my car, 4 tracks in, and it is more beautiful, wonderful, exciting and fresh than anything out there. Their new material stands up to anything they've released before, and this is a breath-taking achievement for what must have been quite some pressure to return to their former sound. It's like they never disappeared. I've always had Just for a Day and Slouvaki in my top favourite albums of all time, but this one will be added to the list. Other bands should take note that this is how an album in this genre should be made. You can't get more emotional atmospherics than Slowdive. It's a real testament to their craft that they have produced an album that still contains their unique sound, but also sounding relevant and fresh. No one quite sounds like Slowdive and I don't think anyone could ever achieve to be. They are a one off, I just hope this return doesn't stay a one off, and there is still more to come.. god knows I need them in my life. Oh, Rachel, if you're reading this, I've had a crush on you for years! Still as beautiful as ever. :) Although all the songs are fantastic, and bookended by the brilliant opener that instantly returns listener to the magic that Slowdive created the first time round, to the final track which is a departure from their usual sonically layered sound, and more hauntingly stripped back piano led conclusion, my favourite track is 'Don't Know Why'- in my opinion this is where Slowdive excel so perfectly in recapturing the essence of their sound and beauty. This track is just phenomenal and I find myself playing it on repeat. It just contains all the right ingredients to a perfectly beautiful song infused with an infectious melody, Rachels unique Siren-like whispery vocal delivery, the almost orchestral guitar waves of shimmering crescendos, and a driving drum and bass roll keeping the Slowdive ship on course. Neil brakes the waves through mid section with his vocal part back on ground, and then we're taken off again soaring. It's just pure magic and I get goosebumps listening to it.

A number of bands have reformed recently, over 20 years since their hay day. With a few, you listen to their new work, and think "Why bother?" Some others, like Ride with "Weather Diaries", have made a good stab at it and come back with some really enjoyable music. But Slowdive here are in a class of their own. They are the only group I can think of who have come back with something that far surpasses their earlier work. By any reading, this is a superb album. There isn't a single bad track. My own personal favourite is "Go get it", with the fantastic vocal interplay on the chorus between Nigel Halstead and Rachel Goswell. But other listeners will have their own preferred best track. What we can say for sure is that this a majestic album, that has a really good, unified feel. The melodies are gorgeous, they shimmer and shine on an atmospheric wave of sound that is uplifting and joyous. I truly hope they don't leave it at this, another album would be really welcome.

The trouble with reforming a band is that if you produce something that sounds exactly like what you did before you get criticised for lack of development. If you sound too different people miss the old sound. Slowdive have somehow managed to come back with a strong album that has all the elements that fans loved them for in the past but at the same time adding new elements to the mix. "Slowdive" is a confident and powerful piece of work sounding as fresh as a debut. The guitars still have that trademark ethereal haze with warm melodic bass and Simon Scott's drumming giving the songs a sense of purpose and drive. The vocals are often slightly buried in the mix but that was always an element of 'shoegaze'. It's an easy album to get into but it also gets better with more plays. More than before it has a live feel to it perhaps as a result of touring for quite some time before recording. It's a good album for new fans to start with and a find addition to those who have all the others. It's hard to pick highlights but 'Slomo' has a nice atmospheric sound, 'Star Roving' has a very catchy melody, 'Go Get It' has an urgency that reminds me of 'Souvlaki Space Station'....they are all good. Perhaps the most intriguing track is the last one, 'Falling ashes' which mixes Simon Scott's experimental work with the dreamy Slowdive sound resulting in something slightly different. Perhaps this will lead into a new direction? Britpop was overrated - welcome back Slowdive!

Slowdive were one of the first bands i really fell in love with and have continued to follow through the reincarnation as Mojave 3 and all of the solo spin-offs. Given the love i have for this band this is a truly remarkable album, not simply some ex bandmates getting together to make a quick buck, it is a bona fide Slowdive album and one you will have pegged down as great one from the moment you first hear the opening track "Slomo". I am so happy this criminally discarded band have reformed and sound as fresh as they did the moment they first burst onto the scene. Its unfashionable to reference slowdive as an inspiration for fashionable bands such as Mogwai but it doesnt take a genius to work out that this is the case. Mogwai would be extremely proud of themselves if they released this album. Hopefully this will be the first of more new releases from the band, good stuff never goes out of fashion. So happy to have you back, Slowdive, where are we going next?

Don’t think my car stereo and one at home do it justice. Such a massive sound and takes me back 20 years and more.

Great album 👌

Very good record. Sounds like Slowdive from 20 years ago. Short album in length but the songs are all top notch. Only disappointment was no download card even though it says it comes with one, wrapping on the outside even said it, but nothing inside.

Peguei na promoção e chegou em perfeito estado e antes do prazo. Valeu a pena importar.

ich habe slowdive aus den augen, besser: ohren, verloren, nachdem ich mir damals anfang der 90er jahre das grossartige debutalbum gekauft hatte. das wunderbare catch the breeze, das ich auf einer compilation entdeckte, hatte mich zum kauf verleidet...immer noch ein song, der mich bei jedem hören mitreisst. über dieses comebackalbum stolperte ich hier zufällig und aufgrund der euphorischen rezensionen landete es im einkaufskorb. slowdive hatten 2014 nach langer pause ein paar konzerte gegeben und waren vom feedback des publikums erstaunt....tatsächlich spielten sie nun vor mehr leuten als früher, das publikum feierte sie so, dass sie sich entschlossen, ein neues album aufzunehmen. jedes album von slowdive ist anders und so ist auch dieses kein aufguss von damals, wobei sie klar nach slowdive klingen. ich weiss nicht, wie oft ich es schon gehört habe, es ist einfach nur grossartig, wobei ich beim ersten hören erstmal das energetische star roving auf repeat stellte. die musik braucht einige durchgänge, bis sie im kopf voll entfaltet und dann kommt man von ihr nicht mehr los....suchtgefahr! das album ist überhaupt das wohl dynamischte der band. es ist schwer, einzelne songs herauszupicken, es gibt keinen filler und das ganze album ist auf höchstem niveau. grossartig produziert, klang slowdive eigentlich nie besser. von den ersten 3 alben ist wohl souvlaki das ähnlichste. aus der begeisterung über dieses album habe ich mir dann die ersten 3 werke der band in den 2cd versionen gekauft, die allesamt grossartig sind. slowdive ist nun nach so vielen jahren einer meiner lieblingsbands geworden, besser spät als nie!

Super album, je retrouve Slowdive avec toutes ces années sans rien. Certains morceaux sont même mieux que ceux de années 90

Super return. As good as ever.