Slowdive Debut Dense and Atmospheric New Song “The Slab”

Following the release of their dreamy songs “kisses” and “skin the game,” shoegaze legends Slowdive have unveiled another new track in anticipation of their eagerly awaited album, everything is alive.

This latest track “the slab” harkens back to early Slowdive, with an oceanic or river-like current to the melody. The song is as layered as it is deep, reminiscent of “Avalyn” and singles from the Just For a Day era like “Catch the Breeze,” as well as a touch of the cacophony of “Souvlaki Space Station.” The vocals from both Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead here are used as their own sparse accents and instrumentation, drowning themselves within a sea of delay and reverb. Halstead describes “the slab” as “the heaviest on the record,” adding that the band “wanted it to feel very dense.” In this Slowdive succeeds.

Watch the visualizer for “the slab” below:

The seeds of Slowdive’s soulful creation, everything is alive, were sown in the autumn of 2020. The band embarked on a two-year odyssey across the UK’s sonic landscape, with lead guitarist-songwriter Neil Halstead guiding the way. Partially crafted in the intimate confines of his home studio and further refined by Grammy laureate Shawn Everett, the album grew in richness and complexity, akin to the intricate layers of a timeless painting.

It is an album of love, loss, and reflection, a reverent tribute to Rachel Goswell’s mother and Simon Scott’s father, both of whom passed away in 2020. In Goswell’s poignant words, profound shifts unfolded, reshaping the very essence of being. Yet, the album transcends mere mourning; it’s a musical journey through life’s intricate tapestry, exploring glimmers of hope amidst shadows.

Melancholy flows beneath the surface, like an underground river of sorrow, but it’s not the album’s defining feature. Within the many-layered emotional tones of Slowdive’s distinctive sound, there’s an overarching thankfulness. As Goswell further explains, everything is alive is steeped in experience, wisdom, and an undeniable reach towards hope. Each note, heavy with the weight of the past, is poised and purposeful, gently reminding that life’s crossroads can lead to profound renewal.

Neil Halstead also shared his thoughts on the album, stating, “It wouldn’t feel right to make a really dark record right now. The album is quite eclectic emotionally, but it does feel hopeful.”

everything is alive is set for release on September 1st on Dead Oceans

You can pre-order the album at any of the links here

Tour Dates:

• Aug 10 Castelbuono Palermo, Italy
• Aug 17 Green Man Festival Brecon Beacons, UK
• Aug 24 Dolby Screening Room New York New York (NYC), NY
• Aug 31 Dolby Screening Room Hollywood Vine Los Angeles (LA), CA
• Sep 23 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Toronto, ON
• Sep 25 Citizens House of Blues – Boston Boston, MA
• Sep 27 Webster Hall New York (NYC), NY
• Sep 28 Webster Hall New York (NYC), NY
• Sep 29 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA
• Sep 30 9:30 CLUB Washington, DC
• Oct 02 Mahall’s 20 Lanes Lakewood, OH
• Oct 03 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL
• Oct 04 Palace Theatre St. Paul, MN
• Oct 06 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, CO
• Oct 07 Union Event Center (The Union) Salt Lake City, UT
• Oct 09 McMenamins Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR
• Oct 10 Showbox SoDo Seattle, WA
• Oct 12 The Warfield San Francisco, CA
• Oct 14 The Bellwether Los Angeles (LA), CA
• Oct 15 The Bellwether Los Angeles (LA), CA
• Oct 16 The Warfield San Francisco, CA
• Oct 30 Qmu Glasgow, UK
• Oct 31 O2 Ritz Manchester Manchester, UK
• Nov 01 SWX Bristol, UK
• Nov 03 Troxy London, UK
• Nov 05 Mandela Hall Belfast, UK
• Nov 06 National Stadium Dublin, Ireland
• Nov 25 Parque Sarmiento Buenos Aires, Argentina
• Dec 02 Autódromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos) São Paulo, Brazil
• Dec 07 Parque Olímpico Asunción, Paraguay
• Dec 09 Parque Metropolitano Simón Bolívar Bogota, Colombia