Photo by Parri Thomas
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
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