In the world of shoegaze and dream-pop, Slowdive has held a prominent position for over three decades, captivating listeners with their lush and dreamy soundscapes. With their latest album, ‘everything is alive,’ the band embarks on a journey that blends their signature style with modern elements, offering a refreshing take on the genre. However, when measured against Slowdive’s illustrious history, this album may leave some fans disappointed.
The Bad
While Slowdive may never reach the pinnacle of Souvlaki again, their 2017 self-titled record showcased unique and innovative ideas that seem less prevalent on this release. Tracks like ‘prayer remembered’ and ‘the slab’ evoke stunning beauty but lack substance and engagement, akin to watching a Kubrick film without a discernible plot or relevance. Similarly, songs like ‘skin in the game’ and ‘andalucia plays’ veer into conventional and replicable dream-pop territory, diminishing the album’s impact.
The Good
Despite these shortcomings, there are notable highlights to be found. The innovative ‘shanty’ introduces a refreshing synth element, showcasing a sound previously unexplored by Slowdive and the shoegaze genre as a whole. ‘alive’ also stands out, featuring the band’s trademark lush soundscapes, albeit with a quicker drum pattern and a more futuristic vibe that makes the song much more recognizable. My favorite track on the record, ‘kisses’, invites the listener on a journey through a lush meadow at the speed of light. I love the ambient influence on this as well as the electronic undertones that has a refreshing take on the genre that Slowdive pioneered three decades prior.
A Consistent Strength
The one staple factor of this album that is present that I thoroughly enjoy is the fact that Slowdive’s instrumentation & soundscapes are always consistently beautiful and able to invoke emotion out of me when I listen to them. I always find myself feeling some sort of way about the music I’m listening to and get a deep sense of awe when I hear the instrumentation & distortion of a Slowdive record.
In Conclusion:
I know this may sound mostly like the disappointed ramblings of someone who wants to hear another Souvlaki, and you may be partially right, I do want another Souvlaki. But I recognize the fact that it’s not going to happen, I just expected more out of Slowdive than to resort to mostly conventional dreampop & shoegaze, as I have seen them create once-in-a-lifetime records that pioneered new sounds and formed new genres. Yet, as artists evolve, so too does their creative expression. While ‘everything is alive’ may not be an epochal release on par with their earlier classics, it represents an artistically valid progression for Slowdive. The album offers glimpses of innovation amid familiar landscapes and, ultimately, serves as a testament to their resilience and willingness to explore new horizons while remaining true to the sound they pioneered. In a genre they helped shape, Slowdive’s latest offering may not be a groundbreaking revolution, but it’s a captivating continuation of their sonic journey.
Photo credits from: https://www.houseofblues.com/boston/EventDetail?tmeventid=vvG17Z9ixYs0Gw&offerid=0
