Slowdive have returned with their newest track, ‘skin in the game’, straight off their upcoming album ‘everything is alive’ – out 1st September on Dead Oceans.
Not excessively complicated, but especially thoughtful, ‘skin in the game’ taps into what so many people love and have loved about Slowdive for years – their ability to foster reflection. ‘skin in the game’ is suspended from the preexisting legacy of Slowdive, meandering the same realm of mesmeric psychedelic soundscapes, however, riddled with newly sewn threads of fresh influences.
Within the meditative cyclicity of ‘skin in the game’ is the blurred boundary between optimism and weariness; Slowdive nurture a neutral, yet deeply emotional reflection of unspoken and internal conflicts. Rachel Goswell (vocals and guitar) described the time around the record’s creation as one with “some profound shifts for some of us personally”, these shifts have informed the outcome in a way that is incredibly personal, but as such, also sincerely empathetic. Neil Halstead (vocals) shared that their initial intention with ‘everything is alive’ was to make a “more minimal electronic record”, but that eventually, each member drifted back towards their signature “reverb-drenched” style.
Pulled towards what they know best like the musical equivalent of a desire path, Slowdive have mastered their own language, and now it’s time for them to flex their fluency.
Photo by Ingrid Pop
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