Whether it be the remnants of the bleak COVID pandemic or the simple virality of TikTok, it seems the dreamy melancholy of shoegaze has struck a chord with young people. Amidst this resurgence are 90s icons Slowdive, one of a few bands from the original shoegaze scene who are continuing to produce new music. After a six year wait, their new album everything is alive marks them as pioneers in upholding this new wave of shoegaze appreciation.
As the calm of Brian Eno’s ‘Deep Blue Day’ played out across O2 Ritz, Slowdive took to the stage, half-dressed in Halloween attire – the other half as casual as always. The synths of ‘shanty’ rippled through the venue without a moment for pause, silencing the crowd’s applause and plunging into a set of wavy guitars and psychedelic lighting. ‘Catch the breeze’ showcased this early on, its bridge abundant with echoing layered guitars lit by intense flashing lights.
Something about the ethereal ambience of Slowdive’s music made the gig fit for Halloween. Gloomy and wispy, the 1994 staple ‘Souvlaki Space Station’ played out to a swaying audience. Projected across the ceiling were Beetlejuice-esque black and white striped swirls, an ode to the Halloween date and emphasising the psychedelia that influences Slowdive’s music.
Singer and instrumentalist Rachel Goswell spoke only momentarily, the other members often remaining silent throughout the whole set. Every now and then, she uttered a humble “thank you” between each song, but never dared lecture the audience. It was solely a showcase of the music; no need to offer long intervals for each track.
‘kisses’ illustrated Slowdive’s adaptions since their 90s stardom. A key track from their newest album, the shimmering guitars are reminiscent of classic shoegaze, however, the lyrics suggest a new start: “Maybe there’s a car there / Driving away from here / Taking all the ghosts, the hurt.” Could this just be the beginning for Slowdive’s new age of shoegaze?
‘Sugar from the pill’ was a reminder of the timelessness of Slowdive’s music. Released on the 2017 album Slowdive, the track is arguably a fan favourite. Behind the musicians was a large projection of a pill, rotating alongside the twinkling guitar picking of the chorus.
A tribute to Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett, Slowdive’s raved-about rendition of ‘Golden Hair’ did not go a miss on the setlist. Evidently, Pink Floyd’s psychedelic progressive rock has offered much influence over the years for Slowdive. However, their take on ‘Golden Hair’ was refined and refreshing, not only honouring Barrett, but enriching the song with newfound passion and complex drumming.
The band left the stage promptly, waiting in the wings momentarily before reappearing for an encore. As they commenced back into their setlist, Slouvaki standout song ‘Dagger’ stripped back Slowdive’s layers and mixing, with an acoustic guitar and minimal reverb allowing the vocals to excel.
Ending with ’40 days’, Slowdive left the stage in a similar fashion to the rest of their set. There was a humbleness that ran throughout, letting the music ring out through the venue without interruption. Breathing new life into a genre that has wavered in popularity, Slowdive are now fore-fronting the shoegaze resurgence.
