“This weight won’t carry me.”
Slow Crush are a force that have become difficult to avoid for the the UK scene. A true workhorse of the touring circuit appearing alongside Soft Kill and Gouge Away previously, and a tour with Loathe coming later this year; with festivals such as 2000 Trees and Upsurge being no stranger to the Belgian shoegaze troupe either. Slow Crush brought their gloomy and dreamy sound with their debut album Aurora to audiences across the country. Three years have now passed since Aurora, they are now back with their follow up, Hush.
Hush’s two opening tracks jolt the album to life, “Drown” is submerged with dreamy vocals from Isa Holiday, before an abrupt shift in tone moves the album into the gritty sound of “Blue“. A warm, fuzzy bass tone cuts through the serenity on display, but doesn’t impede or intrude on those gorgeous qualities.
“I just want to feel again” utters Holliday in “Swoon“. There is an ebb-and-flow to the warming melancholy present over the album – an antithesis to some of the cold shoegaze styling seen on albums such as 2019’s I Let It In And It Took Everything by Loathe. Midpoint tracks “Gloom” and “Rêve” are where it feels most present, with Holliday‘s dreamy style vocals combining with hazy guitars to create an aural landscape that wraps around like a warm sonic blanket.
Hush settles in for the long-run by offering three tracks sit all sit over the 6 minute mark, the aforementioned “Rêve” being the first of the trio. The guitars on the album’s title track switches up between clean plucked chords and stormy reverb-soaked riffs, with Isa’s vocal performance commanding “Hush” throughout, bringing it to an almost standstill as she softly sings “Hush, slow”. Lastly, “Lull” is a pensive journey with a beautiful bridge leading into some truly ethereal riffs to close out the track.
Closer “Bent and Broken” requires little oneirocriticism, a darkening bleak atmosphere replaces the dream state of by-gone tracks. Acoustic back the brooding guitars, while Holliday somberly performed vocal melodies conjuries emotions of night swimming. Black water, open and unending. This is then brought to a close and Hush is given its exit with harsh chords to see the album out, a jarring return to reality.
Slow Crush have excelled at creating a unique and entrancing atmosphere and sound on Hush. Building up an ambience that sinks in throughout the album, with each element blending together to create a radiant ball of sound. All of this comes together to create an emotive landscape that beckons to be revisited, and Slow Crush have crafted one that is well worth a visit.
8.5/10