Reunion tours not serving as a precursor or coincidence to new music have certainly been a thing, but in those cases, we have to assume an unnatural resistance to peer pressure that would otherwise be fit for leadership within the D.A.R.E. organization. The excitement builds among fans and friends over a band getting back together, and pretty soon, tweets with what should be an illegal number of question marks start raining down, asking “New album????” I imagine it’s a tough thing for a band to ignore, especially if time has been on the side of their music receiving newfound kudos.
Slowdive announced a reunion tour a couple of years ago (in case you missed it), and undoubtedly motivated somewhat by the sold-out shows that came that came as a result, Slowdive vocalist and guitarist Rachel Goswell has confirmed in an interview with Stereogum the band’s current work on a new album. July is the month tentatively given for the album’s completion, so one can reasonably assume an actual release date some time later this year. Expect a contribution to the pending shoegaze resurgence!
Here are Goswell’s relevant comments in full:
It’s being recorded right now as we speak. So, yes it is. The guys have been in the studio for the last couple of days doing some drum and bass tracks. We did quite a lot of recording last year. We spent a few weekends last year. It’s quite difficult because we’ve all got children and we all live in different parts of the country. As you get older, it is quite a challenge. But we recorded quite a lot of music last year, and Neil has spent all of this year, in fact, in the studio piecing bits and bolts together, doing more writing on what we recorded. And we’ve got a lot of songs, and I recorded vocals on a couple about three weeks ago. I’m doing my vocals, as I did with Minor Victories, in my house because it’s convenient and it’s easy. Neil lives a couple of hours from me, and I’ve got my son to look after in between Minor Victories, and we’re going out to Austin with Slowdive on Thursday. Yep, it’s all in hand. We’re hoping to get it finished by the end of July, it’s all planned.