SLOWMOVE - HAVEN EP
A fitting time to make a name in the world during the world-stopping Olympic Games period, Edinburgh/Glasgow band, slowmove, only reflect the tale of the turtle and the hare by name, taking just over 12 minutes to win the EP race.
A fitting time to make a name in the world during the world-stopping Olympic Games period, Edinburgh/Glasgow band, slowmove, only reflect the tale of the turtle and the hare by name, taking just over 12 minutes to win the EP race.
On their debut EP, Haven, slowmove take no time in introducing their sound and style. Having originated from multiple hardcore and punk banks, the five-piece take their heavier roots and store them into a nostalgia-labelled emo rock container amongst influences Pixes, Weezer, Basement, Tigers Jaw.
With a 20 second drum introduction, plugging a connection of ‘Face Down’ by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus into the memory bank, ‘Behind Closed Doors’ opens Haven but runs down a separate corridor to the 2004 belter. A lone sweeping guitar multiplies by three across the near minute intro, followed by a pinching pause to lead into frontwoman, Gemma Legan’s, golden vocals. Building to the animalistic growl outro, slowmove seamlessly offer a taste of their punk and hardcore background without genre-jumping, as they tell an anecdote about public perception verses life's reality behind closed doors. This punchy tune is a solid set up for Haven.
‘Behind Closed Doors’ flows into leading single ‘Here and Now’. Positioned as a love song initially, ‘Here and Now’ has a much deeper meaning alluding to depression and anxiety. From opening line “I want to sink into the floor” to “As I look into your eyes, that’s enough to get me by the medicine to cure the thing that gets me through”, and ending at the realisation of “not enough to get me through the night”, ‘Here and Now’ unpacks the shifting weight of mental health. Running through the motions both lyrically and sonically, this soft rock number offers complimentary ebbs and flows to reiterate the emotional changes. ‘Here and Now’ is an inspired piece to lead the 2021 slowmove wagon.
On a four track EP the prospect of having an instrumental piece is bold for most. slowmove have embraced this decision for ‘Lights Out’ and the payoff is high. It’s not a filler track in the slightest and it doesn’t just function as a connector between ‘Here and Now’ and the title track ‘Haven’. ‘Lights Out’ is a showcase of the slowmove signature style as determined across the EP. With a slowburn ethereal hook, creating a majestic sonic landscape of shoegaze proportions, slowmove continuously build and explore the scope of their sound. Using a smooth palette gradient and delicate textures, the result is an auspicious artwork.
Concluding the mammoth debut effort is title track, ‘Haven’. Gemma steps back into the forward position to deliver a punchy piece, complete with heroic vocals and anthemic energy. The growls and transition to squeals is effortless vocally but forceful in impact. Short and sharp with poised light and shade, ‘Haven’ is nothing less than a belter from start to finish - the perfect wrap for a stacked EP.
Don’t be slow to get on the slowmove bandwagon because they will be taking off quickly thanks to Haven.
Tammy Walters
★★★★☆