I’m going to try and not think about this third preview of Slowdive’s forthcoming everything is alive as meaning that we’ve now already heard more than a third of the new record. I’m just going to enjoy another day with new Slowdive music.

This one is the final track of alive and unlike “Falling Ashes”, which closed Slowdive on a quiet note, “The Slab” is one of the heaviest songs in their discography, reminding me of Just For A Day finale “Primal”. This was by design, according to Neil Halstead:

(“The Slab” is) the heaviest on the record and as the name suggests we wanted it to feel like a big slab of music. We wanted it to feel very dense 

Neil Halsted, Slowdive
Listen to Slowdive’s New Song “The Slab” @ Pitchfork

So maybe not the most insightful bit of commentary, but there you go. The accompanying visualizer also features – wait for it – slabs. Of stuff. My only complaint? It goes with the fade out instead of a reality-sundering build and climax. Reality needs some sundering, Neil.