Shoegaze giants Slowdive are back with another single that seems to properly bridge the gap between their previous works Souvlaki Space Station and Pygmalion. “Star Roving,” Slowdive’s long awaited lead single after over 20 years, held a more uptempo sonic addition to their discography. While it branched their sound to promise something new in the future, it didn’t feel as genuinely Slowdive as “Sugar for the Pill.” Not to say that it was a fluke, but this time they boast a more slow-driven bass line and careening guitars that feels like a true continuance of what made Slowdive nostalgic.

“Sugar for the Pill” is the proper dose of what you never really knew what you had in you. It doesn’t depend on the wall of sound, but lets you fill the blanks of what’s dreamy and spacey. The instruments sound atmospheric and evoke the proper emotional depth you would expect from a band that grew with or without you over the years. It’s hard to strike fans the same when faced with the tribulations of middle-age and doing so in a way that’s preserved while matured. Slowdive hits the nail on the head. It feels only proper that their self-titled starting EP finds form after all this time in Slowdive’s upcoming self-titled full length. Perhaps, in a fashion that feels like it’s the mold they’ve always sought after, and it’s not without a reason to come back and give it life.

Slowdive, their self-titled LP, is out May 5th on Dead Oceans.