This self-titled EP is a tad noisier than later Slowdive. At the same time, it possesses the airy gentleness the group is known for. Slowdive are one of the less abrasive shoegaze bands, it’s up to you whether that floats your boat or not. As usual for them, this is pretty slow, relaxing stuff. Moving and beautiful, though less so than the work they could create later.

These songs have a bit of a drone-like quality to them, particularly the eight-minute “Avalyn II.” When put on full display, that quality really isn’t too interesting, though. Shoegaze is already a mood-setting genre more than anything else, and stripping a song of the mostly indistinguishable vocals and extending it to eight minutes doesn’t drive that mood home any further than the other, shorter songs here do. It just makes it kind of boring.

A sensible and expected start to Slowdive’s career. This isn’t greatness, but it’s goodness, and Slowdive fans will want every song the group ever recorded in their short time together. It was Slowdive who were responsible for showing off the more pleasant, beautiful side of shoegaze that would prove to be influential as other artists did the same. Of course, that’s a sensibility Slowdive clearly picked up from Cocteau Twins.