Alcest - Shelter

Alcest
Shelter
17 January 2014
Prophecy Productions

4 stars out of 5

 

France’s formerly black metal, now goth-tinged shoegaze band Alcest’s fourth album, Shelter, is a blissful romp through atmospheric rock which seems like it could be the ideal comedown album after a night (and a day and another night) spent dancing on Ibiza. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Neige has an instinct for addictive hooks, and he packs these eight tracks full of all kinds of them. Yes, the influences are easy to spot here, but they’re all assimilated completely into Alcest’s own sound. Shelter was recorded in Iceland at Sigur Rós’s studio, and some of their sound leaks into the record, but Neige’s reference points are further in the past, among the dream pop and showgaze purveyors of the UK, circa 1990.

The soaring “Opale” sounds as if a group of Balearic disco-worshipping Göteborgare decided to put away their drum machines and synths and attempt to make a Lush record. “La nuit marche avec moi” continues in the same vein, the shimmering guitars lost in the beautifully dense reverb, and vice versa. The stunning “Voix sereines” climaxes in a cascade of layered vocals and drone-like guitars. Built on a call-and-response pattern of chiming guitars, “L’Éveil des muses” allows for a quiet rest during its first movement before launching into another beautiful extended vocal chorus. “Shelter” tosses Crank-era Catherine Wheel, Sigur Rós, and – of course – My Bloody Valentine into the blender and pours out the results for five and a half minutes. “Away” is the low point of the album, straying into fromage-y AOR ballad territory, but “Délivrance” brings everything back on course and closes Shelter with over ten minutes of what Neige does right: bliss, bliss, and more bliss. It could be the song A Perfect Circle always wanted to do but never had the courage to attempt.

This record is exquisite. It pushes and pushes toward the ecstasy its shimmer and shine seeks, but it never feels like it’s pushing too much. Despite its dense sound, Shelter still comes across as minimalist in its execution. The album’s 46 minutes go by too quickly. Repeated listenings only deepen the experience.

reviewed by Richard Krueger