Slowdive Album: “Souvlaki [Bonus Tracks]”

Sanctuary Records have been busy lately, remastering old classic albums and making concerted efforts to bring past glories to new audiences. As someone who was around when Slowdive first started releasing music, I can say that "Souvlaki" is a fantastic all-around package with a thoughtful remaster and a smattering of b-sides and remixes. With such a careful remaster of "Souvlaki", it isn't difficult to hear how timeless their music was. "Days" and "Souvlaki Space Station" still sound as beautiful as they ever did and "In Mind", included on the second disc, reminds us of how well they could depart from their own signature sound and explore electronic worlds with ease. Also included are the original remixes of "In Mind" from Bandulu and Reload (Mark Pritchard of Global Communication). Having all been on Creation Records at the time, one gets a feeling of family respect with these remixes and there is a tender and genuine understanding of the material evident within the interpretations. These remixes are worth the price of admission alone, taking an already gorgeous experiment and leading it down an ever-winding digital road, awash with lush beats and ambient textures. All of the recent Slowdive remasters are worthy of purchase but if you buy only one, make it "Souvlaki"!

the remastering is great on both discs although i find the second disc of ep's amazing. the flow from the first to last track is an load and play album in itself. do yourself a favor and shell out the extra cash for the double disc set.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about the music on this album. If you'd like to find out what it's all about, check out the reviews for the older version of this record. I'm here to tell you that the remaster of "Souvlaki" is completely incredible. Everything sounds vibrant and alive compared to the muddle of the old records. If you are a particular fan of Slowdive and this record, by all means get a hold of this remaster and see if you aren't blown away within five seconds by the clarity and impact of "Allison." I also highly recommend the remaster of their debut, "Just For A Day," which is another excellent remaster, though the original material isn't quite as varied or brilliant as the music on "Souvlaki."

If you're a fan of "Souvlaki," this remaster is an absolute must-have, and if you're looking to get into the band, start with this remaster. If you can't love the record with this level of sound quality, you should get your ears checked.