EP Review: Cosmic Strip – 'Heavenly EP'

It would be unfair to say that shoegaze is a neglected genre; bands such as Beach House, Alvvays and Deerhunter have paid homage to the woozy sound under the guise of dream pop and been incredibly successful with it. But none of this comes close to the pioneers of the genre, such as My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive – that is, until Cosmic Strip. The band’s debut EP, Heavenly, leaps headfirst into the clouds, replicating a shoegaze sound that feels infinitely nostalgic without compromising its originality.

The title track, Heavenly, intertwines breathy, feminine vocals with guitars that could come straight from Slowdive’s latest album to create a sound that feels like floating through the sky, or being wrapped in a warm blanket. Cosmic Strip are masters at balancing comforting, quiet moments with soaring, reverb-soaked instrumentals with immensely satisfying crescendos – both Sugar Rush and Echo Chamber are fantastic examples of this. No one would blame you for thinking the former came straight from the roster of an 80s shoegaze band who originated the genre, and the latter feels like Wolf Alice’s ‘Your Love’s Whore’ on an acid trip, in the best possible way.

Welcome to the Cosmos is a seven-minute long journey into space; it’s a genuinely impressive track, especially considering this is an early effort for the band. If a song evokes imagery of walking through the milky way as vividly as this one does then it’s a clear sign that the band have an incredibly mature sound – Cosmic Strip should be proud of this EP, which will impress even the most rigid shoegaze puritans.

Words by Ellie Rogerson