Pencey Sloe - Neglect (2022)

Clearing our backlog of releases after our run covering and attending summer festivals after 3 years of COVID-19 hiatus, today we have Pencey Sloe and their dreamtastic release “Negelect”. Being huge fans of Shoegaze/Dreamgaze music, this release delivers 40 minutes of very ethereal and engaging music filled with hypnotic vocals and crafty guitar work. Highly recommended for fans of bands like Alcest, Tides From Nebula and EF.

The release opens with the expansive “What they Need'' and its moody vibe, created via dreamy guitars and the fragile vocals of Diane Pellotieri. Things gradually get a bit more elaborate with pieces like “Smile to Zero” and the album title track building momentum and further mesmerizing listeners with their subtle craftiness. Perfectly creating unique tempos and allowing the music to have a certain exploratory nature, Clément Hateau’s drums/percussions make songs like “Mirror Rorrim” be a cinematic experience.

Featuring Neige of Alcest on part 1 of “The Run”, the band’s harmonious sound feels even brighter and more dynamic, as the second part takes off to levels of dreaminess. All tracks in this release are quite playful and engaging, and while they feature the band’s signature ethereal vibe, they are still diverse enough to create different soundscapes as the sultry “Brutal in Red”.

As the release closes with “Inner”, the listener is nicely eased out of the band’s hypnotic web of dreaminess. Overall, “Neglect” is a brilliant sophomore release for Pencey Sloe, showing that the duo has more depth and musical magic under their sleeves after an excellent debut release. If you like dreamy music filled with subtle details that are discovered in subsequent spins, this album offers great exploration sessions.

Label: Prophecy Productions

Release: August 19th, 2022

Genre: Shoegaze/Dreamgaze

Country: France