Relay

Years after the My Bloody Valentine, the Jesus and Mary Chain, and Ride infestation, the scratchy, fuzzy sounds of pedals that create shimmering walls of guitar have yet to fully disappear. Relay is among the groups determined to continue this shoegazer tradition in its own way with Still Point Of Turning. The project of Jeff Zeigler, an engineer by profession, Relay's brand of crackling psychedelia is as much a product of studio tweaking as it is of instrumentation. Brighter and louder than is customary for this type of sound, "IDK" shows grace in its moodiness while bringing a more contemporary feel. The feedback is replaced with urgent keys on "Ode To Guesswork" and kept to a minimum on "Draw A Crooked Line" as it relies on haziness more so than showers of effects. Whether staying true to the original hazy shoegazing template or updating it, Still is doing the job. 3 stars