by Benji Heywood (@benjiheywood)
Slow Salvation may appear a new band, but the project has deep roots in the shoegaze/dream pop world. The band’s songwriter/producer Travis Trevisan is the sole permanent member of shoegaze stalwarts Tape Deck Mountain, while singer Christina Hernandez has her own ethereal electro-pop project Orion Lake. The duo met online after Trevisan went searching for a vocalist to compliment some instrumental music he’d made and discovered Hernandez’s band. A cross-country collaboration soon followed.
“Decay,” Slow Salvation’s first single, shimmers and shines across six plus minutes of Trevisan’s empyrean soundscapes as Hernandez’s lush vocals float atop. Fans of Tape Deck Mountain may be surprised by the lack of wild feedback here but consider Slow Salvation another side of Trevisan’s altar to the Fender Jazzmaster. Where TDM has pushed pedal-generated noise to an extreme, Slow Salvation is oceanic and orchestral, allowing Hernandez’s effortless command of melody to take center stage.
For sonic comparison, it’s instructive to note Slow Salvation’s debut album Here We Lie, coming August 25th via Velvet Blue Music, was mastered by Simon Scott of Slowdive. “Decay” certainly harkens back to the early nineties where bands like Slowdive and Cocteau Twins exemplified a more feminine take on the genre. “Decay” would fit seamlessly on Heaven or Las Vegas if not for the live drumming of former Tape Deck Mountain collaborator Dylan Mandel which provides the song with a genuine feel rather than a mechanical pulse. Regardless, “Decay” is a poised debut by two confident dream pop purveyors.