After a 20 year absence, Lush is back. The pioneering shoegazers return to play a series of gigs and release a brand new EP, Blind Spot, which was released on 15 April. Unlike the band’s later mid 90s releases it’s a return to the jangly guitar sound effects and softer vocals of the early releases such as Spooky and Black Spring. It’s almost, but not quite, as ethereal as the sounds former producer Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) created.
A four track EP, it contains the new tracks Out of Control, Lost Boy, Rosebud and Burnham Beeches. Producers Daniel Hunt (Ladytron) and Jim Abbiss (Adele, Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys) have produced an EP that any Lush fan will appreciate.
On playing the EP, the first track Out Of Control is a wonderful 3/4 time signature track that takes you right back to the 90s (if you were there in the first place – you probably were if you’re reading this). Track 4, Burnham Beeches is as close to a pop song as Lush can get – a great radio friendly track that has immediate appeal.
But the most reward here is to be had in tracks 2 and 3 – Lost Boy and Rosebud, respectively. They are slower and more meaningful. If you close your eyes and imagine you are meandering through a hazy forest of enchanted, dreamy guitar chords, you’ll get an idea of what the experience of hearing these tracks is like. And if you focus really hard on the lyrics (something I find a little hard to do) you’ll find something even deeper.
Blind Spot is a short, but enjoyable ride, and shows that Lush are still capable of writing the kind of twisty chord progressions and creating the sounds that made them such a huge hit in the 90s, even after such a long absence. One hopes that there will be more to come in the future.
Score: 7/10
Trash Disco 
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