Secret Shine – There is Only Now Review

Following the re-release of Untouched in 2016, Secret Shine is ready to unleash an all new compilation of dream-pop shoegazey wonder. Primal Music Blog has referred to There is Only Now as «blissed out, hazy passages of sonic serenity» and rarely have I heard such a perfect description for an album. There is a sense of grandeur embedded within a dreamy purity to There is Only Now. There is an over-arching sweetness that is almost(almost…not quite) buried within the fuzzed out, heavy guitars and looping hooks. There are shining aural sparkles and a sense of epic gravitas backing the shoe-gaze tone.

There is a solidity though. It isn’t just a drift through a stoned haze. There are hooks that are easy to grip onto. They are memorable. Somehow, they are both heavy and pure. Like getting lost in a diaphenous dreamland, each song brings its own power. Burning Stars has an excellent undertone of memorable melody and leads straight into the more sturdy percussion of Dirty Game. Each song is forceful and deliberate, but airy and full of light cushioning texture. There is a lot going on here, but it harmonises together well.

There is Only Now is an excellent return to form for Bristol dreampoppers Secret Shine. With echoes of Abba, a bit of a Brian Eno feel, and full of driving, textured instrumental power, There is Only Now is poised to put Secret Shine on the international map, and I certainly hope they succeed in doing so. This album is a little slice of purity and perfection.

Tracklist:
1. Burning Stars
2. All In Your Head
3. Dirty Game
4. Drift Away
5. To The Well
6. For You
7. Snowglobe
8. Falling Again
9. Things I Said