Last November, a Boston collective called The Shallows released a shoegaze treat quite transportive. Arsonist is all that is good about the ethereal genre, why with tracks like “Beginners,” whose guitar chords linger splendidly, elegant vocals enchant, and reliable rhythms impress, there is little not to enjoy. The overdriven bass that leads the title track adds a rock edge to the floating arpeggios that explode into tough fuzz-rich strums in the choruses. “Glacial Lakes” pays homage to the genre’s ‘80s U.K origins with its pure dream-pop elements while “Charmed” coasts to a soothing end somewhere far from where your emotions were before the start of the record. Stream the title track of this new EP below for a quicker way to get to your weekend. – Rene Cobar
