Mazzy Star may be the best band in history never to have influenced anybody. Their narcotic blues is so anchored in Hope Sandoval’s honeyed whisper that there’s simply no point in copying them. On their first new album in 17 years, they seem to have frozen time: Sandoval’s voice remains an indescribably beautiful thing, while David Roback’s guitar provides haunting backing – the spectral slide intro to ‘Flying Low’ a particular highlight. If there’s progression, it lies in the record’s sparsity – percussion and bass are a minimal presence throughout. The songs, however, still seep into the bloodstream.
Ben Cardew