7/10

If there is one thing we can say about the sound of 2017, it is that shoegaze is most definitely back. After the fantastic return of Slowdive earlier in the year, fellow mood-driven stalwarts Ride have reemerged with their first studio album in 21 years. 'Weather Diaries' was produced by the legendary DJ Erol Alkan, who has not only managed to throw a contemporary spin on their nostalgic sound, but shown the band to be far from over the hill.

While the band's original heyday throughout the 90s was filled with a brooding and more subdued disposition, 'Weather Diaries' seems to show them with a back-with-a-bang kind of sound. The record's opener 'Lannoy Point' gives us this galloping introduction before the rest of the album opens up to the band's most comfortable style. Twee guitars, mild echo and the occasional synthesiser give the record the bulk of its direction and prove that even after so many years, these kind of bands can still find their inspiration again.

But while it does prove a nice trip down memory lane for those that remember them the first time round, I imagine it would be pretty hard to entice a more modern audience to their sound. It still feels very much part of the 90s shoegaze experience, which at points can leave it feeling dated as well.