Shelter

"Elements of Wicker Man folk evolve into expansive joyous harmonies, and angelic vocals combine to create a truly breathtaking closer, moving from the shackles of earthly concerns and out into the cosmos. It's the closest Alcest come to shaking off the confines of the genre they are in thrall to, and suggests that before long Neige and Alcest will create something even more stunning. For now, Shelter is a phenomenal start along a new path".

"If there is criticism for Shelter, it's that it sounds as if Alcest are inching rather than stepping forward; but with the band's catalog as argument, that's deliberate: since their debut, Neige has always moved incrementally. Musical movement aside, it's a gorgeous-sounding record, almost perfectly paced and balanced. Even in its self-conscious worship of shoegaze it could easily become a late addition in that genre's canon. Shelter is expertly crafted, inspired, vulnerable, and honest".

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