Despite a gap of five years between records, it's possible to detect a direct lineage from
Cave's 2013 record Threace and their 2018 effort. Allways certainly shares that record's cohesion, but opts out of the more guitar-led, heavier jams of yore in favor of subtle funk. Although
Can influences still loom, the band seem to lean toward a less feverish gait. That's not to say that Allways is any less expansive or exciting, but it is
Cave at their most direct, and while they've never been guilty of overworking their material this seems leaner still. Nonetheless, however clear their approach, they somehow achieve a broad yet nebulous atmosphere that proves enchanting. Recorded in Chile and Chicago, tracks like "San 'Yago" lightly bubble with the influence of their South American surroundings. Its repetitive keys lead the groove, backed by bubbly bass and multi-vocal flashes that act more like an additional instrument. On "Aharaha" the drums are front-and-center, with crisp symbols adding a cooling dimension to the deep groove of the track. As ever, amidst the repetition there is a wealth of compulsive detail. While these jams are relativity chilled they are no less beguiling for it, as "Dusty" ripples with '60s psychedelia-like liquid guitars and nimbly elusive keys making it the trippiest of the record's offerings. And "Beaux " features a lone fuzzy riff that erupts from the cool-headed groove followed by a mesmerizing breakdown indicating once again that, to
Cave at least, rhythm is everything. Few bands have the courage to trust fully in it and/or in their ability to not only maintain but give heart and texture to it, but
Cave do, and the result is riveting. Allways is their warmest-sounding record to date, and its Delphic charms are a pleasure to get lost in. ~ Bekki Bemrose