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Shoegaze

Lie awake in a psych-pop fever dream with Mope.’s seminal single, Wanderer:

Posted on 17 August 2024
Mope.

Despite the somewhat paradoxical pairing of an artist with the moniker Mope. with a track titled Wanderer, the dissonance fades swiftly, swallowed by the entrancing psychotropic waves of the production.

Wanderer traverses through the sonic landscape with a fluidity that justifies its title, enveloping listeners in a deliciously distorted Shoegaze embrace. The track’s structure is a hypnotic hybrid, part leftfield electronica with its syncopated rhythms and part psych pop fever dream, observed through a kaleidoscopic lens. You don’t just listen to Wanderer—you sink, letting the warm, luminous tides of sound wash over you. The commanding, semi-lucid vocals flow like an undercurrent, pulling you deeper into the aural odyssey few can rival.

The genesis of Mope.’s journey is profoundly personal. Following the loss of his father and the bleak dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brad Steed transformed his grief into art, resulting in the creation of his debut album, An Optimist’s Guide to Self-Destruction.

The album, replete with reflections on his journey from sorrow to fleeting moments of peace, offers a psychotropic escape into love, loss, and electric currents. Created in the quiet corners of Raleigh, North Carolina, each song bears Steed’s intimate touch—written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the artist himself.

Wanderer will be available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube, from August 16th.

Follow Mope. on Instagram to stay up to date with their latest releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Distortion as Dialogue: Abandoned Buildings’ Alt-Indie Release, Microdose, Explores the Depths of Desolation

Posted on 11 August 2024

In the borderlands between post-punk, ambient post-rock and shoegaze lies the West Yorkshire five-piece, Abandoned Buildings; their latest diaphanous-in-spite of distortion howl into the void, Microdose, is the ultimate introduction to their unfeigned introspection.

After a quiescent intro of reverb and chorus-laden guitar, the track pulls you into a vortex of thematically affecting instrumentation that embodies the emotional underpinnings as much as the lyrics and vocals which paint a portrait of pain and isolation in strokes of vulnerability which forces you to meet the candour projected through the artfully visceral progressions.

Released ahead of the sophomore album, Eroding Light, which will drop on September 20, Microdose marked Abandoned Buildings as one of the most promising up-and-coming outfits on the alt-indie scene in 2024. Their creative vision which reinvents shoegaze fused with the way they reflect stark realities through the complexity of emotion is unparalleled. Don’t pass up on your Microdose fix.

Microdose will be available to stream on all major platforms from August 9th via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sun-kissed memory meets dreamy indie-pop reverie in Suni’s Barcelona

Posted on 26 May 2024

Suni, the 26-year-old Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter, delivered a mesmerising escape with their latest single, Barcelona, the shoegazey guitars and indie dream pop aura craft a lush-with-melancholic-soul atmosphere that drifts you away into the heat of bitter-sweet sun-kissed memories. The harmonies sting with emotional potency, amplifying in resonance with every listen as the production nestles into the euphonic middle-ground of Jaws and Cigarettes After Sex.

Suni didn’t just capture an emotion nestled within a sunlit landscape; with Barcelona, they positioned themselves at the heart of a panache-driven pop revolution. The textures within the track act as a key, unlocking a doorway to the pantheon of indie pop singer-songwriters. It’s a musical experience that transcends mere listening, inviting you to dive into an evocative world where each note tells a story.

For fans of introspective and emotionally charged indie music, Suni’s Barcelona is an essential addition to your playlist. Let the music wash over you, and transport you to a place where the lines between reality and reverie blur, and the only thing that matters is the emotional resonance of sound.

Barcelona was officially released on May 17th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ander became the paragon of a post-grunge prodigy with ‘accident’

Posted on 20 May 2024

After the pensive melodic intro teases nothing more than an assimilation of Nirvana, ander catches you off-guard with the immense authenticity in the moody synthesis of grunge, emo, indie post-punk, and bruisingly heavy shoegaze within his latest single, accident.

At 17 years old, the solo artist is already putting the majority of artists to shame with his fusionistic outpours of visceral emotion which pull you into their intensity before striking every feasible raw nerve. Rhythmically tensile yet cataclysmically tumultuous, accident is a cultivated earworm which belies ander’s age. The vortex of distorted guitars as they thrash against the haunting narrative of introspection redemption couldn’t be more affecting if Deftones laid down the instrumentals.

With his ability to make most of his contemporaries sound tired, uninspired and as though they are just going through the motions while painting by numbers, we have no doubt that ander has what it takes to cut through the static of sonic banality and rise to the top of the alternative charts.

Accident was officially released on May 10th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slip into a post-punk dream with Forgotten Garden’s hauntingly ethereal single, Memoriam

Posted on 22 April 2024

Forgotten Garden’s sophomore EP, ‘In Memoriam,’ brings us the single ‘Memoriam,’ a track that deftly carves its niche within the indie post-punk landscape with its distinct blend of sound and sensibility. The hauntingly ethereal vocal lines in ‘Memoriam’ find a hallowed ground between Mazzy Star, Florence Welch, and Siouxsie Sioux, imbuing the track with an arcane nuance that resonates deeply.

This unique piece strides far from indie mediocrity, propelled by the quintessential angular intensity of indie post-punk instrumentals that jangle with a monochromatic yet vibrant dynamism. ‘Memoriam’ offers enough familiarity to draw listeners in but retains them with its ingenious deviations and its gothic tribute to shoegazed post-punk.

In an era flooded with throwaway indie filler, ‘Memoriam’ stands out as a track that spectrally stays with you, proving Forgotten Garden to be a razor-sharp cut above the rest. The power of ‘Memoriam’ not only captivates but also cements Forgotten Garden’s place in the music world as pioneers with a clear and compelling artistic vision.

In Memoriam was officially released on March 29th; stream the single on Spotify.  

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lia Woods bleached the airwaves with her indie pop hit, Blonde

Posted on 31 March 2024

Lia Woods’ ‘Blonde’ is an indie pop sophomore release to die for; fans of Lucy Dacus, Big Thief, Angel Olsen, and Mitski will be consumed by the raw visceralism of the emotionally turbulent release which sonically heightens the profound experience of soaking in confessionalism.

The LA-based singer-songwriter’s aching narration of striking lyricism filters into the dark, melodic, and broodingly intimate atmosphere of the single to depict the jarring emotional tumultuousness of going through the motions of heartbreak and the compulsion to tear yourself away from the person you were in that relationship to abstract yourself from the agony of being a person worth abandoning.

Lia Woods couldn’t have feasibly built more anticipation for her debut EP, Teething, with her follow-up to her debut single, Fevering. From the juxtapositions between indie, pop, rock, and shoegaze and her own signature ‘bubblegrunge’ synthesis to how her voice feels sharper than being impaled by a thousand knives, Blonde is a phenomenal release which will stand the test of time.

Blonde hit the airwaves on March 22; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NEET and Tidy wrapped their grungy pop-punk hooks around the afflictions of modernity in their LP, Is This Progress?

Posted on 23 February 2024

If any band can advocate for the LP format in an era when our attention spans are shorter than a boardwalk, it is NEET and Tidy with their aural corridor back to the alt-90s.

The sophomore album, Is This Progress? is an unflinchingly reflective exposition of the afflictions of modernity. The sludged-up hooks in Pillow Talk, which captures the bitter taste of a love turned sour, carry all the infectious rancour of Jawbreaker and NOFX, before Play Me launches a straight-up attack on how far the industry has fallen since the golden era of indie and alt-rock. Lyrics in the vein of, “your favourite pop star is the latest infection”, and “another NFT, another stupid dance”, paint a damning portrait of how twisted the industry has come through the contortions of capitalism and narcissism-driven content.

Another standout release within the LP is the evocative evolution of pop-punk into the chorally reverb-swathed remit of shoegaze. Snow (Okay) is a harbingering lament on how the music industry revolves around ableism when it isn’t bleeding vulnerable people dry. From start to finish, the sophomore release from NEET and Tidy asserts the Nashville-residing outfit as one of the most relatable and essential bands in 2024. If you’re always looking for artists with the ability to cut through the static of your ennui, you will find one when you delve into this seminal release.

Is This Progress will reach the airwaves on February 23rd; stream the LP on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slip into a chorally Lynchian delirium with Milk Bar Gang’s latest orchestration, The Accident

Posted on 31 December 2023

Hitting play on the latest single, The Accident, from Milk Bar Gang, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve slipped into a chorally Lynchian delirium as you allow the cultivated hazy dream pop tones to wash over you, submerging you in ethereal Avant-Garde surrealism.

The song’s sonic landscape is a complex tapestry, weaving together elements of Shoegaze’s choral dreaminess and the experimental edge reminiscent of Glenn Branca while the incorporation of jazzy rhythms and darkwave elements contribute to its rich and diverse texture.

Lyrically and thematically, The Accident delves into profound concepts. It reflects on the uncontrollable circumstances of birth and the ensuing struggle against oppression, as well as the emergence of resistance. This philosophical depth is matched by the music’s atmospheric synths and sharp guitar riffs, underlined by a rhythm section that couldn’t be further from archetypal. The unsettling melodies and chord progressions further enhance its impact, creating a sound that is simultaneously bleak and beautiful.

Recorded at home and refined by professionals in Melbourne, the single is a testament to Milk Bar Gang’s commitment to their craft. The band, formed in 2021 by Felix Chapple and Bianca Cao, brings a diverse range of influences and experiences. Chapple’s history with various Melbourne bands and musicians, combined with Cao’s background in dance and visual art from Beijing, contribute to the unique identity of Milk Bar Gang. If this is how they chose to end 2023, we’re aching to hear the artfully cohesive orchestrations that are lurking in the pipelines.

The Accident will debut on New Year’s Eve; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Debbie Christ is scintillatingly affecting in her advocacy of authenticity and resilience in We Carry On

Posted on 18 December 2023

Taken from her I’ve Got Time / We Carry On double A-side single, We Carry On by Debbie Christ is a scintillatingly affecting extension of the Shoegaze genre, which spills all the reverb and chorus effects your heart could possibly desire while adding new arcane layers to the intricate tapestry of a production that will consume you down to the last atom of your being as you’re absorbed in the experimentalism.

The defiance of categorisation within the synthesis of femme garage rock, folk, punk and indie not only invites you into a dream-like aural experience but compels you to embrace your own authenticity and walk your unique path, away from the shame of exhibiting your eccentricities.

After overcoming loss, addiction, cancer, and rebelling against her evangelical upbringing, I can’t think of a better voice to help you chart your own path with resilience than Debbie Christ. She’s an icon, not for all she’s endured, but for her determination to emancipate others from their suffering and embolden them.

Towards the outro, We Carry On moves away from the Angel Olsen-reminiscent choral accordance to deliver rancour in the same vein as Big Thief and Lucy Dacus around the Grandaddy-esque synths that add yet another dynamic to the release that is far too infectious to encounter just once. If there’s any justice left in the music industry, Debbie Christ will be one of the biggest names in indie in 2024.

We Carry On is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kaleidoscopic melodicism courses through Dons of Youth’s single, Rush

Posted on 29 November 2023

Dons of Youth, an indie-pop duo composed of Peter Moe and Kelly Matthews III, hailing from Nashville, TN, has crafted a dream pop reverie with their latest track Rush.

Rush is a pristine example of the indie dream pop genre, evoking the ethereal soundscapes akin to Cigarettes After Sex and Beach House and nodding respectfully to the Shoegaze pioneers. The textured tapestry of sound, with kaleidoscopically colourful melodies and harmonious timbres that weave through the air, creates an immersive auditory experience that you will want to be consumed by time and time again. The band’s artistry shines in the elemental melodic interplay, which complements the tranquil and honeyed vocal lines. There’s an intimate quality to the vocals that feels like a secret whispered in confidence, creating a strong emotional resonance that’s both personal and universal.

The duo, who began their collaboration at Belmont University, have matured into an outfit capable of bringing a cogent distinction to their self-produced sound, which puts them in good stead for their upcoming debut album, which promises to deliver a narrative journey through the labyrinth of young love, desire, and romance. These themes are palpable in the tender fabric of Rush, which not only showcases their technical prowess but also their ability to capture the nuanced emotions of coming-of-age stories.

Stream Rush on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast