shoegaze

Thought you’d heard it all when it came to Shoegaze?  Prepare for the dreamy sludgy work of mesmerism “Two Lights and a Candle” from Massachusetts-based artist Sky Turned Backward.

The cinematically haunted soundscape wouldn’t sound out of place in a David Lynch soundtrack for the experimental way the tonality runs with an ominous fever pulling you through every progression. Alongside the reverb-soaked guitars, you will also be treated to the infusion of dark and moody electronica and archaic film noir-style orchestral effects which pull together in a seamless arrangement by the alternative artist. In typical Shoegaze style, the vocals to Two Lights and a Candle bleed into the instrumental mix leaving whispers of poetry only just legible throughout the concordantly structured single.

Fans of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Swans, Lydia Lunch and Magazine are sure to appreciate what Sky Turned Backward created with their latest single which released in September 2018.

You can check out Sky Turned Backward’s latest single Two Lights and a Candle for yourselves by heading over to Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ever hear a track and know without any shadow of a doubt that you will love it in the first 10 seconds? No, I know, it doesn’t happen all to often, but the fuzzy guitar reverb that introduced Eye Candy’s latest single Plague Dancing was enough to put me on tentative edge for the sonic soundscapes that followed the prelude.

The verses which inched their way to the chorus in Eye Candy’s latest single definitely didn’t disappoint when the concordant bliss of the pensive guitar melodies unravelled around the vocals from the experimental Psychedelic artist. The aural ingenuity behind the track is as conceptual as it gets, you may be able to draw comparisons to the artists sound, yet the lyricism and strained vocal offering was nothing if not hauntingly organic.

Any fans of Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive are going to want to check out Plague Dancing for themselves. Head on over to Bandcamp where you can stream and download Plague Dancing along with the 2018 album Maxims from Nature. Prepare for a state of pure catharsis, in fact, after listening to the album, you may as well prepare to be catatonic.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

A//lara (AKA Nicolas Lara) has just released his latest single Stars and nothing, absolutely nothing could prepare me for how much I was going to adore the track. Stars is the ultimate crossover between Post Punk and Shoegaze; there are very few genre infusions that can create an aural cocktail as potent as what A//lara cooked up with his latest single. The dreamy melodies are packed with the fabulously fuzzy reverb, whilst at the same time, you get the piercing hooks from the guitar and bass, even Peter Hook would be pretty bowled over by the ethereally creeping synergy that allows this track to be resoundingly transcendental.

If you’re a fan of Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division and Lauren Lakis I can personally guarantee that you’ll find Stars as chilling and captivating as I. The Californian artist has one of the deftest sounds I’ve ever heard when it comes to orchestrating an imaginatively dark soundscape curtesy of the muted Jangle Pop Indie riffs and the quiescent vocal offering which doesn’t bleed into the rest of the mix which is archetypal of most Shoegaze outfits.

You can check out A//lara’s stunning new single Stars on Spotify now. Prepare for an instant hit of ethereal catharsis.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

As soon as the first verse starts to unfold to Victim Kit’s latest single Stay Lost, you’re hit with that instantly cathartic wave of pure lucid placidity which you’d expect from any self-respecting Shoegaze artist.

Yet with Stay Lost, the Seoul, Korea based Alternative Experimental artist created much more than just yet another Shoegaze anthem. He incorporated infusions of Metal and Emo into the mix to create something textured, elastic, and so blissfully synergetic you feel every inch of your being absorbing the vibrations from the deep distortions of the guitar driven sound. Just like with My Bloody Valentine the vocals are lost within the murky depths of the reverb, which brings you even further into the track to hang on to each and every pensively exuded word.

It’s safe to say that Victim Kit gets a massive thumbs up from me. You can stream and download Victim Kit’s latest single Stay Lost from their most recent album ‘Fall a Little Further Down via BandCamp

Follow Victim Kit on Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Frostbite is a Simplistic, yet majestic track by the sensational Alternative Shoegaze band Susurrate. Even their name is pure genius, as their sound reflects their identity with their music that translates into a beautiful whisper. I have always found my soul to be wrenched by the sounds of Shoegaze bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and the Verve. But Susurrate go one step beyond with their pensively projected vocals and the acoustic ring of the guitars feels so personal and melancholic. The repetition of “smother me” throughout the track is angelically powerful and I’m not ashamed to say it brought a tear to my eye.

What’s perhaps most interesting about Susurrate is the fact that the band exist only online, their sounds are created by 6 inexplicably talented musicians from across the world, putting out their sound digitally. Is this the future of music? If it sounds this sweet then I’d probably say so. Although I am a little gutted that my chances of seeing Susurrate live are pretty slim.

You can listen to Susurrates latest track Frostbite from their debut album ‘Snowstorm’ on Bandcamp via the link below:

https://susurrate.bandcamp.com/track/frostbite

Review by Amelia Vandergast