Browsing Tag

shoegaze

The Gold Supply take us ‘Completely Underwater’ in their artfully ethereal debut EP.

Posted on 29 September 2021

September saw the debut of The Gold Supply, a collective of ex-major label artists seeking to infringe ambience on the external chaos in the world with their artfully ethereal presence during the pandemic.

Their debut EP, Completely Underwater, reflects the dystopia that may as well be in the water at this point before poetically finding a way to say “mate, same” to everyone who knows how it feels when no sigh is deep enough to take the weight off your lungs.

In the same way that shoegaze icons surrender your soul to the serenity of their soundscapes, the Gold Supply efficaciously leads you to tranquillity through the delicacy of the sparse yet resounding instrumental layers. With a similar sonic palette to Pet Deaths, they’re definitely ones to watch.

Completely Underwater is now available to sink into on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LIVE REVIEW: The Vaulted Skies at The Angel, Nottingham 24/09/2021

Posted on 25 September 2021

The Vaulted Skies were one of the few bands that became the soundtrack to my insanity during lockdown. When they announced their show at The Angel in Nottingham supporting Lesbian Bed Death, I obviously had to be there in full unashamed fangirl fashion.

Starting with their sludgy hard-hitter, Hollowhead, they instantly asserted their ability to create an atmosphere where hearing the music becomes secondary to feeling it. After a delicate guitar intro that feeds intoxicating post-punk opium vibes, they slammed into an arresting amalgamation of shoegaze, rock and grunge with Molko-Esque vocals that cut above the noise.

Originally it was their gothy dancey hit, Does Anyone Else Feel (Strange)? which ended the set that won me over; the mix of inimitably intricate guitars over a filthy four-on-the-floor beat naturally had me hooked. But with the emergence of their demo release of their slower indie single, Almost Happy, my adoration became far more multifaceted.

Whether they’re creating floor-fillers or stripped-back melodic tracks, there’s a magnetism that proves emotion always comes before ego, which makes it so easy to lose yourself in their sonic alchemy through the sense of unfiltered connectedness.

The Vaulted Skies is easily one of the most criminally underrated alternative acts in the UK right now. Anyone with a proclivity towards pensiveness and pioneering alt-rock should be paying attention.

Listen on YouTube, Spotify, SoundCloud

Photo Credit: Rich Lindley Photography

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shoegaze thrashes against No-Wave in Mild Horses’ standout single Failing Upwards.

Posted on 24 September 2021
Ignorance To Enlightenment And Back Again by Mild Horses

If your 90s Shoegaze records aren’t quite hitting the same these days, introduce yourselves to Slowdive’s noisier cousin, the London-based solo artist, Mild Horses.

The standout single, Failing Upwards, from their debut album, Ignorance to Enlightenment and Back Again, is comparable to a cocktail of the most indulgent elements of the Pixies, My Bloody Valentine and Interpol.

Listen intently, and you will get to keep hold of the sway-worthy bitter-sweet melodies that resound around the harsher no-wave elements that adrenalize the mix without ever chipping away at the ethereal soul of the release. Towards the outro, Mild Horses builds a wall of noise in his own psychedelically sonic style, making Failing Upwards all but impossible to forget.

Failing Upwards is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LT – How Would it Feel: The Ultimate Melancholic Dream-Pop Track

Posted on 17 September 2021

Award-winning singer-songwriter, LT (Leanne Tennant), has poured her spellbinding talent into yet another evocatively ensnaring single, How Would it Feel; by all accounts, it’s the ultimate melancholic pop track. Expect a similar sonic palette to the likes of Beach House, Deerhunter and Slowdive through the shoegazey angular guitars and hazy reverb paired with uplifting elements of folk.

LT delivered familiarity and alchemic distinction in the same package; her soulfully provoking, tender indie vocals command the soundscape in the same hypnotic way as London Grammar, Daughter and the XX. The reminiscences are great for reference, but to truly appreciate her exceptional songwriting skills, you’ll need to experience the soul of How Would It Feel first-hand.

How Would it Feel was officially released on September 13; you can check it out for yourselves via her website or SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Sleepy Palms shone the Cali sun into their debut shoegazy garage rock single, You’re Gonna Be Just Fine

Posted on 4 September 2021

Garage rock, surf rock and shoegaze entwine in the synthy debut single, You’re Gonna Be Just Fine, from the California-based pioneers, The Sleepy Palms. They shone plenty of Cali sun into the optimistic in spite of crushing dread soundscape that will allow you to imagine what the Verve could have been if it wasn’t always raining in Manchester.

Their clever hooks, captivating choruses, velvety smooth vocals and glassy synths are arresting from start to finish as the Sleepy Palms set an innocently amorous scene that celebrates fleeting intimacy.

The way the bitter-sweet lyrics “I never liked the taste of cigarettes, I just wanted to be around you, and after all this time there is nothing left, but I’m still so glad I found you” fall into the surf rock rhythms, shoegazey reverb and clean vintage garage rock tones left me feeling like I’d hit the aural jackpot. Enrichen your soul by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Metrophobia chase ghosts in their Alt-90s inspired single, How Long

Posted on 31 August 2021
https://www.metrophobia.net/pictures/silent_treatment_800.jpg

If Metrophobia’s 2021 debut album, Silent Treatment, was marketed as a lost relic from the alt-90s, I’m fairly sure that no one would raise an eyebrow. The best introduction to their sonic palate that amalgamates shoegaze, noise, indie and grunge is the nostalgically ethereal single, How Long.

Around the catchy hooks, the tender vocals fall into the discord that spills from the scuzzed-up over-driven guitars, allowing you to see a softer side to the discontent How Long was inspired by.

The two forming members of Metrophobia met in Geneva, Switzerland; they worked on various projects together before turning their attention to their bitter-sweet cocktail of alt culture that will be a hit with fans of Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Teenage Fanclub and Sebadoh.

Metrophobia’s debut album is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Broken Nation: Seoul-based band Narotic bring the total truth package with ‘Nothing Has Changed’

Posted on 22 August 2021

Released off their latest twelve-track album with meaning called ‘KindA‘, Narotic are totally honest beyond the norm and bring us an eerie reminder us that ‘Nothing Has Changed‘.

Narotic is an indie post-rock/dream-pop/shoegaze band from Seoul, South Korea. They have a style of music which has you thinking deeper about the world, as you sense that things are not what they seem to many.

On a sparkle-filled ambiance which has you nodding your head to their unique soundscape that seems different to the rest – as they drive in melodic vocals that are clearly made with true introspection- shines through beautifully to capture your attention like a striking Polaroid, you will never forget.

This is the sincere story of knowing that something is quite off with the world as the milk is actually sour but so many still drink it, the kids are suffering and so many just ignore the real truth, hidden behind their phones of endless distraction.

‘Nothing Has Changed‘ from the rhythmically stimulating South Korean-based alt post-rock band Narotic, is a stunning display from a self-aware outfit who see the world from the ground right now. They hope that things may change for the better but see our precious planet falling apart at the seams, as violence, greed and desperation takes over, when peace and common sense should be the guiding light for us all to grow with.

Hear this fine new single on Spotify and see their journey on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Checkout Rhaina Yasmin’s sonic indie alt rock hit, Grocery Store

Posted on 13 August 2021
Rhaina Yasmin

‘Grocery Store’ is the latest single from 21-year-old indie alt-rock singer-songwriter, Rhaina Yasmin which captures just how small our lives became in the months preceding the release. Anyone who went solo through lockdown will find it all too easy to get caught up in the grips of the stunning shoegazy release that doctors in hints of jazz and 90s pop in the style of the Cranberries as it explores our innate fears of self-obsession and alienation.

From a Slowdive-Esque prelude, Grocery Store progresses through tumultuous sonic storms while offering nothing but sheer tonal bliss. Her defiant yearning lyrics dominate the release, and the hooky chorus gives the track plenty of earworm potential.

Grocery Store released on August 13th. Check it out by heading over to Rhaina Yasmin’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Latin artist Aaron Andreu takes on shoegaze art-rock with ‘Piedra Solar’.

Posted on 13 August 2021

With his EP, Luna, Latin artist Aaron Andreu proves that shoegaze and art-rock aren’t exclusively just for UK and US artists. The standout single, Piedra Solar, consistently and seamlessly switches between cuttingly angular guitar notes that any fans of Slowdive will feel familiar with and effect-laden chords that bring an evocatively tumultuous gravity to the release. Long after the abrupt intro, Piedra Solar will stay with you, Unilingual minds won’t be able to abstract the poetry from the lyrics, but the artful alchemy that melodies spill is blissfully universal.

Aaron Andreu’s debut EP, Luna, is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nolle has released her deliciously morose shoegaze single, congratulations

Posted on 6 August 2021
Nolle

Any fans of Mazzy Star, Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen will want to experience the deliciously morose tones in Nolle’s latest shoegaze single, congratulations, which comes with absorbing dissonant turbulence as it explores the effects of gas lightning through arrestingly poetic lyrics.

The concluding line, “now you can laugh at my art like my pain, guaranteed I’ve already done the same to myself”, affirms just how vulnerable of a release this is and without vulnerability, art is essentially meaningless.

At the age of 21-years-old, the Calgary-born, Vancouver-based expressionist and songwriter is already outshining the competition in terms of lyrical maturity and ability to sonically reflect the jarring instability of the emotions we can walk away from relationships with.

Congratulations officially released on August 6th; you can check out the single by heading over to the artist’s official website.