Magic Shoppe are no newcomers to the world pf shoegaze. Based in Boston but long embraced by psych and shoegaze fans everywhere, they’ve built their reputation on EPs and albums that never shy away from heavy noise or unfiltered grit. Their live shows are infamous for their volume. Some say an almost physical force that surrounds you and rattles your chest. Six EPs in, they still chase that raw edge. Resurrection Machine lands as another marker in their story, not polished to sterility but buzzing with the dirt and danger that keeps shoegaze vital.
The band is centred around the musical mind of Josiah Webb with talented friends filling out their live sound. Webb has this to say on the sound of this EP.
“Resurrection Machine is a mesmerizing dive into the heart of shoegaze, fusing the dense, crushing textures of My Bloody Valentine with the chord-savvy energy of Swervedriver. It balances a classic ’90s shoegaze feel with the sounds of more contemporary bands like Nothing and DIIV.”
Well this sounds like I’m going to be a very happy gazer then! Let’s drop the needle!
The opening track, ‘Going Nowhere Slowly’, simply erupts. This is a real statement of intent. The guitars feel like they are in a constant battle with their own feedback and are only just winning. You feel the song vibrating in your teeth, pushing you forward while at the same time suspending you in a dreamlike stasis. Those MBV vibes are strong, man if only Shields and co were still making songs as good as this.
‘Space Cadet’ carries that daze but lifts it with a sharper groove. The rhythm locks into a motorik pulse, guitars spiralling in and out. The steady throb really provides a cracking contrast for the central guitar riff which is the purest of gaze. I love when bands blend genres and Magic Shoppe do that here with massive success.
Then comes ‘Oh No!’. The title says it all, it’s punchy, direct, almost bratty. The guitars sound like they’re falling apart, sputtering distortion like sparks from frayed wiring. What’s at the core of this song though is both a killer hook and a addictive melody. There’s a chant-like simplicity in the refrain that gets lodged in your head, the kind of hook you find yourself humming hours later without realising.
By the time you hit ‘Everything Sounds Better When You’re Dead’, the record takes a darker turn. Nearly five minutes of heavy atmosphere, guitars swelling and breaking like waves on stone. There’s something both beautiful and sinister here. The title alone is arresting, and the music leans into that fatalistic mood, layering distortion up and bludgeoning you with it. Like before the melody cuts through, clear as a bell, making this chaos heartfelt. That got me, making this my standout track.
The closer, ‘Little Sheep’, brings it all down without losing intensity. It’s softer in tone, glacial and fragile compared to what came before, but the undercurrent of gaze is still there. A curtain call that reminds you this band knows how to leave space when it matters. You can almost see the amps cooling down, smoke curling off the top, the room finally settling after the storm.
What makes Resurrection Machine so gripping is its balance. It never smooths out its rough edges. The distortion is thick, the mix is raw, yet the songs are always there underneath. Catchy, memorable, buzzing with hooks that shine through even when buried under layers of fuzz. Magic Shoppe prove once again that shoegaze doesn’t have to be distant or pristine. It can be dirty, sweaty, and loud enough to shake you awake. Resurrection Machine has taken the spirit of shoegaze and walked it back onto the stage like it never left.
Resurrection Machine is out September 12 via Little Cloud Records (US/Canada) and FuzzedUp/AstroMoon Records (UK/EU). Follow the band on the Magic Shoppe Bandcamp page.
You can follow Magic Shoppe on social media here…
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