I’ve made no secret of the fact I love shoegaze music. What I love even more is when I hear someone take that genre I love so much and push and stretch it into new and exciting shapes. In the UK we’re lucky to have Matt Catling aka Under The Sun. Regular visitors to StaticContinue reading “Under The Sun – Robot World”
Category Archives: 2023
Thought Bubble – Weaving
Psychedelic dream weavers Thought Bubble are back with a new album. Weaving is the follow up to their 2022 release Nowhere and this time is being released through the ever-amazing Woodford Halse label. Thought Bubble, as you’ll remember, are keyboardist Chris Cordwell and percussionist Nick Raybould. They create a colourful soundscape based around luscious synthContinue reading “Thought Bubble – Weaving”
Lumari – En Phase
Minneapolis shoegazers Lumari are building on the promise of their early singles with debut album En Phase. The band are brothers Dave and Dan West, Robert Caple and Margo Pearson. They’ve been working closely with renowned producer/engineer Eric Olsen to refine and hone their sound. When asked to describe themselves the band have this toContinue reading “Lumari – En Phase”
Strangers in My House – Leave It Undefined
Drifting in to my consciousness this week came the debut album from Polish gazers Strangers In My House. This enigmatic four piece from Kraków have released three singles and an EP since forming in 2019. Leave It Undefined is their first long player and looks to develop on that dreamy, shoegaze sound to something allContinue reading “Strangers in My House – Leave It Undefined”
Keeley – Seeing Everything
Dublin based KEELEY return with a new single ahead of their long-awaited debut album. It was this time last year I was discussing the Brave Warrior EP on these very pages. That was a collection of four songs dedicated to the memory of murdered German tourist Inga-Maria Hauser. Keeley Moss, singer, guitarist and songwriter forContinue reading “Keeley – Seeing Everything”
The Know – EP2
Almost three years to the day since husband-and-wife duo The Know, released their sparkling debut they’re back with the aptly titled EP2. I was bowled over by wearetheknow upon its release. It’s blend of that shoegaze aesthetic with the Phil Spector wall of sound production made it pure ear candy. I asked one half ofContinue reading “The Know – EP2”
The Men – New York City
The Men have been creating riotous proto punk for over 15 years now. They return with their ninth album and first for Fuzz Club Records. New York City channels the energy and raw power of The Stooges and MC5 morphing into the hard hitting, scuzzy rock ‘n’ roll you would expect from this band. TheContinue reading “The Men – New York City”
Superdrone – Stereoized
It’s two years since the fifth album from Southampton based noise makers Superdrone. This three-piece thrilled us with their widescreen soundscapes and cinematic approach to songwriting. Moving into album six the band have taken the brave decision to release a 22-track double album. I asked the band about this decision and what we should expectContinue reading “Superdrone – Stereoized”
Sun Shines Cold – Echoes of a Former Life
Scotland has a strong connection to that almost gothic, darker sound that bands like Cocteau Twins and the Mary Chain pioneered. Carrying on that tradition are a duo from the Scottish Borders south of Edinburgh. Sun Shines Cold fuse elements of post-rock, shoegaze, post-punk, psyche and 80’s goth. Multi instrumentalists Brian Jordan and Colan MilesContinue reading “Sun Shines Cold – Echoes of a Former Life”
Acid Wave – heart2heart
Hogar Records from El Paso in Texas have quickly established themselves as a label with an ear for quality music. Recent releases from EEP, The Rosie Varela Project and Ross Ingram are testament to that. You can imagine my joy to hear of a new signing to the label. Acid Wave are a dream popContinue reading “Acid Wave – heart2heart”
Callière – Freefall Into Heaven
Callière is a name I was very familiar with. After collaborating with my friends in The Churchill Garden and Echodrone’s Jackie Kasbohm things had gone a bit quiet. I needn’t have worried as Andrew Rose has returned with a full-length album no less! This time he is stepping away from the collaborations of the pastContinue reading “Callière – Freefall Into Heaven”
The Dawdler – Tracing Spirals EP
Back in 2019 I was absolutely floored by the debut album from Newcastle-upon-Tyne based musician John Edgar. He had made his name with bands such as Okay Champ, EAT FAST and Nately’s Whore Kid Sister. The Dawdler was something totally different. Keith in Ballachulish was a bold and uncompromising album of quite stunning fragility andContinue reading “The Dawdler – Tracing Spirals EP”
Waves Crashing – The Viewing
I was overjoyed to hear that Olympia, Washington based post wave / shoegaze quartet Waves Crashing are back. They have just released their new EP called The Viewing. The band consist of Josh Calisti (guitar, vocals), Bryce Albright (drums) and Joshua Charette (bass). I covered their previous EP High / Low which you can readContinue reading “Waves Crashing – The Viewing”
Premiere – WOHN – Fire Smoke Ashes EP
I received a welcome message from my good pal Michael Smyth (Virgins / Old Crow Promotions) to tell me about a new EP from a band he’s promoting. What do you know, it’s Coleraine based power gazers WOHN, who, observant readers will remember, I covered last year. Well, they’re back with their Fire Smoke AshesContinue reading “Premiere – WOHN – Fire Smoke Ashes EP”
Les Nadie – Destierro y Siembra
Dirty Filthy Records have done it again. Yet another astounding release this time all the way from Córdoba Argentina. Les Nadie (Nobody) are a desert heavy-psych duo with Juan Codne on guitars and vocals and Rodri Deladerova on drums. They’re building on the legacy of bands like Los Natas, Dragonauta or Los Antiguos to createContinue reading “Les Nadie – Destierro y Siembra”
Trillion – So Soon Now
Is it really three years since I last took to the keyboard to extoll my love of Australian gazers trillion? This five-piece outfit blew my mind with their Move to You EP back in 2020. You can read that blog in full here. They return to us, triumphant, in 2023 with an album, no less,Continue reading “Trillion – So Soon Now”
Krypton Bulb – Jackie’s Man
Every time I hear that the Fuzzed Up & Astromoon Records label has a new release my excitement levels go through the roof. Doubly so when that release is the new single from Dublin’s hottest new act, Krypton Bulb. This band delivers high octane, gutsy rock ‘n’ roll. They have developed a reputation for incendiaryContinue reading “Krypton Bulb – Jackie’s Man”
Last Tourist – Last Tourist
I’ve been a fan of Leeds dark gaze band Last Tourist since the release of their 2020 single “Public Service / Are We Just Algorithms?” In my review, which you can read here, I mentioned their influences were bands like Joy Division, Interpol, Suicide, Diiv and The Jesus & Mary Chain. I also made mentionContinue reading “Last Tourist – Last Tourist”
Under The Sun – Ocean Breeze
Matt Catling returns in his Under the Sun moniker with another slice of truly unique experimental shoegaze. We were all blown away by his 2022 album Dream which came out on Shore Dive Records, a sure fire indicator of quality for me. Ocean Breeze is a collection of three tracks where Catling gets to fireContinue reading “Under The Sun – Ocean Breeze”
Molly – Picturesque
It only feels right that my first blog of 2023 is a release from my one of my all-time favourite labels Sonic Cathedral. Back in 2019 they introduced us to Innsbruck based Austrian duo MOLLY. Lars Andersson and Phillip Dornauer created a stunning debut in All That Ever Could Have Been. That album soundtracked aContinue reading “Molly – Picturesque”
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