POSTS TAGGED : Shoegaze

Cosmic Strip – ‘Heavenly’

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Cosmic Strip is a London-based outfit revolving around frontwoman Camella Agabalyan, who, with her her ‘cosmic friends’ – Alice (guitar), Jack (bass), Omar (drums), and Jay (synth) – carefully weave a sound self-described as “music to move the stars”.

Following an eight-month gap from darkly alluring previous single ‘Echo Chamber’, Cosmic Strip have returned with ‘Heavenly’; a heady brew of beautifully hewn shoegaze with flourish of psych. ‘Heavenly’ is a beautiful return, all about mood and atmosphere, it thrives within the layers upon layers of shimmering guitars and spacey atmospherics. From this cloud of melodic mist, humming bass and reverb ascend to new levels of sound as dreamy guitars wrap around each note and Agabalyan’s sweeping honeyed tones float atop as ‘Heavenly’ rushes past in an intoxicating haze, as it pushes higher and higher.

A lush, addictive and colourful single, you can check it out below.

WILD WILD WETS – ‘May Games’

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San Diego foursome WILD WILD WETS – Mike Turi (Vocals / Synth), Taejon Romanik (Guitar), Yegor Mackey (Bass) & Marco Piro (Drums) – are predominantly preoccupied with fuzzed-up distortion fuelled, ’60s inspired garage/psych rock-outs; as their debut Prisom will attest to.

Amid the storm of rock & roll distortion and fuzz, a melting pot of sounds, including touches of surf, post-punk, kraut & grunge, are threaded together to create their own vital force. ‘May Games’ is the latest single lifted from the record and it is one of its finest and most memorable moments. Drawing heavily from a palatable Echo and the Bunnymen influence, it whisks up a swirl of ethereal tones, fuzz, reverberation and all things psychedelic. Mesmerising and intoxicating in equal measure, ‘May Games’ burns bright, spurred on with shimmering surge of ’80s, Bunnymen-esque guitar work, joined by some ’90s shoegaze and indie guitar jangle, and wrapped up nicely in a light, fuzzy haze of mild psychedelia.

Check out the superb ‘May Games’ below and while you’re here, why not check out the San Diego foursome’s debut Prisom over here.

Galants – ‘In Vein’

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Dublin shoegaze foursome, Galants marked their return with the release of new single ‘In Vain’, last month.

The track, out via Zen Ten Records, is the first to be taken from forthcoming EP ‘Follow’, set for release in the Autumn. Sonically speaking, it’s the distillation of parts The Jesus & Mary Chain, The Chameleons and Ride; a pretty tasty concoction if there ever was one. ‘In Vain’ whooshes by in a sea of hazy, mild distortion. Ethereal guitars soar, basslines snap and beats pulsate as lush melodies swell all around adding another layer of sweetness and warmth, accentuated by Kennedy‘s tender, reverb laden vocals. An elegant five-minute exploration of bright and shimmering worlds of ‘90s indie rock, shoegaze and dream pop filled with blissful sunshine, youthful yearning and glistening guitar lines.

Listen to ‘In Vein’ below:

Silver Liz – ‘Hazy Daisy’

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Silver Liz are Chicago-based husband-wife duo of Carrie and Matt Wagner who delight, excite and enthral with their shoegaze-meets-dream-pop sound.

We were introduced to their dreamy allure with single ‘Him’ a few months back. The pair are back with another gem ‘Hazy Daisy’, the latest single lifted from their recently released, tantalising debut LP. The single is a sonic symphony of blissed-out – yet simultaneously piercing – all enveloping spacey and shoegazey atmospherics and dreamy soundscapes. Amid the squall of noise, Carrie Wagner’s honeyed cooing is majestic and blissful, striding beautifully upon an undulating sea of fuzz, distortion and whirring guitars, off-kilter twang, and crashing percussion; percussion that comes at you like waves smashing on coastal rocks. Silver Liz have an innate ability, it would seem, to eek out a sweet spot between beauty and unrelenting noise – with style, swish and sheer volume.

For now you can check out ‘Hazy Daisy’ below & if that is to your liking, why not check out their debut LP, I Can Feel The Weight? – listen to it here.

Introducing: Permahorn

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Permahorn are a Scottish-Serbian duo – Saint Pauly (guitar, vocals, percussion, knobs) and Jexy Pesic (bass, vocals, drums, switches) – who now reside in London.

Together, the pair deliver a beautiful, raw yet reflective and intense experimental indie sound with brooding, heartfelt songs – think somewhere between Beta Band, Pictish Trail or Arab Strab.

Debut album My Blood Carries My Dreams Away is due for release in December and ahead of which, Permahorn have shared the record’s title-track. ‘My Blood Carries My Dreams Away’ is one to get lost in. A dense, intriguing offering, opening with an unusual sort of warped, swaying where churning backward loops swirl and other distorted sounds are accented beautifully by gentle lilting vocals; it is all consuming and imbued with sense of longing and melancholy. A simply stunning introduction to Permahorn’s irresistible sound which all bodes well for the forthcoming debut record.

My Blood Carries My Dreams Away is due for release on 1st December 2017 via Shimmy-500.

Tune into ‘My Blood Carries My Dreams Away’ now.

Introducing: Silver Liz

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Silver Liz are Chicago-based husband-wife duo of Carrie and Matt Wagner who delight, excite and enthral with their shoegaze-meets-dream-pop sound.

With the recording of their debut full length done and dusted, the pair are teasing us with some tantalising tasters. Latest single ‘Him’ captures the Silver Liz’s shoegaze-laden textures. Carrie Wagner’s haunting vocals lead the charge elegantly through a undulating sea of fuzz, distortion and whirring of guitars, which begin to wail piercingly with the introduction of percussion as we’re thrust into a world of enveloping spacey and shoegazey sounds. A stunning atmospheric, yearning and dreamy soundscape. Meanwhile, ‘One and Twenty’ continues with the dreamy charm but garnering a more refined, blissful and breezy lo-fi indie pop. The songs traded-off vocals have a way of transfixing and the combo of clashing guitars, electrified drums, and ambient synths find a sweet spot between pop and indie/alternative. Expect more where this came from on Silver Liz’s upcoming full length album, to be released at some point in the near future.

For now you can check out ‘Him’ & ‘One and Twenty’ below.

Dama Scout – ‘Paper Boy’

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Glasgow/London trio Dama Scout introduced themselves to us last year with two unforgettable singles, ‘Forget It’s Good’ & ‘All in Too’.

The trio are back with an equally enthralling third single, ‘Paper Boy’. Opening with a combination of hazy reverb-drenched guitars, floating vocals and fuzzy interludes of snarling guitars and harmonic modulations, ‘Paper Boy’ lulls you into a heady stupor before reaching tipping point – as everything free falls into an epic, climactic swirl of beautifully delirious noise. Once again, their sound pushes and pulls the listener. Rarely do polarising components feel so cohesive, but Dama Scout continue to impress and thrill. The future is a bright one for Dama Scout.

‘Paper Boy’ will be released on April 14th via RIP Records. Get a sneak peak below.

Introducing: Weird.

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Weird. is the solo project from Italian multi-instrumentalist Marco Barzetti, who has a rather incredible flair for blissed out hazy, atmospheric, shoegazing psychedelia.

The latest example of which is ‘Forever Floating Feels’; the brand new single from the Rome-based artist. As the title alludes to,’Forever Floating Feels’ is a stop gap between albums – Barzetti have already released debut album Desert Love For Lonely Graves and 2015 follow up A Long Period of Blindness – with a new one expected later in 2017. ‘Forever Floating Feels’ is a slowly melting song that fuses a languid groove with burning guitars, with whispered, semi-audible vocals, straining to be heard amid a undulating sea of shoegazing reverb and fuzz and melodious haze of dreampop. An absorbing and unforgettable, nebulous yet intoxicating four minutes of shoegazing psychedelia, that radiates a nostalgic nineties pre-britpop aura.

‘Forever Floating Feels’ is out now but also takes its place alongside other Italian indie talent in the Lady Sometimes Records compilation tape, C16 • Pure Italian Gems, available to download via Bandcamp, just ‘name your price’. Take a listen below.

Hard Working Class Heroes 2016 Preview: 8 Must See Acts

 

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Hard Working Class Heroes takes place in venues across Dublin this week.

Running from Thursday, October 6th to Saturday, October 8th and it will showcase well over 100 of Ireland’s most promising emerging acts. One of HWCH’s biggest draws (and festivals of its ilk) is rambling around, seeing acts you have previously been unfamiliar with. That said, there are a couple of names that immediately jump out and come highly recommended with the much sought after BarryGruff seal of approval*.

The full line-up / stage times for Hard Working Class Heroes 2016 is here. And as always, feel free to share your own recommendations in the comments section below. *May not be much sought after.

Eoin Dolan: Thursday, 19:40 – 20:10 @ Tengu Downstairs

Galway-based singer-songwriter Eoin Dolan is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the finest finds from the past 12 months. Dolan has a real flair for twinkly and whimsical, good old fashioned pop gems, with a healthy dose of Brian Wilson, Syd Barrett and Lennon/McCartney (moments) threaded through the fabric of his sound. His brand of surfy psych-pop is totally charming, entirely irresistible, easy-going and timeless. Dolan’s self-titled debut album was released last month, for a taste of that & what to expect at HWCH, check out ‘Dear Brian’; a playful blend of woozy, soothing sounds, sinuous melodies, SFA-esque synth work, giddy-pop-playfulness and reverb-drenched vocals. Not to be missed.

New Pope: Thursday, 21:40 – 22:10 @ Tengu Downstairs

Galway-based New Pope – fronted by Dave Boland – deal in truly beautiful, timeless and carefully crafted acoustic folk sounds. Passing with a whisper rather than a roar, New Pope’s songs are delivered with warmth and tenderness, as Boland’s distinctive vocal creates a warm, lush atmosphere – and an overwhelming sense of sense of nostalgia. Last year’s YOUTH EP & LP are wonderful and New Pope were excellent at Electric Picnic this year, and if that doesn’t entice you? Check out the layered, lush and beguiling beauty of ‘Love’ below:

Slow Riot: Friday, 20:10 – 20:40 @ The Hub

Limerick trio Slow Riot‘s ferocious, tense and searing post-punk, has marked them out as one of Ireland’s most promising guitar bands in sometime. Taking classic post-punk influences – Gang of Four, Television, Wire – and infusing them with more contemporary ones such as Girl Band and Future of the Left, they create an irresistible and thunderous modern take on a classic sound. Still need convincing? Check out the intense, insistent and menacing ‘Trophy Wife’ below. Peerless.

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The Orange Kyte – ‘Which Vivian?’

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Revolving around Vancouver-based, Dublin-raised Stevie Moonboots (House of Dolls & The Subterranean Satellite Band), The Orange Kyte is an experimental music project with an admirable manifesto to release a single a month, throughout 2016.

Along with a revolving and merry band of collaborators and cohorts, The Orange Kyte promises sonic explorations in sound. Drawing heavily from a love of ethereal tones, fuzz, reverberation and all things psychedelic, the third instalment of the year, ‘Which Vivian?’ delivers just that. It takes a bright, shimmering surge of ’80s, Bunnymen-esque post-punk, treating it to some early ’90s shoegaze and indie guitar jangle, and wrapping it up nicely in a light, fuzzy haze of mild psychedelia. Mesmerizing and intoxicating in equal measure, ‘Which Vivian?’ is the best yet from an impressive trio of tunes this year. The Orange Kyte promises to be a gift that keeps on giving in 2016.

You can get your hands on ‘Which Vivian?’ here. Or, conversely, check it below.

 

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