A Full Remix Makes Deafheaven’s ‘Sunbather’ Worth Revisiting
Deafheaven’s Sunbather was the first time a black metal act broke through the clutter of heavy metal releases to be appreciated outside of the genre’s fans.
shoegaze
Shoegazers Drop Nineteens Return with Excellent ‘Hard Light’
Quickly after becoming early 1990s shoegaze darlings, Drop Nineteens disbanded. Now, 30 years later, they return with a renewed purpose and a new album.
Slowdive’s ‘Everything Is Alive’ Is a Masterpiece of Subtlety
From the haunted guitars to the impressionist vocals, from the most spell-binding drones to the brisk tempos, this is a Slowdive album through and through.
Modern Time Machines Travel Back to the Beach Boys
Ben Golomb of shoegaze band Modern Time Machines sees whole worlds in old things. Beachtime gazes dreamily into the Beach Boys.
10 Great Unsung Shoegaze Songs
Shoegaze’s trademark sound, rippling sheets of guitar noise, is endlessly pliable, easily molded into sonic textures smooth and abrasive alike.
30 Years of Slowdive’s ‘Souvlaki’
Slowdive’s seminal 30-year-old album, Souvlaki, transcends the negativity that followed its release and carries strength through emotional relatability.
Beach Fossils’ Guitars Jangle and Sparkle on ‘Bunny’
Beach Fossils’ Bunny is a pure, seamless combination of pristine production and newfound maturity with a post-punk-influenced, guitar-driven sound.
M83 Get Lost in the Synth Clouds of ‘Fantasy’
With a bloated runtime and a tendency toward monochromatic synth textures, M83’s ninth studio record Fantasy indulges one too many of the group’s clichés.
Aussie Shoegazers Flyying Colors Brighten Things Up on ‘You Never Know’
Flyying Colors find their sweet spot on You Never Know, augmenting shoegaze’s aching coolness to form a potent and satisfying mix.
Black Belt Eagle Scout Hones Her Message and Perfects Her Sound
With her third album, Black Belt Eagle Scout dazzles us with lush atmospheres, seismic rhythms, and a voice that unfurls from another and perhaps a better world.
Dream-Pop Heaven: Jeff Runnings on For Against’s Landmark ‘Coalesced’ at 20
For Against’s Coalesced is an undeniably mature work, softer and less angular than prior efforts, and a culmination of everything they were aiming to accomplish.
Living Hour Embrace “The Feels” on ‘Someday Is Today’
Canadian dream popsters Living Hour capture grief with sluggish tempos, minor key chord progressions, and numbing moments of disassociation on Someday Is Today.