WL//WH Interview anocean
photo by @itinerant_images
The incoming Washington DC’s newest music festival, due on Saturday, June 20, 2026, will feature Shoegaze and Dream Pop bands based in the DC area and beyond.
A powerful union of past members of beloved shoegaze bands Thrushes and Mittenfields. anocean (all lowercase) has emerged as a tuneful and dramatic force within the DC and Baltimore scene.
“Drawing from the dynamic songwriting and hazy melodic sweetness that come second nature to them, they also return to the live fireworks that were a hallmark of their times on area stages. This is a band that delivers the goods on every level. Diving into the famed Magpie Cage studio in Baltimore to work with producer and Jawbox frontman J. Robbins, the five tracks that emerged serve as the perfect link to the proud shoegaze history of the area. Anna Conner’s vocals sit side by side with the likes of Chvrches Lauren Mayberry and Alvvays Molly Rankin, and while it is easy to liken the overall sound to Slumberland era bands, the reality is much closer to the fully realized joys of Sub Pop era Velocity Girl. When Kyle Franta steps to the mic, it fully solidifies that connection. Backed by an inspired rhythm section of Dave Mann and Pete Ryan, who elevate everything in the fashion of the best Ride or Drop Nineteens songs, anocean impresses with a delightful debut. These five songs swirl around you, tickling your ears, and then like a burst of light in the distance, they are gone, beckoning you back for more. The best kind of introduction.” – John Foster.
Thanks so much for the interview. Let’s trace your roots and story.
I was in a band in the 2000’s called Thrushes that was more shoegazey. We stopped playing when the pandemic hit, but we have talked about reuniting recently. When I was in Thrushes, we played with Dave’s band, The Mittenfields. 2 years ago, he messaged me on Instagram because a mutual friend told him I was looking to play music again. And that’s how I got into anocean. Pete and Kyle had been playing with Dave before I joined.
What are your main influences and inspirations?
I’m inspired by musicians who write great lyrics and do a lot of storytelling in their songs. Tom Petty and Phoebe Bridgers are great storytellers.
How would you describe your sound?
I think most often we would be Dream-Pop. A lot of the songs I write have traditional pop/rock schema as far as verse and chorus, but experimenting with different pedal sounds and chord structures helps push them into the dream pop world.
What do the words ‘Shoegaze’ and ‘Dream Pop’ mean to you?”
When I hear those words, I think about pedalboards. Lots of reverb and echo. Powerful melodies.
Which song(s) are you most proud of and best represent your sound?
I think the song I’m most proud of is “Thread”. I’d been messing around with that song for years, but it wasn’t fully formed until anocean. It was just waiting for the right time and people.
Official Fest poster by Curt aka @krimeslugs
Telepathic Windows Fest is Washington DC‘s first Shoegaze/Dream Pop music festival. It is an all-ages event happening on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at DC Brau in NE DC. Only 175 presale tix available for $22. 75 tix will be released for $32 on the day of the show. Tickets for pre-sale on this Link.
Keep up with Anocean / Telepathic Windows Festival:
ANOCEAN | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube |
TELEPHATIC WINDOWS FEST | Website | Instagram |
photo by @itinerant_images
