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WL//WH Weekly Shoegaze // Dreampop // Psychedelic // Indie Tips

Weekly Shoegaze / Dreampop / Psychedelic / Indie Tips – JANUARY 2025 – #02-25

First Saturday of the month at noon, 4pm and 8pm PST on EDBZ.
Every other Sunday or Monday at 8pm UK time on Slack City.
Every Wednesday at 9pm UK time on Smile Radio

PICKS OF THE WEEK:

  • Swedish electronic dream pop duo consisting of singer Karolina Komstedt (from the band Poprace) and electronic producer Johan Angergård (Acid House Kings, Poprace and Labrador Records founder) started in 1995, CLUB 8 “ooo” new single [Labrador Records]

In the wake of the superb late 2024 album that collected the immaculate series of 12 tunes per month, the longstanding Swedish duo, now very close to celebrating thirty years of activity under the Club 8 moniker, surfs with an uncommon urgency, usual sleek elegance and effortless ease for giving pop emotions, on the relentless steady pace of a retro-charged drum machine alongside a moody meandering post-punk bass line, surrounded by a shivering haze of glazed guitar shimmers, while anxious dreamy vocals worry about growing older and losing the daydreams.

  • Mageland, Indonesia C86 /indie /noise-pop unit Tossing Seed “Stars In Your Eyes” off 2-track single “Stars In Your Eyes / Bootleg Charm”

Right from the band’s name, it’s all a callback of nostalgic sonic emotions rooted in the worship of the mid-80s UK DIY indie pop, stirred up with early 90s US College Rock energy, and re-elaborated with punk urgency and rustic freshness. After a brilliant 2023 mini-album, the Indonesian squadron returns with a double single rife with classic C86 noise-pop sound of glowingly hazy introspection, about the rollercoaster ride of sentiments experienced by first love, delivered by fuzzy guitar riffs rippled with distortion and wandering sparkling melodies, enhanced by long-drawn-out, softly bittersweet vocal harmonies radiating angst and longing.

  • Houston, Texas doomgaze /indie rock /shoegaze band, Tincture “Bruja” second single

The second single by the new chapter of the Houston-based Nick Bailey and Wendolyne Barrios alongside Sam Enkelmann on drums, delivers a heavier and leaden Shoegaze sound, shrouded in ominous dark shades, by channeling the slowness and oneirism of doom rock to induce an immersive and agonizing state of trance. Perpetually off-beat drums fuel bursts of doomy, abrasive riffs that drone and sizzle laced with rippling and piercing high-note guitar cries, excruciatingly echoing around melancholic vocals, slowly radiating pain, from an inner witch causing spiritual blindness.

  • Southern California-based longstanding indie rock /shoegaze band led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jason Martin, Starflyer 59 “All My Friends Who Play Guitar (Dormir Version)” from the album “Dejame Dormir” (re-imagination of their own tracks as soft & gentle, sleepy & dreamy lullabies) [Velvet Blue Music]
  • Los Angeles-based ambient /drone /cinematic /experimental /guitar /psychedelic multi-instrumentalist (Hala Strana, Ulaan Khol, Ulaan Markhor, Ulaan Passerine, etc.), Steven R. Smith “Triecade” title track of the album “Triecade” LP 12″ [Worstward Recordings]
  • UK electroacoustic /folktronica / indie folk group formed in the early 2000s, Tunng “Snails” from the upcoming eighth studio album “Love You All Over Again” LP [Full Time Hobby]
  • Dublin, Ireland-based folk /slowcore /dream pop singer-songwriter Maisie Marra “Blood in my Veins” from “1991” EP
  • Gijón, Spain ambient /slowcore /shoegaze /dream-pop /indie folk duo ALFONSINA “Tempest” single
  • San Francisco‘s lo-fi indie pop /rock experimental trio of Paisley Shirt Records head Kevin Linn (Sad Eyed Beatniks, Present Electric) with friends Mike Ramos (Tony Jay, Flowertown) and Karina Gill (Cindy, Flowertown), aka Hospital “Earl’s Star” from the album “II” a collection of an improvisational evening session plus a bonus 7″ of unreleased material [Tough Love]
  • Los Angeles based dream pop /psych /indie rock musician (former singer and guitarist of Galaxie 500 and Luna, and one half of Dean & Britta), Dean Wareham “You Were the Ones I Had to Betray” from the forthcoming album “That’s the Price of Loving Me” produced by Kramer [Carpark Records]
  • Seattle, WA psychedelic /folk rock singer-songwriter Damien Jurado “Bergamot (’25)” from the album “Motorcycle Madness (’25)” completed stereo version of the original 2023 mono recording featuring new mixes and instrumentation 12″ LP [Maraqopa Records]
  • Monrovia, CA lo-fi /bedroom chamber /indie pop duo Brent Randall & Madeline Doctor, aka Brent & Madeline “Come Closer (So You Can Hear Me)” single [A Primrose Recording]
  • Rennes-based post-hardcore /post-rock instrumental collective Hanry “Ether” from the “Disruption” EP [Pelagic Records]
  • Tokyo, Japanese Dream Folk /Dream Pop /Experimental Folk /Slowcore band formed in 1997, PERVENCHE “Simple Life” from the second album “Quite Small Happiness” [KiliKiliVilla]
  • Leicester, UK lo-fi indie jangle pop main project of composer and musician Neil Hill, SHOPFIRES “Stealing Groceries” single
  • Indonesian DIY indie pop outfit JENNIFER “I FINALLY FOUND YOU” from cassette EP “Echoes of Solitude” [Disanorak]
  • Leicester, UK-based indie /dream pop band Dayflower “Lonely Hearts Still Beat The Same” (The Research cover, 2006)
  • Kingston, New York indie folk /pop (The Ladybug Transistor collaborator) singer-songwriter Kyle Forester “Just Like Anyone” single
  • Tournail, Belgium experimental /post-rock /instrumental project Endless Dive “Deux roues” from the upcoming debut EP “Souvenances” [Luik Music]
  • London-based indie rock /post-punk /shoegaze /psychedelic rock band conceived in 2014 by Arthur Pegis, aka Monochromatic Visions “Generation” a tribute to the 2017 documentary film “My Generation” (voice clip by Patti Smith)
  • Ambient /Beats /Drum & Bass /Downtempo /Trip-Hop long-lost collaboration between Polish artists Olga Wojciechowska & Tomasz Walkiewicz, aka Monoparts “Fear” from upcoming unreleased album “Soothsayers” [A Strangely Isolated Place]
  • UK electronic /indie /psychedelic /shoegaze musician, composer and Ride frontman, Andy Bell feat. Dot Allison and Michael Rother – “I’​m in love​.​.​.” (The Passions cover) from Andy Bell‘s upcoming LP “Pinball Wanderer” [Sonic Cathedral]
  • Leeds, UK indie rock stalwarts led by David Gedge, The Wedding Present “High” from the vinyl reissue of the 2008 compilation V/A “Just Like Heaven: A Tribute to The Cure” 2×12″ LP [American Laundromat Records]
  • Seattle, WA dream pop /power pop band led by Mark Palm (former member of San Francisco‘s shoegazers Modern Charms), Supercrush  “Following The Taillights” single
  • Northwest, Indiana‘s psychedelic /dream pop /shoegaze /indie rock band CLOAKROOM “Bad Larry” from the upcoming LP “Last Leg of the Human Table” [Closed Casket Activities]
  • Berlin-based post-punk /indie rock solo project MOTE – “SUNDAY” single [Duchess Box Records]
  • Devon, UK indie /psych /electro-modernist guitar cream-group Pale Blue Eyes – “Rituals” from the forthcoming album “New Place” [Republic of Music]
  • Parisian emo /indie rock-pop band Edgar Déception “Happy New Year” from “ption” LP [Flippin’ Freaks / Tête Froide records / Les Disques du Paradis /Cartelle / Araki records / Hell Vice I Vicious records]
  • Seoul, South Korea experimental shoegaze /post-rock /indie rock solo project of Gyungwon Shin (Gyn), Asian Glow “Jitnunkebi (Winter’s Song)” from the LP “11100011”
  • Minneapolis, MN alternative dream-pop /synth-pop artist Greg Johnson, aka Greg Online “Silhouette” single
  • Leicester, UK indie jangle power pop side project of ShopfiresNeil Hill, NEUCLOUDS “I Got You To Help Me Out” single
  • Munich, Germany-based dream pop /wave-pop /shoegaze /jangle pop project of Limoges-native,  French musician and composer Julien Agot, aka Somewhere Underwater “Golden jacket” single
  • Davao City, Philippines dream pop /shoegaze six-piece project Precal Dropouts “Crestfall” title track of “Crestfall” EP
  • San Juan, Puerto Rico dreampop /post-punk /shoegaze project of Kevin Shames, aka Basavriuk – “Endless Rite” single
  • Montreal, Québec alternative rock /shoegaze band Shallow “Blown” second single
  • Manila, Philippines 4-piece indie rock /dream pop /shoegaze band Reflections After Jane “Kisses Over The Rainbow” single
  • Los Angeles dream pop /shoegaze music project by Rj Mares, aka Vein Blue “The Real You” from “Far Away” EP
  • Boston, MA dream pop /shoegaze band The Shallows “Verdant” from the CD edition of the 2023 LP “Wave States” Shore Dive Records (CD) / Mint 400 Records (Vinyl)
  • Saint Petersburg-based shoegaze /dream pop band Blankenberge “Together” single [Automatic Music]
  • Portland, OR shoegaze /psychedelic rock outfit True Primitives “Rise” title track of the upcoming second LP “Rise”
  • Spencer, Iowa alt-rock /fuzz /shoegaze project PURPLISH “Son of a gun” (The Vaselines cover, 1992)
  • Toronto, Ontario-based international alternative rock /grunge /shoegaze band Otsyuda “Resin” single
  • Phoenix, AZ alternative rock /dream pop /post-grunge /shoegaze solo project Type Foundry “Dawgs” from the debut s/t album
  • Richmond VA dream pop /fuzz rock /shoegaze band Mazarine “Changes” from the cassette debut LP “Spiral” [Candlepin Records]
  • Colorado psych /doomgaze /shoegaze trio Palehorse/Palerider “Don’t Leave Me Behind” single from upcoming “Waves I” EP
  • Pittsburgh, PA grunge /shoegaze project Strayline. “Fade” single
  • Richmond, Virginia dream pop /shoegaze solo project Always Other “Nowhere, June” single
  • Detroit, Michigan Alternative Rock /Emo /Grunge /Shoegaze artist Mora Oracle “Shattered Blue” single
  • Japanese 3-piece shoegaze /indie /noise rock band from Kyoto, ODDLY “Alligator” from upcoming debut LP “Swerve” [Damnably]
  • Tokyo, Japan shoegaze /indie-pop band T a F F Y “Ifonly” from the upcoming 6th studio LP “Lull” [Club AC30]
  • New York shoegaze /psychedelic /dream pop trio Heaven “I Need You More Somehow” second single off the LP “DREAM ALOUD” [Little Cloud Records]
  • South Wales indie rock /electro-punk pop duo John Mouse and Helen Love, aka Double Diamond Club “Double Diamond Club” self-titled debut single (reviving the legend of late 70s/early 80s South Wales club scene’s vocal duo of the same name) [Alcopop! Records]
  • Bratislava/Žilina, Slovakia alternative rock /indie /midwest emo /shoegaze young band Eversame “83” single [Start-Track]
  • Cologne, Germany 3-piece krautwave band Kratzen „Nur so” 4th single off upcoming album „III“
  • Italian shoegaze /psychedelic rock band from Venice, New Candys “Surf 2” off the Double A-Side split single with Kill Your Boyfriend
  • Denver, CO kraut /psychedelic rock trio WAVE DECAY “Sea Glass” from “Reflections” EP
  • Australian ’60s power pop /garage rock /rock’n’roll band Gnome “Feeling Of Love” from “I Like It” (EP) [Goblin Records]
  • Bloomington, Indiana 6-piece garage /psych-punk /rock’n’roll supergroup (feat. members of The Cowboys, Mirrors, Chud, Rocket From The Tombs, Circuit des Yeux, Retail Simps, Protruders…), fronted by Eddie Flowers (The Gizmos, Crawlspace, Heavy Mother), HEAVY MÖTHER II “Omnivore” from the upcoming S​/​T LP [Total Punk Records]
  • Los Angeles-based 60’s psych /power-pop /garage mainstays, The Sound Reasons “Today’s Another Day” title track of the four-track “Today’s Another Day” EP 7″ [Rogue Records]
  • Lichfield, UK Garage /Mod Rock musician and composer, Paul Hooper-Keeley (former frontman of early 80s band The Threads, and more recently The Mark Three and The Deep Six), aka PHK “Sanctimonious Sue” 2-track 7″ single
  • Wailuku, Hawaii garage psych-pop singer-songwriter Gus Englehorn “Thyme” from upcoming LP “The Hornbook” [Secret City Records]
  • Denver, CO indie folk rock duo The Lumineers “Same Old Song” from “Automatic” LP [Dualtone Music Group, Inc.]
  • London’s BDQ “Beggin'” (Northern Soul version of Psychedelic Pop-Rock band Timebox 1968 classic) featuring Sarah Orpen on vocals and Bryn Barklam on Hammond, taken from “Beggin’ / Take Me For a Little While (The Mirettes)” ltd vinyl 7″ [BDQ Records]
  • New York-based jazz /funk /lounge /psychedelic soul brainchild of composer/multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum, aka Ghost Funk Orchestra “Queen Bee (Early Version)” from the fundraiser album “Demos For LA”
  • London, UK Americana /Freakbeat /Acid Rock /Folk /Northern Soul /60s Psychedelic Pop actor, musician and composer Matt Berry “Wedding Photo Stranger” 2nd single from the upcoming 8th studio album “Heard Noises” LP [Acid Jazz Records]

 

CLARENCE HUDSON WHITE, Drops of Rain, 1903