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

• Baltimore home-recording indie guitar pop music trio fronted by drummer, songwriter Blake Douglas (part of Linda Smith’s band), aka Ready Ave “New World Morning Sunshine” from the debut LP “Across The Ceiling” [Clover Records]

Adjacent to their Japanese DIY label sound aesthetic, the first single from the Baltimore trio, infused with Velvet Underground and Belle And Sebastian flavours, serves up a breezy, delicate, and wistful indie-pop arrangement, lilted by tinny tambourine shakes, built on a soft, pulsing bass line alongside subtle distorted guitar riffs layered with reverberating piercing, wiry forlorn flourishes to carry sad, anxious, fragile female/male vocals, into a tension-releasing “oooooh, ahhhhh” catharsis.

• San Francisco indie pop trio Sjowgren “Lavender & Grey” single
  

The Bay Area anonymous pop collective started in 2015, unexpectedly and immediately made themselves known for the impromptu hit single “Seventeen”, continues to scatter delicious singles, never an album, that are sometimes vaguely retro, other times slightly off kilter just like this latter, which shuffles on brittle skipping programmed beats, gently scraped by crisp guitar riffs and uncanny synth motifs, to sway vibrant, saturated female vocals, of bored, dreaminess and harsh and soaring angst, through the regret and doubt brought forth by always being inside one’s head.

• Koblenz, Germany indie rock /dream pop /shoegaze quartet PIECES “The Call” from “Now Is Forever” EP
  

The German foursome started the new year with a reshaped line-up, hued by an ethereal yet energetic female vocal quality as the genre suits, to keep updating the orthodox 90s shoegaze pattern, to put a distinctive spin that varies from dreamy introspective edges of the reverb-drenched sonic spectrum, to the lively dazzling outbursts of cathartic distortion, able to supply and fuel both depth and weight into their emotive and evocative sound approach. A sheer example of the harmonization between the aforementioned two sonic halves is the riveting closer “The Call,” crafting echoing sparkling, melancholic guitar work with underlying somber baritone tones, to carry wistful, brooding female vocals that gently cry ‘pick me up’ before a tumultuous pool of ominous blaring and droning poignant instrumentation turns the situation into helpless desperation.

• Leicester, UK-based ambient /minimal /electronica /post-rock solo project of guitarist Jon Attwood (1/2 of Jarr), aka Yellow6 “Without a Name” single
  
• Stirling, UK ambient /magical-realist downtempo post-rock project of veteran British composer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Tranmer (Vetchinsky Settings, The Montgolfier Brothers, Wingdisk, Fragment B), GNAC “Flame Launching Bat” (2023) from “Magical Bath Funnel” EP ( four versions of the same track – each recorded on different occasions between 2021 and 2023)
  
• Los Angeles-based cinematic /haunting folk musical project of songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Baker. aka Cinder Well “Of Nettles and Roses” from “A Blooming Body” LP [Hen House Studios]
• UK indie /folk rock singer-songwriter Katherine Priddy “Secrets Still Remain” single [Cooking Vinyl]
• Brisbane, Australia lo-fi dream pop artist SCRAPS – “Love that with one stroke cuts time in two” from V/A “foa001” CD compilation [Full Of Air]
• New York-based electropop /darkwave /dream-pop duo R Missing “Sworn Block Figures” single
  
• Chilean new wave /dream pop /synth-pop solo project of musician, producer and songwriter Cristóbal García, aka Lehans “La brisa” from “Ducal” LP [Too Good To Be True / Mirlo Records]
• US industrial /synth-pop /beat-oriented electronic songwriting project of Maine-based artist Mindy Stock, aka Virusse “Yet” from “The Arc of a Pit Falling Backwards” album [Hot Releases]
• Dutch-born psychedelic /baroque pop multi-instrumentalist and composer Jacco Gardner – “Find Yourself (Richard Norris Mix)” from “Re-Make: Re-Model (Richard Norris Remixes)” collection LP [Republic of Music]
• Black Country, UK ambient /post-rock /post-dubstep /experimental hip-hop/electronic pop multi-instrumentalist and composer Mike Rowley (1/2 of menowtherethen, drummer for post-punk/math-rock group The Arm, and epic45 and My Autumn Empire collaborator), aka Component#4 “Captain America” from the upcoming second album “When A House Is Not A Home” [Wayside & Woodland Recordings]
• Sydney-based lo-fi indie folk group started by Kata Szász-Komlós and Jasper Craig-Adams, Daily Toll “Summer Rain Murder Scene” from “Sing Forever (Singing Is Free): Songs from 2021-2023” LP collection of demos from the initial period as a duo [Tough Love]
• UK dreamy /jangle /psychedelic pop project by Eva Cord (The Cords) and Archie Ingram (AKA Stone Anthem), Foglights “The Rain Felt Kind” from the debut EP “Nous Deux” [Skep Wax]
• London home-recording lo-fi /trip-hop /folk /electro /psych /electronic pop DIY artist Great Area – “Love” from “Love” EP [Relaxin Records]
• London-based indie rock-pop 4-piece independent band founded in 1995, Spearmint “ The First Man On Earth” from the 11th concept LP “Chase Me” [hitBACK label / WIAIWYA records]
• San Francisco-based C86 / indie jangle-pop husband-and-wife duo The Chutes “Nowhere In Particular” off the debut self-titled mini-LP [Dandy Boy Records]
• Indonesian noise pop /indie pop solo project of Way from Candy Kisses, Sullen Eyes “Between us” from the debut “Same as me” EP [forfun.cookies / Faster Records]
• UK-based jangle/power-pop trio led by Mark Grassick, Space Jaguar “The Szilard King” from upcoming LP “Command Post”
  
• Northampton, Massachusetts indie pop-rock band (FKA School for the Dead) led by singer-songwriter Henning Ohlenbusch, Gentle Hen “Let’s Stay up to Watch the Sunrise” lead single from the album “Wink!”
  
• Rouen, Normandy indie folk singer, songwriter and musician Guillaume AltamirA “When it’s over (it’s over)” from the cassette EP “The Enemy”
  
• Los Angeles-based lo-fi /bedroom pop /60s psychedelia /power pop DIY singer-songwriter Alley Girl “You Have My Number” single
  
• Sydney‘s scuzzy indie garage rock quartet Body Type “To Give A Rose” from the third LP “Tally” [Poison City Records / (p)doom]
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK lo-fi C86 /post-punk /jangle /indie pop DIY songwriter-musician Daniel McGee, aka Zenxith “What Happened To The Indie Scene?” 45th, 3rd and final 2-track 7″ single from the new upcoming album titled “For Three Days Use Only” [Salt Mine Records]
• Los Angeles-based folk /indie rock singer-songwriter Pete Yorn “Mine To Call” from “All The Beauty” LP in collaboration with Day Wave’s Jackson Phillips [Shelly Music/Monotone]
• Charlottesville, Virginia indie rock /dream pop five-piece Films on Song “UFO Sightings” single
  
• Seattle, WA-based Jangle /Dream Pop music project led by Tabor Rupp, Beach Vacation “in Control” single
  
• London-based dream-gaze /shoegaze duo Atmos Bloom “Soft Spot” off the second album “Everythingness” [Spirit Goth Records]
• Toronto, Ontario indie /slacker rock /shoegaze /slowcore project of Charlie Berger (Slowly, Tonemirror, With Hidden Noise, Slow Planet), Dormer. “Lie Still” from the upcoming LP “Old World, New Ghosts” [Loss Leader Records]
• Melbourne-based shoegaze /dream pop duo Tex Keane and Maia Efstathis, aka CVRNS “Souls On Board” single
  
• Minneapolis, MN indie rock /shoegaze /dream pop band led by Bridget Collins, aka Absolutely Yours “Margaret”, first single from the forthcoming album, “Desire Path” [Sunday Records]
• Davao City, Philippines dream pop /shoegaze three-piece band Precal Dropouts “Escapist” from “The Escapist” EP
  
• Buenos Aires, Argentina post-punk /shoegaze /dream pop band led by Nicolás Castello, NAX “Blood Love” single
  
• Warsaw, Poland ethereal-gaze /sadcore /dream pop trio Rosa Vertov “Seen It Land” single
  
• Perth-based shoegaze music project from Australian-born Steve Matzkov, aka Seven Hour Days “Nobody” (previously unreleased) from the collection of singles “the end of Days”
  
• Tacoma, WA-based emo /grunge /indie rock /dream pop /shoegaze 3-piece Modern Daze “Sewn On” from “Sewn On” EP
  
• Scotland 5-piece noise /shoegaze band Sunstinger “SPARE ME THE RAPTURE” single
  
• San Diego, CA emo /indie rock /shoegaze quartet Distressor “Further From Home” single
  
• Nashville, TN heavy doom-gaze band, LOCKSTEP “Dog In The House Of Plenty” from the debut LP “I Know What I Saw” [Profound Lore Records]
• Auckland, NZ drone /psychedelic solo project of A. Evans, aka Black Sand – “The Last Dance” from the ’60s Laurel Canyon-influenced acoustic album “Tomorrow Calls Your Name”
  
• Berlin-based dream pop /synth-heavy /neo-psychedelic five-piece led by former TOY frontman Tom Dougall, LUFT “Something On My Mind” debut single from “Something On My Mind bw God Helmet” EP 12″ [Tough Love]
• Milan/London IDM /dark trance electronic /psychedelic rock /experimental band Throw Down Bones “Two Different Cubes” from “4EP” [Fuzz Club]
• North-East of England‘s psychedelic garage soul trio Thee Strawberry Mynde “Love Is Out To Find You” from the 2-track “Actions b/w Love Is Out To Find You” 7″ single produced by Graham Day [Chaputa! Records]
• British 60s-inspired beat /mod /r&b /garage rock band featuring founding members Dan Price and Pete Scoundrel with Medway legend Bruce Brand (The Milkshakes, Thee Headcoats) on drums and surf guitar ace Hipbone Slim, THEE CYBERMEN “I Can’t Stand It” from “Never Said Goodbye” LP, thirty years after their last album [Soundflat Records]
• Boston, MA rock n roll /krautrock /psychedelic rock duo Dyr Faser – “Winter Olympics” from “Singles” EP [I Heart Noise]
• Hamburg, Germany surf /psych /garage rock band Mirror Glaze “Pinetrees” from “Born As A Dog, Died As A Gentleman” LP [la pochette surprise records]
• Oslo, Norway-based Post-Punk /Dream-Gaze /Psych-Noir band Mayflower Madame “Every Hazy Morning (bonus track)” from the third 2024 album “Insight (Deluxe Version)”
  
• Oakland, CA psych /folk /jangle power pop band led by songwriter Rob Good, The Goods “Summers Almost Gone” from the upcoming second LP “Goodbye Summertime” [Dandy Boy Records]
• Sydney, Australia lo-fi-bedroom-garage-powerpop solo project 1-800-Mikey “Me And My Only” from upcoming LP “In Yun” [Goner Records]
• Hull, UK lo-fi /shoegaze /alternative rock /grunge band Strange Pink “Sculcoates” single
  
• Liverpool, UK based Indie Rock /Dream Pop /Post-Punk duo So, Reverie “Sea Change” from “All You See In Dreams” (EP)
  
• Münster-based indie rock supergroup das schwa “Karlheinz Böhm” from the first album “…so beautiful!”, a rework of eight songs from the German-Norwegian Herr Wade project’s extensive catalogue [Bureau Platiruma /Subjangle]
• Brooklyn, NYC indie rock /dream pop solo project Truman Flyer – “Shimmy Ya” single
  
• Portland, OR folk /indie rock musician, singer, songwriter Kate Davis ” Baby 244″ from “Then we could be together as a family” EP
  
• Edmonton, Canada indie rock singer-songwriter (rom amiskwaciy, Treaty 6), Cassia Hardy “Deviant” single [Mint Records]
• Naarm/Melbourne based grunge /folk / indie rock singer-songwriter Grace Mitchell “In The Other Room” from the upcoming debut album “Daughter of The King” [Cheersquad Records and Tapes]
• Victoria, Australia folk sister duo Maggie and Elsie Rigby (formerly The Mae Trio), The Maes “Slabhraidh” from the double single “Slabhraidh / Unopened”