Now this is a song that ticks all of our metaphorical boxes. Egoism are a dreampop duo from Sydney comprising Olive Rush & Scout Eastment, and make the sort of breezy shoegaze that gets us giddy with excitement. Their new single is "Sorry", which is an infectious song that calls to mind elements of Alvvays, School of Seven Bells & The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, and combines them into one lush package. It's a great song, and when the blasts of guitar come in after 50 seconds, it put the song very much in the realms of our favourite song of the year to date.
When I went to The Great Escape Festival in Brighton in 2014, one of the greatest discoveries that I made was not a band nor a song who were in attendance at the festival, but a group that had disbanded approximately ten years earlier. I was at the Japanese showcase during the festival (the same showcase where I witnessed the incredibly weird Buffalo Daughter in person), when I heard this wonderful shoegaze track bursting out of the speakers which completely overwhelmed me. After a short bit of DJ-bothering, I learned the track in question was "Playstar Vista", a song by Japanese band Supercar -
There were many things that struck me about that song, aside from how ruddy fantastic it was. One thing that I thought was interesting that given that it came out in 2000, it was released almost an equal distance away both from the original shoegaze scene of the early 90s and the nu-gaze revival that really got going in the late 00s, and its sound seems to come off almost like a "missing link" between the two.
But the other thing that's notable about the song is that it is sung in Japanese, it took me quite a few listens of the song for me to realise this, yet this didn't impede my enjoyment of the music (as I've alluded to before, despite my love of Japanese culture, my knowledge of the language is very limited). I guess this is one of the great things about the shoegaze genre - because the voice is treated almost like another instrument, the words themselves aren't as important, rather the feelings that they convey.
This leads me nicely onto another shoegaze band that I've recently come across, Tuath. The Donegal band's sound is very much in the mold of the My Bloody Valentine-esque shoegazers of yore (albeit with added saxophone), but what sets them apart from other bands of the same ilk is that across many of their songs, they sing completely in Irish. Once again, my knowledge of Irish is very basic at best. I can count to 20 in the language, I can say "Dia dhuit" and I know what a buscar bruscar is, but that's about it. Yet in spite of this, I was completely captivated by the sound of the band on songs such as "Uisce Uisce Read All About It" (which is part of a free E.P the group released last year) -
It is usually said that English is the universal language of music. However, if there was one genre that I would say is the most universal, it would be shoegaze. There's not many genres where the singer can perform in a language that is completely alien to the listener, still convey so much meaning and emotion. And it's bands like Supercar and Tuath that remind us of this fact.
For a more recent song by Tuath, here's their cover/remix of "Casting Shadows Over The Sun" by Shammin Delly -
Very few people make their way into electro-rock via classical music, but that's exactly the route taken by Dublin native Ethan Kumar, who records under the name Ethan's Bucket. Having released an album of piano instrumentals back in 2012, he decided to change direction, experimenting with guitars and synths in an attempt to emulate The Naked & Famous.
His first single in this new style, "Crown Me King", may not owe much sonically to those Kiwis, but it's still a rather great tune regardless. If you're a fan of the spacey, dreamy soundscapes of Maps, or the songs by Moby that he provides the lead vocals for, then you might just find something to love in Ethan's Bucket.
"Crown Me King" is available as a free download, and will feature on his upcoming album "Walk on Water".
A couple of months ago, we heard the song "Getaway" by Bristol artist Joshua Vincent, who was recording under the name Chapter House. The song was an impressive nugaze inspired track which sounded incredibly professional for a homemade demo, and we fell in love with the project. We did note however that given the similarity to an early 90s shoegaze group, the name might change in the future.
And we were right. Whilst Joshua is still making brilliant music, he has now recruited a 5-piece live band, and changed the project's name to CAPE!. The first song to be released post-moniker change is "Disappear", a song that continues the band's love affair with all things 80s sounding. With its heavily synthesized production, and slightly gloomy outlook, it calls to mind The Cure during "Disintegration", with a little bit of Simple Minds and The Horrors thrown in for good measure. It's another impressive, epic sounding track from Joshua & co, and although it's still relatively early days for the project, with such great tracks already under their belt, CAPE! will almost certainly be a force to be reckoned with within a year.
CAPE! will be playing their first gig in Bristol on August 24th, supporting Ducktails.
Given the finite amount of words and letters that exist within the English language, it is likely that at some point, there will be several musical acts who end up recording under the same name, as the Blue lawsuit proved a few years back. When I heard that Chapterhouse, the "Pearl" hitmakers who were one of the leading names of shoegaze in the early 90s, had a new track out, my interest was piqued. However, I soon found out that this act was in fact Chapter House, a project from Bristol native Joshua Vincent which counts fellow Bristolians Seasfire as admirers.
But despite the confusion, this Chapter House is creating some fantastic songs, like their latest single "Getaway". Despite being self-described as a bedroom demo, the sound is very deep and ambitious. M83 would be its nearest music equivalent, as the track features smashing drums, electronic centred production and heavily distorted ethereal backing vocals. There's also a Simple Minds feel to it, especially in the lead vocals, which have a real 80s vibe to them.
If this version of "Getaway" really is just a bedroom demo, then it should have everybody salivating at what the fully realised version of this project will sound like. It's impressive, ambitious, and sounds very much of its time. He might not be recording under the Chapter House moniker for much longer, but do keep an eye out for the name Joshua Vincent. We'll probably be seeing a lot more from him over the next few months.
It's wonderful to see that James Chapman, aka Maps, is gearing up to release new material in the summer. I have always had a great fondness for Maps,especially the 2007 debut album "We Can Create", not only because it was a stunning record, but because it was an important milestone in the development of my musical tastes. Up until that point, my musical tastes were firmly dictated by whatever songs were in the chart, or had been in the chart. However, hearing the stunning "It Will Find You" acted as a wake-up call, showing that there is indeed a world of music beyond the top 40. And giving how depressing the charts looked from 2008 onward, I escaped from its confines at the right time.
Now six years on,the third Maps album is being lined up for release. Excitingly, this record has been mixed by Ken Thomas, who was responsible for mixing "We Can Create", and the first single to be taken from the album, "I Heard Them Say", seems to suggest that this album could be just as good as his debut. The track features the trademarks that made Maps such a delicious proposition in the first place - dreamy vocals and expansive electronic soundscapes. Also, after being largely ignored on Maps' second album "Turning The Mind", the song features the return of guitars to the band's sound.
"I Heard Them Say" is a song that should make people stand up and take notice of Maps again, and so far, that seems to be the case - a limited edition 12' copy of the song sold out within hours of it being released into the world.
The third album by Maps, "Vicissitude", will be released on 8th July.
In 2009, duo The Big Pink were responsible for two of my favourite songs of the year, "Dominos" (which was subsequently butchered by She-who-must-not-be-named), and "Velvet". They are now back with their latest single, "Stay Gold".
My thoughts? If you enjoyed their first album, "A Brief History of Love" and its singles, then you will probably enjoy this, as it is more of the same thundering nu-gaze. It may not have the massive hook of "Dominos", nor the hypnotic beauty of "Velvet", but it's good for what it is.
"Stay Gold" will be available to download from November 7th from all good MP3 stores.
Shoegaze inspired music has never been as popular as it is at the moment. Bands of the past such as My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain are revered with an almost fanatical following, while the influence of the movement can be heard in the music currently produced by Maps and Deerhunter. Not bad for a genre that started out as an insult.
One band that could be classified as 'nu-gaze' are the Los Angeles based group Letting Up Despite Great Faults. Their song 'Teenage Tide,' taken from their "Paper Crush E.P", is a bittersweet wall-of-sound barrage, that mixes the production value of M83 with the melodic songcraft of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Oh, to be young and in love (or alternatively, to be even younger and more in love)
The "Paper Crush E.P" is available now in America, and will be available from September 26th in Europe. Until then, "Teenage Tide" is available to download.
