Getting into shoegaze? You’re not alone there. This indie/alternative subgenre is a dreamy, ethereal one that entrances listeners with obscure vocals, specific guitar distortions, and lots of feedback. If you want to start with the best of the best, give the following five legendary shoegaze tracks a spin.
“Bout Des Doights” by Brian Jonestown Massacre
American shoegaze band Brian Honestown Massacre outdid themselves with this subdued, charming little 2016 track. It’s a very refined release, complete with catchy riffs that make it quite memorable. Though, the same could be said of much of BJM’s discography at this point.
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“Star Sail” by The Verve
The Verve might be best known for “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, but the rest of their discography is nothing to sneeze at. This English outfit is better known for their neo-psych alt-rock stylings, but they have experimented with shoegaze on occasion. One great example is “Star Sail”, the opener of their 1993 album A Storm In Heaven. It’s a slow and stunning piece of work that sounded ahead of its time when it was first released.
“Cherry-Coloured Funk” by Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins released quite a few beautiful shoegaze tracks in the 90s. However, I’m quite partial to “Cherry-Coloured Funk”. It might be almost impossible to understand what Elizabeth Fraser is singing on this one, but that’s part of the charm of shoegaze. The whole of this song is hypnotic, from those muddled vocals to that rhythmic guitar track.
“Empty Words” by Bowery Electric
This New York-based band did a fine job with the song “Empty Words” back in 1996. It’s a rhythmic, more ambient release compared to many of the shoegaze tracks on this list. “Empty Words” is a post-punk delight with a touch of grooviness that makes it stand out. In a way, I think this song is more of an accessible one for those who are new to the genre.
“For Love” by Lush
This stunning Robin Guthrie-produced track from Spooky is an auditory delight from start to finish. One of the most hypnotic tracks on this list, “For Love” by Lush has all of the golden elements of shoegaze, from swelling vocal tracks to choral guitars to some slight pop elements. It’s a gem, that’s for sure.
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