Category: Stare At Your Shoes

Stare At Your Shoes-Brightblack Morning Light-All We Have Broken Shines

Brightblack Morning Light is a Northern California freak-folk duo whose members have done such hippyish things as lived in a chicken coop, recorded using solar power, and organized amplifier-free music festivals. Their 2006 self-titled album contains a series of subdued, psychedelic jams full of hazy keyboard, weeping slide guitar, and ambling percussion. Nathan Shineywater and … Continue reading Stare At Your Shoes-Brightblack Morning Light-All We Have Broken Shines →

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Stare At Your Shoes-Air Formation-Tidal

Air Formation are a shoegaze band from the town of Sussex in South East England. They've been around since 2002 and actually just put a record out last year, but are likely best known for their 2007 release Daylight Storms. That album includes the song "Tidal," which sounds like someone took the string coda from … Continue reading Stare At Your Shoes-Air Formation-Tidal →

Stare At Your Shoes-Alcian Blue-Carousel

Alcian Blue, named for a polyvalent basic dye (whatever that is), was a shoegaze group from Takoma Park, MD, active in the early-to-mid 2000's. "Carousel" is a nearly 8-minute behemoth of a track that can be found on the band's 2007 EP Years Too Late, released after the band had already dissolved. Listening to "Carousel" … Continue reading Stare At Your Shoes-Alcian Blue-Carousel →

Stare At Your Shoes-Experimental Aircraft-Blue Cream Sky

In my mind, I always confuse Austin, TX's Experimental Aircraft with 80's proto-shoegazers Flying Saucer Attack. Only because of the space theme, though, because their music is quite different. Unlike some groups of this genre, Experimental Aircraft places the vocals of frontwoman Rachel Staggs front and center as opposed to burying them in the mix. … Continue reading Stare At Your Shoes-Experimental Aircraft-Blue Cream Sky →

Stare At Your Shoes-Clams Casino-Motivation

Clams Casino, the stage name of New Jersey beatmaker Mike Volpe, is one of the pioneers of the "cloud rap" movement, which features tracks with hazy beats and grainy synthesizers overtop traditional hip-hop rhythms. It's not difficult to draw a line between Volpe's haunting compositions and some of the more ambient or beat-driven shoegaze out … Continue reading Stare At Your Shoes-Clams Casino-Motivation →

Stare At Your Shoes-Ultra Vivid Scene-A Dream Of Love

Ultra Vivid Scene was the short-lived solo project of New York multi-instrumentalist Kurt Ralske. "A Dream Of Love" is a standout track from his 1988 self-titled debut. Drums awash in gated reverb and walls of gritty, melodic noise provide a lush backdrop to Ralske's sleepy vocals; the nostalgia is almost palpable. A proto-shoegaze track, if … Continue reading Stare At Your Shoes-Ultra Vivid Scene-A Dream Of Love →