Slowness - How To Keep From Falling Off A Mountain

Last month saw the welcome return of San Francisco four-piece, Slowness. The group's second LP How To Keep From Falling Off A Mountain features studio credits for Monte Vallier (best known for production work with The Soft Moon & Weekend) and Kramer (Low & Galaxie 500) and sees a more conceptual approach to record making with the album split between a clutch of warmly crafted pop songs and a largely experimental suite of untitled tracks that evolve from the same psychedelic raga. 

Opening with the cosmic folk of Mountain, How To Keep From Falling... showcases the neo-60s shimmer that's come to define the work of founder members Julie Lynn and Geoffrey Scott. It's a template that works exquisitely and one typified by the melodious jangle of Division and the brilliant motorik daydream of Illuminate.

But not content with an orthodox opening trilogy, it's at this point that Slowness move into more explorative territory. Using the sunshine groove of Anon, Part I as a launch pad, the band loop a serene chant over infectious bass hooks to deliver a four minute trip of languid psych funk. Hot on its heels comes Part II, a sumptuous cut of otherworldly shoegaze, recalling Souvlaki era Slowdive; whilst the third and final quarters weave strands of hypnotic guitar into an intoxicating, brooding climax.

Happily, all four parts are reunited for album closer Anon (A Requiem in Four Parts), which segues its constituent quartet into an epic, eighteen-minute opus.

How To Keep From Falling Off A Mountain is available for download from Bandcamp. The band also has a presence on Facebook and an official website.

The History of Colour TV - Split Blood

The last time The History of Colour TV appeared on these pages they were topping the bill in Nugazer's end-of-year album list.

Fast-forward three months and Berlin's noisiest offspring are back with a brand new single and another dose of crackling synthgaze.

Split Blood is the band's first release since Saint Marie gave Emerald Cures Chic Ills a physical release in early 2013 and builds on that momentum as scuffed guitars tear holes in measured synth riffs and bursts of tremolo buffer verses like warped punctuation. It's a notable return to form and a clear statement of intent for 2014.

Split Blood is backed by a brace of remixes; the first from label-mates Bloody Knives who offer a bruising breakbeat imprint, and the second from home-town collaborators E_S_D, whose skewed percussion blurs into melting drone.

Split Blood is out today on Saint Marie Records as a limited one-sided 7" or digital download.

Voluptuous Panic - Fall Away

Voluptuous Panic are rapidly carving a reputation as one of the most stylish guitar bands to emerge on the shoegaze scene. Now, with a clutch of demos already posted to their Soundcloud page, the trans-Atlantic two-piece have unveiled an exquisite brace of tracks through Bandcamp.

Topping the bill is Fall Away, a gilt-edged slice of dream pop that conjures comparisons with Souvlaki-era Slowdive and the ambient works of Robin Guthrie. Set amidst a perfect storm of washed out guitars, the swooning vocals of Gretchen DeVault add elegance and fragility through a soul-searching refrain of "What can I do?..."

Fall Away is backed up by Between The Stars, a piano-led exploration of interplanetary love, coupling DeVault's own vocals with the baritone brood of  key collaborator Brian J Bowe. It's a genuinely affecting record, and is complemented beautifully by the lush string arrangements of producer, Alexx Kretov.

Fall Away is available to purchase digitally through Bandcamp, whilst you can learn more about Voluptuous Panic from the band's official website.

Tashaki Miyaki - Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is the first new material in almost a year from LA shoegazers, Tashaki Miyaki.

The single (available as a limited edition 7" or three-track digital download) follows on from 2013's self-titled EP with more sun-soaked psych-pop. Only this time - where once a rawness and crackle resided - lush production delivers layers of warmth, as delicate strings mingle with trademark haze and jangling guitar lines.

As a band who made their name from a series of extraordinary covers (read 2012's unmissable Under Cover) it's little surprise to see Cool Runnings backed up by another rework. This time Chris Bell gets the Miyaki treatment as There Was A Light pulses to power-pop piano riffs and swooning guitar hooks.

It's a brilliant brace of new material and bodes well ahead of a much anticipated album release, rumoured for later this year.

To celebrate the release of Cool Runnings, the band will be performing a headline show at The Church on York on March 21. The show will feature a special screening of Cool Runnings' accompanying video, directed by Juan Iglesias.

Roku Music - Collider

Next month sees the release of the self-titled debut album from Brisbane's Roku Music. Released through Australian indie Sonic Masala, the record promises to give the band some much deserved exposure following a brace of digital releases and a limited run of cassette EPs.

Whilst originally formed as a two-piece (through core members Donovan Miller & Innez Tulloch), Roku Music now boasts a line-up five strong, bolstering a sound rich in the shoegaze aesthetic of hushed vocals and layered fuzz.

Ahead of the album launch, the band released Collider in late January, offering the first glimpse of new material since 2013's Primitive EP - and it's a little bit special.

Nugazer's Favourites For 2014

Whistlejacket

Whistlejacket grew in prominence throughout 2013, posting a clutch of slacker-psych uploads to Soundcloud and impressing with a string of live shows throughout the English Capital. Having already lent their sounds to Fuzz Club's second Reverb Conspiracy installment and been name-checked by the likes of Faris Badwan, 2014 looks a year of huge promise for the London five-piece.

The Cherry Wave

Glasgow's The Cherry Wave featured on these pages previously when contributing a track to Lamppost Records' excellent Under The Wildflowers sampler. But it was the group's debut EP, Blush, that perhaps garnered the most excitement throughout 2013. Riding a wave of blistering post-gaze reverb, The Cherry Wave offer one of the most credible and exciting incarnations of contemporary shoegaze.

Parlour

Championed by Drowned in Sound (they even headlined the DiS Christmas party, following in the footsteps of the likes of Bloc Party and The Cribs) and captivating gig goers throughout 2013, Parlour offer a brand of mesmeric dream pop that sits somewhere between Lush & The Velvet Underground. Whilst little of their output is freely available of the web (just two tracks adorn their Soundcloud page), 2014 promises to be a year of greater exposure and even greater music.

Trans

One suspects it's only a matter of time before the world wakes up to Trans. Boasting The Yummy Furs' Jackie McKeown alongside a bona fide 90's guitar hero in Bernard Butler (Suede), the improv' led five piece already have an appearance at the Liverpool Psych Fest & a four track EP (Red) under their belt through Rough Trade.

Venera 4

France's Venera 4, graced these pages back in October with a review of the brilliant 'Haunted Summer'. With two outstanding EPs under their belt and a growing online following, the Parisian four-piece returned in December with Winter Sessions, reworking sections of their back catalogue into lush, acoustic dream pop.

Great Ytene

Part explorative, part explosive, Great Ytene are perhaps the most experimental name on this list, producing a melodic brand of psych pop that isn't afraid to dip its toes into the fuzzier elements of shoegaze. Having been picked up by Marshall Teller who released debut 7" Happy Scenes earlier in the year, the band enjoyed further exposure when UK broadsheet The Guardian chose them as 'band of the day' back in August.

Nugazer's Favourite Records of 2013

End-of-year lists, eh?... Nugazer hasn't previously published one - partly because of the difficulty in quantifying a record's brilliance, and partly because (if we're all honest) by the time December swings around, it's bloody hard to remember who released what and when.

Nonetheless, with so many great albums released, it somehow felt right to have a go this year. So here, in reverse order, are Nugazer's 30 favourite long-players of 2013.

30) Edweena - Solar Days & Lunar Nights (Northern Star)

29) True Widow - Circumambulation (Relapse)

28) Drowner - You're Beautiful, I Forgive You (Saint Marie)

27) SPC ECO - Sirens & Satellites (Self Released - Bandcamp)

26) No Joy - Wait to Pleasure (Mexican Summer)

25) Poliça - Shulamith (Mom + Pop)

24) The History of Apple Pie - Out of View (Marshall Teller)

23) Washed Out - Paracosm (Sub Pop)

22) Thought Forms - Ghost Mountain (Invada)

21) Besnard Lakes - Until in Excess, Impercetible UFO (Jagjaguwar)

20) Lanterns On The Lake - Until The Colours Run (Bella Union)

19) You Are Not Real - You are Not Real (Self Released - Bandcamp)

18) No Ceremony/// - No Ceremony/// (No Ceremony///)

17) Hookworms - Pearl Mystic (Gringo)

16) Exit Calm - The Future Isn't What It Used To Be (Club AC30)

15) Daniel Avery - Drone Logic (Because)

14) Deafheaven - Sunbather (Deathwish Inc)

13) Black Hearted Brother - Stars Are Our Home (Sonic Cathedral)

12) Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse (Fat Possum)

11) Sigur Rós - Kveikur (XL)

10) Holden - The Inheritors (Border Community)

Abstract electronica in its most complete form, producer James Holden deconstructed and rebuilt an entire genre from scratch. Techno didn't know what had hit it.

09) Foreign Television - Youthless (Self Released via Bandcamp)

The highest-placed self-release on Nugazer's chart, Youthless is as important an entry as any 2013 release from a major. It drew a glowing review back in October and continues to dazzle with every listen. A wonderful record.

08) Mazzy Star - Seasons of Your Day (Rhymes of an Hour)

A long overdue reunion and a spellbinding return to form for the dream pop veterans. Seasons of your Day is a record to cherish.

07) Follakzoid - ii (Sacred Bones)

An ode to krautrock past and a nod to spacerock future, Chile's Follakzoid built a wall of blistering psychedelia with the release of this, their much anticipated second album.

06) The Fauns - Lights (Invada)

The long awaited follow-up to 2009's self-titled debut - and Invada Records' second album to feature in this chart - Lights garnered strong reviews across the music press and led this site to describe it as "a breathless collection of instant dreampop classics."

05) My Bloody Valentine - MBV (Pickpocket)

Possibly the only thing wrong with MBV was the fact that it wasn't Loveless. Indeed, had we never heard its genre defining big brother, MBV may well have gone on to define one in its own right... So whilst MBV can never earn the lush praise of its forerunner, it would be churlish not to point out of just what a terrific record it is. The masters reminding the apprentices precisely how it's done.

04) Fuck Buttons - Slow Focus (ATP)

A behemoth of an album, Slow Focus is arguably Fuck Buttons finest work to date. Slower, darker and more menacing than ever.

03) Jon Hopkins - Immunity (Domino)

Moving away from the delicate ambient electronica by which he made his name, Hopkins embraced warped dubstep and chemical beats to produce one of the most varied and engaging electronic releases of the year.

02) Chvrches - The Bones of What You Believe (Virgin)

2013 was some year for Chvrches. From playing dingy basement clubs in the UK to selling out major venues across the globe (with a host of high profile TV appearances along the way), the Glaswegian three-piece conquered all before them with the release of The Bones of What You Believe - a bona fide, synth-pop masterpiece.

01)  The History of Colour TV - Emerald Cures Chic Ills (Saint Marie)

Originally released digitally in November 2012, US label Saint Marie Records picked up Emerald Cures... and gave it a much-deserved physical release in January 2013. The epitome of a slow-burner, Emerald Cures... took time to warm to, but as with all great records, demanded further exploration. Eventually, the menacing mix of cold wave synths and brutal post punk sensibilities made it essential listening. It's a colossal record and Nugazer's stand out moment of 2013.

The Fauns - Lights

It's remarkable to think that four years has passed since The Fauns first evoked a misty-eyed nostalgia with the release of their sparkling, self-titled debut album. A homage to noisepop past, The Fauns captured the spirit of 1991 through fragile psychedelia and uplifting melody.

But if the wait has been long enough to generate a nostalgia of its own, the arrival of much anticipated follow-up, Lights, can finally be greeted with no little cheer.

From uptempo urgency (Let's Go) to spectral spacepop (Seven Hours), the Bristol five-piece have built a breathless collection of instant dreampop classics. No more so than in title track Lights, where Alison Garner's beatific whisper is pierced by glittering, lazer-guided guitar hooks.

And whilst the tempo rises for Ease Down and In Flames, there are moments of delicacy too. 4am offers sleepless intimacy whilst the instrumental Rise proves an absorbing interlude. Bookended by the expectant drone of Point Zero and the tender Give Me Your Love, Lights is as bewitching as it is brooding - a dazzling slice of contemporary shoegaze.

Lights gets a physical release on 2nd December through Invada Records. You can pre-order on CD and vinyl through Invada's website, whilst downloads and advance streams can be heard on Bandcamp.

Schonwald - Treasure

Despite releasing debut album Amplified Nature way back in 2009, Italian duo Schonwald have been somewhat peripheral figures within the alternative music scene. Now, with a new record deal and forthcoming album courtesy of Chicago label, HoZac, the synthpop pairing of Alessandra Gismondi & Luca Bandini look set for a more prominent role in 2014.

New track Treasure, perfectly illustrates the bleak electroclash that defines the Schonwald sound. Layers of warped synthesiser engulf a rumbling bass-hook, lending a resonant backdrop to Gismondi's vocals. It's urgent, foreboding and turns minimalism on its head, with a fullness of sound that belies the sum of its parts.

Treasure is the second glimpse of new material from Schonwald and follows hot on the heels of recent single, Mercurial (their first release for HoZac). To buy that track or to find out more about the band you can visit the label page here, or drop by on Facebook.

schonwald - "treasure" from schonwald on Vimeo.

Shock of Daylight - Deep Sea Breath EP

Shock of Daylight is a London artist with an output steeped in warped electronica. Crafting sounds that sit somewhere between the ambient shoegaze of Ulrich Schnauss and Fuck Buttons' darker menace, debut EP Deep Sea Breath is a collection of fuzzy edged instrumentals that absorb and delight in equal measure.

Title track, Deep Sea Breath is a glorious loop of sequenced reverb, whilst successor Rausch prompts comparisons with Public Transport through visceral waves of foreboding bass.

The spiraling guitar hook of Reich then gives way to Brushstrokes  blurred confusion before closing track We Calcimine Fathers cuts a montage of abstract atmospherics.

Deep Sea Breath is available for name your price download through Shock of Daylight's Bandcamp page.

Secrets of the Third Planet - Lost in Reverie

For Nugazer - just recently at least - it seems all roads lead east... Recent submissions from Ummagma and Foreign Television have highlighted a growing clutch of artists from Russia and its neighbouring states with a shared shoegaze dynamic and a blossoming global appeal.

It makes sense then, to once again set the controls to the heart of Moscow and take a retrospective look at one of 2011's most engaging EPs - Lost in Reverie, by Secrets of the Third Planet (S3P).

As the brainchild of Eugene Frankevich, S3P initially began life as a DIY solo project before expanding into the big-sound five-piece we recognise today. A brace of early releases (2007's self-titled EP & 2010 long-player Day Night) preceded Lost in Reverie as the band honed both sound and direction.

Exploring electronic influences and embracing reverb-laden melodies, Lost in Reverie also saw the introduction of vocalist Dasha Weo, whose dazzling contribution to Диафильм sits as a highlight of their back catalogue. Weo's swooning vocals add crystalline beauty to an astonishing, euphoric cut of adrenaline dream-pop.

There's diversity here too. Snarling acid loops drive the hypnotic electro-glare of Tonight, whilst opening track Still imagines Tangerine Dream wielding a pair of Fender Jaguars.

At the heart of the EP sits the breakbeat ambiance of Дыши, whilst we conclude with the synth-heavy charm of Autumn Song and another chance for Weo to shine in E-A (Lost in Reverie).

Lost in Reverie is a brilliant record and a tantalising glimpse of what the future may hold. With new S3P material scheduled for a Spring 2014 release, it surely won't be long before we all look east once again.

Winkie - One Day We Pretended To Be Ghosts

One Day We Pretended To Be Ghosts is the debut LP from Brooklyn duo, Winkie. A measured balance between coldwave introversion and brutal industrial shoegaze, One Day... depicts a band as comfortable with stripped back drum loops as they are with wall-of-sound synths.

Following the success of 2012's My Eyes Are Closed When The Sun Comes Up (a self-released 7"), Winkie turned to the noisecore nous of Oliver Ackermann to add the finishing touches to their first full-length release - and the result is one of typical intensity.

From the stark grind of Sometimes to the snarling reverb of Death at the Heart of Disco, this is dark electrogaze comparable with The History of Colour TV or late-period Curve. Highlights include Killer Behind Those Masks - an electroclash freakout told through glowering bass rolls - and The Line Up, a spellbinding slice of blissed-out drone-pop.

Whilst digital downloads of One Day... are available through Bandcamp, vinyl junkies can obtain physical copies from the same site.

Miniatures - Anybody Silent

Anybody Silent is the latest track to be unveiled by Melbourne-based shoegazers, Miniatures. It's the first we've heard of the band since 2012's eponymously-titled debut EP, and it's a sparkling return to form.

Steeped in the influence of bliss-pop veterans, Cocteau Twins and MBV, Anybody Silent sees Annemarie Duff's soaring vocals punctuate
a cosmic wall of sound, rich in pedals and FX interplay.

The track is available as a 'name your price' download through Bandcamp, or - if you're feeling particularly sociable - you can write nice things on their Facebook wall.

Modern Charms - Modern Charms

San Francisco's Modern Charms debut release is a sparkling 6-track EP, bristling with style, energy and no little craft. Fusing polished shoegaze (Someday) with notable references to Brit-pop (Epsilon) and 90s indie (Silver Lanterns), the California three-piece make edgy but accessible sunshine guitar pop.

Central to Modern Charms' appeal are the delicate vocals of singer Inna Kurikova, whose candy-coated melodies soar above the guitar-fueled distortion of band-mates Mark Palm and Blaine Patrick.

It's a heady mix and a vibrant formula, best evidenced by the reverb-jangle of Falling Sun or the spellbinding opener When We Get There - featured below.

Modern Charms' eponymous EP is available to download digitally through the group's Bandcamp page. Alternatively, if the rush of 90s guitar pop has left you feeling especially nostalgic, you can even buy it on cassette.

Venera 4 - Haunted Summer

Venera 4 is a Parisian quartet with a penchant for sprawling space rock and incendiary shoegaze. Whilst their discography is still very much in its infancy (just two EPs have been released to date), there's already plenty of evidence to suggest something special could be around the corner.

Debut EP Seabed Terror combined a fiery mix of post-punk power chords (Bora-Bora) with hazy nugaze (Sun); whilst 2013 follow up Deaf Hearts delivered big, FX-laden riffs (Home) and wall-of-sound psychedelia (Ash & Grey).

And it's amongst these fire and brimstone freak-outs that we find arguably the band's most notable score. Spanning close to nine minutes, Haunted Summer is an epic journey through soaring psychedelic drone. Hushed vocals enjoy explorative interplay with galactic guitar licks to forge an arrangement of genuine craft - and one of the finest tracks of 2013.

You can stream Haunted Summer, below, or visit Venera 4's Bandcamp page to download music directly.

Appendixes - Neon Green Fear

Neon Green Fear is the new single from Portland's Appendixes. Released on 7" and available as a digital download through the group's Bandcamp page, Neon Green Fear weaves hushed dream pop through unfussy percussion to create an intimate, almost festive slice of lo-fi psychedelia.

Backed by the brooding reverb of slowcore b-side Four Leaf Clover, Appendixes have delivered a compelling couplet that bodes well for a band with just one previous release; 2012's four-track EP, False Color.

The band are touring the US throughout October and November and there's still time to catch them at venues in Oregon, Washington and California.

Nights - whisper

whisper is the debut album from Cleveland shoegazers, Nights. Fuelled by a heady mix of reverb, soaring vocals and foggy FX, whisper blurs the boundaries between alternative rock (Sunshine), power pop (Mouthful of Sand) and shimmering nugaze (Walkaway).

Recorded over the past twelve months at Lava Room and Whiteout Audio in their home city, whisper showcases a band as comfortable with ambience as they are aggression - one moment drifting on the delicate drone of In The Garden; the next charging into the pummel and snarl of Glow.

But as moods change, one thing remains a constant; the spellbinding vocals of singer Jenna Fournier. Sitting somewhere between the elegance of Liz Fraser and the empyreal Alison Shaw, Fournier adds genuine sparkle to a record full of charm and power.

With a September release scheduled by Japanese label, 2670 Records, you can also stream or purchase whisper through the group's Bandcamp and merch pages.

Vaadat Charigim - The World Is Well Lost

Having scored a wealth of positive feedback in their native Tel Aviv, Vaadat Charigim has announced plans to give debut album The World Is Well Lost a worldwide physical release. The Hebrew three-piece, whose name literally translates as 'Exceptions Committee', have inked a deal to launch the album on both cassette (Burger Records) and vinyl (Warm Ratio).

It's due recognition for a band whose output is sure to garner a broader international appeal.

Defined by swarming guitars and rumbling bass lines, The World Is Well Lost features the production credits of Kyle "Slick" Johnson (Modest Mouse, Wavves and Cymbals Eat Guitars) and bridges the gap between classic indie rock and brooding shoegaze.

Album opener Odisea (featured below) mirrors this theme as waves of crackling distortion crash over a subtle guitar hook to produce an absorbing taste of things to come.

The darkly anthemic Ein Nehama Ladoachim offers a wall-of-sound rhythmic meltdown, whilst its successor, Kmo Lahzor Habaita, provides a 9 minute foray into space rock and psych.

Further highlights include uptempo slices of indie pop such as Ze Beseder Lefahed (the first single taken from the record) and Haolam Avad Mizman, whilst the percussive charge of Kezef Al Hamayim delivers pulsing breaks and stinging lead guitar.

The World Is Well Lost can be streamed in its entirety through Vaadat Charigim's YouTube page, whilst the band also host tracks on Soundcloud.

Lamppost Records - Under The Wildflowers Volume 1

Glasgow-based Lamppost Records is one of a number of DIY labels with some genuinely exciting output at the moment. Their recent digital release, Under The Wildflowers Volume 1 showcases some of Scotland's (and beyond) fuzziest talent through a raucous four-track EP, bristling with energy and noise.

Featuring a quartet of highly-rated new acts, Under The Wildflowers kicks off with a contribution from The Cherry Wave; a fledgling Glasgow four-piece who already have the impressive Blush EP under their belts.

Under Dull Grey Skies is a three-minute barrage of pulversing noise-pop, reminiscent of early Sub-Pop scuzz, and the scruffier elements of post-punk shoegaze. It's an inspired opening and a breathless introduction to the label.

Next up is Shallow, whose sibilant psych-pop provides arguably the most accessible moment on the EP, through Alternative. Coming in at little over two minutes in length it's an encouraging snapshot and an all-too-brief teaser of the band's undoubted potential.

Elsewhere, London's Beach Volleyball contribute First Floor. Sounding like The National played through a hundred AC30s, First Floor is as brooding as it is bewitching. Brimming with reverb and pulsing with lo-fi percussion it's a timely introduction for a band whose debut album is released next week.

Lastly, Nothing but Blue Skies From Here On Out, Nothing but Blue Skies, may be the least marketable track of the Twitter era, but titles of monstrous drone behemoths don't tend to trend that often anyway. Penned by the remarkable Fluorescent Tiger, an Alabama native and purveyor of all things noise, Nothing But Blue Skies... is an astonishing symphonic maelstrom that complements past glories such as 2012's In The Evening EP and recent single The Loneliest Wolf.

To stream or download your copy of Under The Wildflowers Volume 1, head to Lamppost Records Bandcamp page.

Naked On My Own & Dopedrone - Changeless (SPC ECO Sun Mix)

It's just three months since Nugazer last spoke to Jarek Leskiewicz, creative force behind Naked On My Own, about his innovative partnership with Martin Anderson of Dopedrone.

Key to Leskiewicz's ambitions has been to the desire to collaborate with an extensive range of artists and producers, to evolve both his own songwriting and to exchange ideas with an ever-growing collective of like-minded musicians.

The latest artist to collude is SPC ECO, whose dense reworking of Changeless pits Dean Garcia's rumbling bass over the simmering drone of Leskiewicz and Anderson's production. Mixed at Garcia's ELaB studios in London and featuring the additional, breathless vocals of Rose Berlin, Changeless is a typically dark cut, featuring elements of doom, brooding shoegaze and stabs of squalling FX.

Changeless (SPC ECO Sun  Mix) is available now for free download via Naked On My Own's Bandcamp page.