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.

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.