A 10-song Introduction to Shoegaze

Across the last five years, the resurgence of shoegaze within a new generation of music fans has been a phenomenon that many music critics have been confused by. No matter what explanation you provide for the new found popularity of this noisy alt-rock spinoff, the rich history of the genre, huge numbers of effects its artists use, and the changes it goes through to this day can prove daunting for anyone wanting to become more familiar. These ten tracks provide a brief history lesson, a look at the state of the genre now, and some hidden gems, all rolled into one. The Mic's Josh Holmes reports.

1. Alison - Slowdive

   
   

Despite facing a critical lambasting upon its original 1993 release, with the emerging Britpop scene serving as shoegaze’s death knell, Slowdive’s Souvlaki has endured the test of time and emerged as one of the genre’s most essential classics. Nowhere is it easier to see why than on opener Alison. A heart-breaking tale of drug-tinged love, the track’s swirling instrumental makes use of soft focus reverb to provide the band’s trademark pools of lush guitar, which itself excellently provides a perch for the echoey vocals to rest upon. Really, the only fault I can even think to mention with this track is that it actually ends, although the brief solo lead guitar that picks up in its dying fade out is the perfect excuse to press play again.

2. Here to Me - Carousels

Cambridge outfit Carousels remain possibly the single greatest modern emulation of the noise pop inspired shoegaze formula that shone in the 90s, making use of production techniques such as a dry, reverb-light, distortion packed sound that were something of a dying art by the time their sole album Pop released in 2013. Despite fading somewhat into obscurity over the years, possibly by virtue of their album never seeing physical release outside of Japan, Here to Me endures as an incredible testament on how great song-writing is at the heart of any good shoegaze track. Guitars ascend up scales like stairways to heaven, as indie style hand claps help keep the percussion firmly rooted down.

3. Sunshine Smile - Adorable

In the original 90s shoegaze scene, Creation Records was the label to be on for shoegaze acts (being home to Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and more). Despite sharing the label with such monumental names in the genre, Adorable still struggle to attract the praise they truly deserve, nearly 33 years after the release of their non-album single Sunshine Smile. It’s really something of a mystery as to how this track never exploded amidst the wave of loud 90s alternative guitar bands - boasting walls of enrapturing fuzz, carefree tempo deviations in the outro and some of the finest melodies shoegaze could ever lay claim to.

4. A Lot Can Happen - Parannoul

I’ll have to admit to some personal bias here, as Parannoul has long been who I’d point to as my personal favourite artist of all time, but even those not necessarily fond of his DIY, emo-influenced approach to shoegaze would be hard pressed to deny his importance in shaping the genre during this decade. The Korean artist’s latest full length under the Parannoul moniker, Sky Hundred, attracted some mixed reviews from critics upon release in 2024, but rest assured opener A Lot Can Happen pulls no punches and strikes listeners with an immediate burst of optimism on a level quite unlike the rest of his discography. Gentle piano melodies act as mere whispers when battling distorted screams that perfectly occupy the crescendo of the track. The song is so loud and full of energy, in fact, that Parannoul took it upon himself to remix the album after its original release, for fear of vinyl pressings being unplayable.

5. Just Like A Flower - Winter

I’ve previously alluded to the importance of excellent song-writing within shoegaze songs - although many artists in the genre can create engrossing atmospheric textures with their pedalboards, it takes true mastery to write engaging tracks beneath those walls of effects. Boston-based band Winter have proven themselves as masters of that philosophy with what is potentially my favourite shoegaze track of 2025, Just Like A Flower, from full length Adult Romantix. At its heart, this is an upbeat, catchy indie pop song, with a borderline twee solo and drumming that feels as energetic as some early C86 releases. In combination with a wall of thick, slacker-style guitar though, the track truly comes alive and reveals itself as an utter summer anthem - one that will remain firmly rooted in memory for any who are lucky enough to stumble onto it.

6. Lochness - Julie

One of the other most interesting phenomena to occur in shoegaze can be seen in its revival throughout the 2020s, and how said revival has morphed the genre’s style around the basis of guitar noisiness. Julie might be the optimal case study for the current state of the genre, with their signature blend of noisy, grunge influenced, feedback ridden guitar helping to propel dissonant and punky tracks to stratospheric heights. There’s no wonder their songs have grown so popular on sites like TikTok and other social media platforms when you account for the energy the band love to harness. Lochness in particular uses its out of control, machine gun drum fills as just the ticket to build up to an impeccable breakdown in the outro.

7. sometimes - My Bloody Valentine

It would be practically impossible to have any list of essential shoegaze tracks without reserving an entry for My Bloody Valentine. Emerging alongside other pioneers such as A.R Kane and The Telescopes, MBV are universally regarded as one of, if not the most influential band to ever grace the genre. Their 1991 masterpiece Loveless is commonly ranked amongst some of the greatest albums of all time, and to me the album’s peak comes with droning ballad sometimes. Making use of slight pitch changes, an open guitar tuning, and a unique fuzz pedal, the track’s thick blanket of guitar is some of the most inviting across the entire album. Coupled with Kevin Shield’s airy vocal pining for romantic connection, alongside an organ part that flies above the mass of fuzz, and there’s no wonder Sofia Coppola saw the track as the perfect fit for her iconic 2003 film Lost in Translation.

8. Pearl - Chapterhouse

An intersection of the early 90s Madchester movement with heavenly bliss, Chapterhouse were an act who always embraced their dance roots. That’s particularly noticeable on their most-beloved single Pearl, featuring some drums flawlessly sampled from Led Zeppelin. Angelic backing vocals courtesy of Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell just add on to the beauty provided by a sea of jangly guitars doing battle for your attention. Fans of The Cure will no doubt see how Chapterhouse acted as a major influence on Robert Smith as he wrote their 1992 powerhouse full length Wish. “Pearl” somehow remains of its time, whilst also transcending the only decade it could have been spawned in.

9. I Don’t Need Love, I’ve Got My Band - The Radio Dept.

Swedish indietronica act The Radio Dept. are no strangers to arresting guitar noise, and arguably nowhere is that more visible than this cut from 2004 EP Lesser Matters. The vocal section of I Don’t Need Love, I’ve Got My Band is inviting, with shallow self assurances of post-breakup stability backing somewhat restrained chords. It’s the way the band completely flip the song on its head with an almost two near minute onslaught of distortion in the outro that truly makes it such a stand-out track, tearing the song itself to pieces as the repeated self-assurances themselves collapse in turn. The return of the lo-fi, squealing lead guitar atop the distortion acts as just the cherry on top to cement the song in indie perfection.

10. Vapour Trail - Ride

When they first made their debut on Creation Records, indie publications quickly leapt to praise Oxford-based Ride for their intensity and energy. It’s quite funny, then, that their most iconic song is so calming and beautiful. Ride distance themselves from their pedal-crazed brethren by basing Vapour Trail on little more than four bright, Rickenbacker-birthed guitar chords, with modulation-esque tones being the only allusion to the effects-centric nature of shoegaze as a genre. When coupled with vulnerable lyrics singing of lost love, and a magnificent string section to plug any possible gaps in the wall of sound (if they even existed in the first place), the result stands as utterly monumental.

Josh Holmes

Edited by Max Durno

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