I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier but here I made a Spotify collaboration list! The only rules are 1) don’t remove somebody else’s song and 2) don’t spam-add songs.
Really didn’t know how to word this. All I know is that I’ve been completely in love with The Shelter of My Love by Astropol. I’m looking for some more alternative, dream-like, cinematic, emotionally intense songs. Songs that make you have flashbacks of things you never experienced. Songs that make you lose yourself before the voice of the artist jolts you awake. Songs that sound like how perpetual fogs and inevitable spirals feel.
I’m not sure what to call this specific genre, either. What the hell is shoegaze, anyway?
You might dig No Joy, Lush, Cindy Lee, the Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine
What the hell is shoegaze, anyway?
Ask four different people and you’ll get four different answers, but the term first started to get thrown at bands as an insult around the late 80s in the UK because guitarists in certain alternative bands would be using so many different effects during their performances they’d spend the whole show staring at their pedalboards (I think a review of a My Bloody Valentine show in particular is where the term got coined)
100% shoegaze fits the bill perfectly for OPs request. i’d add slowdive to that list
there’s some great, highly independent shoegaze on yt
also, some Dandy Warhols & Brian Jonestown probably fits the bill, eg. this track
Ah dang someone beat me to my bloody valentine. Deleting my comment
Don’t mistake my silence for negligence, y’all; keep the recommendations going and I’ll give them all a listen eventually.
This is what you are looking for: Cocteau Twins. https://open.spotify.com/track/37pKTyMwalomKCZjxTc2QZ?si=0x_orrZwSxGuv_mXM2uNCg Enjoy!
I really like this! Thank you! I’m surprised it’s from 1990
Air is an excellent band that seems to fit your bill and if you don’t mind a darker dream there’s always the OG of shoegaze Portishead.
I have strong music association with memories so most of my feelie invoking music is pretty fucking random (like associating wanderlust with Beck’s Guero).
Hey thanks for the suggestion! I really dig that song!
I think TTRRUUCES - Sensations of Cool (youtube links incoming) hits this prompt pretty perfectly, especially the dream-like quality of the video
Same for Jon Worthy - Please Tell Me
A few more that are close but not quite perfect:
Hiatus Kaiyote - And We Go Gentle
I’m looking forward to listening to the other suggestions, I’ve listened to a few of them and so far they’ve been great!
Some type of skin by AURORA.
Not totally sure it fits your description, but it’s hella intense and I love it.
Had the strangest sensation while listening to this. Right at 56s I was hit with the taste of watermelon taffy. No clue why
If you don’t have a particular need for lyrics, or lyrics that you can understand (presumably), I’ve got a few for you.
Nyokabi Kariũki - Nazama | (Bandcamp) > YT Link
Aivi & Surasshu - Mika | (Bandcamp) > YT Link
The following is a very short performance for a promotional video for the Lumatone keyboard, but I have it saved in my playlist because of how beautiful it is.
Lumatone performance (YT Link)
I think it demonstrates the vastness of the musical realm by splitting the notes we typically associate with western music into different (and often more numerous) divisions of the octave. One of the best applications of this besides getting that ethereal feeling is that it allows you to explore intervals to a finer degree i.e. achieve cleaner melodic and harmonic tones that are mathematically pleasing to the human ear and mind. This whole concept is called microtonality if anyone is interested. And to your question, OP, I think searching in this area can help you find some of that cosmic, alternative sound you’re looking for.
I know I got a little bit away from the question here, but getting into the microtonal/xenharmonic realm was so magical for me because while I enjoy your typical music theory teachings, I’m very much on the more scientific side of things, and music has always been that intriguing intersection between the indiscriminate and cosmic nature of mathematics and the emotional and beautifully flawed nature of artistic expression. Finding the community and literature around xenharmonic music helped me find my way of exploring music in a way that comes naturally to me.
Edit: One that’s a little more “energetic” that I always get lost in. The entire album is great, but this track in particular - Homestuck: Medium - Frogs (YT Link)
Oh my GOODNESS I want a Lumatone so badly! I thought I had invented isomorphic keyboards one day in the shower, but when I searched my idea up I learned that people have been clever long before me
It’s such a great concept and the lumatone is beautiful execution. Hopefully I can start saving for one sometime this decade.
I always upvote unexpected Homestuck. 👍
Also agree it is a banger.
Jenny Lewis — “Head Underwater”
Cordelia’s Dad — “Little Speckled Egg”
Cracker — “Guarded by Monkeys”
Freelance Whales — “Generator ^ First Floor”
Minus the Bear — “Let’s Play Guitar in a Five Guitar Band”
You’re gonna share the playlist when you’re done, right?
This one might be too mainstream, but:
Iron & Wine — “Woman King”
Good thing you mentioned a playlist. I don’t use Spotify anymore but I still have an account there so I will likely curate a playlist to share.
Sounds great! I’ll keep adding tracks as I think of them. Liked that Astropol track, BTW.
Eyyy, Minus the Bear!! I’ve always loved the P.O.S redo of Drilling, takes me right back to myspace :)
How about some Beach House?
“Reckoner” - Radiohead
“Walking in My Shoes” - Depeche Mode
“Bloodbuzz Ohio” - The National
“Black” - Pearl Jam
“Glory Box” - Portishead
“Unfinished Sympathy” - Massive AttackPortishead - Glorybox
I’m not sure what, but that song conjured untold emotions in me for the entirety of 2003While it’s certainly energetic, I think the type of energy is vastly different from what OP is after
Hmm, I have no idea what to call the genre but I like that song you shared! Maybe California Nights or Where Were You When the Sky Opened Up? I’ll try to think some more, those are just off the top of my head
Best Coast is very fun.
I hadn’t heard that Best Coast song. I love When I’m With You by them, but this one has a very different vibe. Good stuff!
Beach House might be close to this? You could try the songs “Myth” or “Silver Soul”
Other suggestions:
Pink Bullets - The Shins
Taro - Alt-J
My Warm Blood - The MicrophonesAIR - Moon safari
Generationals - Put a Light On.l
Really excited to hear what you think.
I concur with those Beach House suggestions and add maybe EMA, Slowdive and possibly Cocteau Twins and Piano Magic. Maybe even the work of Brian Eno in Another Green World?
Oh, and by the way, “shoegaze” is nothing more than a journalistic name to group all bands in the popular musical scene that made a heavy use of pedals to distort or generally modify their guitar sound. They spent so much time watching at their pedals in contrast of earlier guitar players, that they looked like they were gazing at their shoes.
