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?
Don’t mistake my silence for negligence, y’all; keep the recommendations going and I’ll give them all a listen eventually.
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
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
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 :)
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.
“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
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!
How about some Beach House?
Lay low. Tiesto
Might be to electronica for your tastes but try Tycho’s Dive and awake albums
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.
Wild Nothing - nocturne
Not sure if this will be what you’re after, but the first thing that reminded me of is Goodbye by Apparat (although that’s a bit slower than the tune you linked).
AIR - Moon safari
