Various Artists
Waves of Distortion (The Best of Shoegaze 1990 to 2022)
PUT THIS IN YOUR DEN for an absolutely killer compilation that plays like the history of shoegaze. For long-time listeners, you'll find a handful of favorites, but you'll also kick over some undiscovered gems. This series is quickly becoming one of our favorites.
Available on limited edition transparent red vinyl with a 4-page pull out including liner notes by Nathanial Cramp
‘Waves of Distortion (The Best of Shoegaze 1990-2022)’ is a magical journey through the history of the Shoegaze scene from its inception to the current exponents on the scene championing the sound. A perfect introduction to all that is glorious and great about ‘Shoegaze’.
‘Waves of Distortion’ brings in some of the OG (original ’gazer) classics – Ride’s peerless ‘Vapour Trail’, Lush’s ‘Sweetness and Light’ from 1990 and Chapterhouse’s ‘Pearl’ from 1991. They are all incredible and timeless tunes. Then there are some others that were never really a part of that other great music press construct, The Scene That Celebrates Itself, in the case of The Telescopes and their fantastic 1991 single ‘Flying’, and Spirea X’s ‘Chlorine Dream’ from the same year – both are indicative of the post-rave psychedelia that colored everything at the time and fit perfectly within the Shoegaze scene at the time. Since the turn of the century, successive generations have returned to the sound, taking it to new and exciting places. Thanks to the internet and streaming and listening to music without context the echo got louder and louder.
Listening to this compilation it joins the dots between all of the Shoegaze sound, from the beginning to the present day. The beautiful noise that has soundtracked the past 30 years and will continue to do so for many more.