BEST OF
DARK
SHOEGAZE & DREAMPOP
2024

The fourth album from Argentina-based solo project Ural Mountains.

Ural Mountains is the solo project of French musician Cyril Degilles, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which he started in 2013. The project pursues a sound that blends dream pop with post-punk influences. Throughout the album, shimmering guitars evoke a clear lineage to DIIV, yet the vocals here are more wistful and luscious than their inspiration, and the melodies carry an almost painfully cold edge, resulting in what appears to be the project’s darkest work to date.

Notably, tracks like #2 “Gust” and #7 “Softly As It Comes” feature heavier, more driving shoegaze elements. A highlight is #4 “Harbour,” featuring Death of Heather, where ethereal, delicate vocals float over an icy Whirr-like atmosphere. It’s intriguing to imagine how these two artists, working from Thailand and Argentina respectively, came to collaborate across such distant locations.

The second EP from Bulgarian shoegaze band Maze Hunters.

Formed in Sofia in 2018, the band underwent a lineup change following their previous release and now operates as a trio consisting of guitar/vocals, bass, and drums.

While their debut album was largely built around fast-paced tracks propelled by walls of distorted guitars, this EP suggests a move toward a more introspective and romantic sound. The vocals appear milder yet deeper in tone, while aurora-like synths and shooting star–bright guitars melt smoothly into one another, gently guiding the listener into a space of deep nostalgia.

Less focused on sheer velocity and more invested in atmosphere and emotional resonance, the EP feels like a natural evolution rather than a radical departure. Listeners drawn to early DIIV or House of Harm will likely find this release particularly appealing.

The debut EP from Japanese three-piece 2beef, emerging amid the Nu-Gaze battlefield on TikTok, where rising artists like Wisp and Novulent fiercely compete. The opening track explodes with gritty grunge-inspired distortion, following the line “Who… am I, I… who─?” from the final episode of the anime serial experiments lain. The combination of uncompromising heaviness and powerful performance recalls top-tier heavy shoegaze acts such as Novulent, greedi, and Split Chain. The track also shifts into breakcore with SEs, showcasing a modern sense of freedom in arrangement.

The follow-up, #2 “222,” begins with rapid drum patterns and layers mellow vocals over a slowly unfolding melancholy. The vocals sit slightly buried in the mix, but this underground 90s shoegaze feel works in the track’s favor. Beyond the audio, the EP’s Bandcamp visuals feature Sugamo Mutsuki from Sayonara o Oshiete and Ruriko Tsukishima from Shizuku, suggesting that the members are seasoned otaku—though their exact ages remain a mystery.

While Japan may seem somewhat left behind in the current Nu-Gaze boom, 2beef demonstrates that they are producing world-class sounds in real time. Catching a live performance as soon as possible is a must.

Stay updated through 2beef’s social media: X | Instagram.

The second album from Seattle-based dream pop duo Bubble Tea and Cigarettes.

Formed in New York in 2019 by Andi Wang and Kat (Ruinan Zhang), the duo is known for a mellow, dreamlike sound that weaves together influences from European film scores, Japanese music, and Brazilian styles such as bossa nova. Two years after their debut, this album once again blends warmth and tenderness with coolness and melancholy, resulting in a lush, intoxicating atmosphere.

The record opens with the lonely, waltz-like prelude of #1 “Dead Flowers,” which sets a tone of quiet isolation. It flows directly into #2 “Plane Crash,” a love song built around an obsessive and destructive fantasy—wanting to board the same plane and die together. A striking line about wanting to “destroy the world” for someone pushes the song into an extreme emotional register. Visually, the music video’s pastoral rural landscapes strongly recall All About Lily Chou-Chou, reinforcing the song’s sense of fragile intensity and adolescent longing.

Japanese cinema continues to surface as a clear reference point. On #7 “Swallowtail Butterfly,” both the title and the lyrics explicitly echo Swallowtail Butterfly, further underscoring the duo’s evident admiration for filmmaker Shunji Iwai. These references feel intentional rather than incidental, suggesting a deeper engagement with the emotional language and imagery of his films.

Among the highlights, #3 “Envelope” stands out for its immersive beauty. Airy synths drift beneath softly entwined male and female vocals, their intimacy recalling the hypnotic elegance of acts like Men I Trust. The closing track, #8 “Glider,” brings the album to a gentle yet devastating conclusion: warm and calm on the surface, but lyrically bittersweet, evoking an image of two people holding hands as they sink beneath the water in a world already brought to ruin.

The album title, “we should’ve killed each other,” can be read as a metaphor for an idea of “ultimate love” often depicted in classic narratives—where devotion and destruction become inseparable. Despite the high expectations set by their debut, this second album more than clears the bar, further solidifying Bubble Tea and Cigarettes’ position within contemporary dream pop.

It is also worth noting that Bubble Tea and Cigarettes have cited the Japanese band Lamp as one of their influences. The affinity is easy to trace: elements of Brazilian music, a shared emphasis on melody and softness, and the use of male–female twin vocals place the two acts on remarkably compatible ground. Given these overlaps, a future shared bill would feel not only natural but artistically coherent, and its realization would be a welcome development.

The third album from Norwegian post-punk/shoegaze band Mayflower Madame.

The band was formed during high school by childhood friends Trond Fagernes (Gt/Vo) and Rune Overby (Gt). After several lineup changes, the current recording lineup includes Petter G. Marberg (Ba), Ola J. Kyrkjeeide (Dr), and Kenneth Eknes (Syn).

Rooted in 1980s goth and post-punk, the album blends shoegaze and dream pop aesthetics into a richly layered sound. Gloomily pulsing drums and bass lines are coated in translucent, dreamy guitar and keyboard textures, while smoky, seductive vocals and rough-edged guitar tones introduce a faintly dizzying sense of danger beneath the surface romanticism. This tension—sweet allure tinged with toxicity—forms the core strength of what the band often describe as their “psych-gaze” approach.

A standout track is #8 “Crippled Crow,” where guitars roar like a sandstorm, relentlessly agitating the listener’s sense of unease. The album’s emotional weight is further underscored by its dedication—“The album is dedicated to Marion Serck Fagernes”—pointing to a personal loss within Trond’s family. That sense of grief appears to surface in the lyrics of tracks such as #1 “Ocean of Bitterness” and #9 “Insight for the Mourning Hours,” where unresolved sorrow and quiet despair seem to linger beneath the music.

Taken together, the album channels personal mourning into a sound that is both intoxicating and unsettling, reinforcing Mayflower Madame’s position at the darker, more psychedelic edge of contemporary post-punk and shoegaze.

The second EP from London-based UK dream pop duo deary.

deary was formed by guitarist/producer Ben Easton and vocalist/guitarist Rebecca “Dottie” Cockram, who met through a mutual friend during lockdown and bonded over a shared love of shoegaze.

Their music feels like a rare contemporary continuation of a lineage stretching from 4AD-era Cocteau Twins to Projekt Records, situating deary as a valuable presence within that tradition. On this EP, the sonic presentation has noticeably evolved from their debut: the mix is sharper and more refined, allowing each element to breathe while balancing vast, oceanic swells with an almost breakable delicacy.

A clear highlight is #2 “The Moth,” which leans strongly into trip-hop influences. Combining the lush romanticism associated with Cocteau Twins and the shadowy restraint of Portishead, the track shimmers with prismatic guitar tones that evoke the sensation of being lost inside a kaleidoscope. It stands as one of the most striking dream pop moments of the year. The accompanying music video further enhances the experience, recalling the unsettling beauty of Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Currently, deary perform live as a four-piece with the addition of bass and drums. Despite their relatively short history, they have already supported acts ranging from established names like Slowdive and Cranes to newer artists such as Wisp, suggesting a trajectory that continues to widen both their audience and their reach.

The debut album from Jacksonville, Florida-based shoegaze band Leaving Time.

Leaving Time was formed in 2020 by Reed Cothren (Gt/Vo), Joel Cedeno (Gt), Nick Dilts (Ba), and Jarod Whalen (Dr), all of whom previously played in hardcore-oriented bands such as True Form and Method of Doubt. While the band may appear to be a new presence, the combined experience of its members spans well over a decade, lending a seasoned edge to their sound.

After releasing two EPs and a split with All Under Heaven and Glare—each drawing growing attention within shoegaze circles—this long-awaited debut full-length marks a significant milestone. The album’s defining characteristic lies in its fusion of hardcore-rooted heaviness with melancholic, inward-looking melodies. Tracks like #3 “Only Forever” and #4 “Wish” exemplify this balance, with lead guitars and vocals dissolving into one another in a wash of bittersweet emotion.

The record also demonstrates notable range. #6 “Angel In The Sand” rides on a bouncing rhythm that feels primed for movement, while #7 “Burn” scorches with aggressively chiseled guitar riffs. Closing highlight #10 “And On” pushes forward with urgency, channeling pain into a sense of resolve and momentum. Together, these variations allow the album to appeal equally to listeners seeking reflective immersion and those drawn to more physical, high-impact intensity.

Despite its weight, the album remains consistently melodic and approachable, making it a strong entry point for listeners new to heavy shoegaze. With this release, Leaving Time establish themselves not only as a band shaped by hardcore discipline, but as one capable of translating that energy into expansive, emotionally resonant shoegaze.

Following the album’s release, the band have also announced a Japan tour, invited by longtime allies Hollow Suns after sharing an East Coast U.S. run—further signaling the widening reach of Leaving Time beyond their local scene.

Debut EP from Tokyo-based post-rock band WORLD CITIZEN.

Composer Nobuki Yagi is a veteran artist who previously released four albums with the band saisa, touring not only across Japan but also in China and Taiwan. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, all touring and recording plans were cancelled, the members gradually went their separate ways, and the band’s activities appear to have come to a halt.

A turning point came when Yagi was selected to contribute to the score for From the End of the World (2023), a film directed by Kazuaki Kiriya. That experience seems to have reignited his passion for music, leading him to regroup with new members and relaunch the project under the name WORLD CITIZEN—borrowed from the collaborative work by Ryuichi Sakamoto and David Sylvian. The band currently operates as a trio, featuring Nobuki Yagi (Gt/Vo), Satoshi Adachi (Ba), and Kaz Matsuda (Dr).

The first encounter with WORLD CITIZEN came through their debut self-promoted event at Kichijoji NEPO, where they shared the bill with established acts such as Presence of Soul and MYY. Curiosity led to a listen of their demo recordings, and the dark soundscapes—accented by icy piano motifs—made an immediate impression.

Recorded after their first live performance, this EP is presented under the concept “Rebirth of the Ruins of Regret,” and it suggests a noticeably more hopeful tone than Yagi’s earlier work. The opening track, #1 “Eternal Moment,” is an instrumental built around weighty strings, gradually evoking an image of light flooding into a monochrome world.

On #2 “Faith in Ordinary” and #3 “Siren,” Yagi delivers the same crystal-clear vocal style familiar from his saisa era. Paired with shimmering, aurora-like arrangements, these tracks at times suggest a sense of the sacred reminiscent of Sigur Rós. Track #4 “Agitator” is a re-arranged version of a song originally released on saisa’s second album. Noisy guitars swirl across a desolate sonic landscape, while elegant piano lines fall gently over the chaos, creating a solemn and expansive atmosphere. The addition of a newly written section toward the end—absent from the original—adds further dramatic weight.

As a whole, this EP stands as a strong and promising release that could help energize Japan’s post-rock scene moving forward. It will be interesting to see what kind of world WORLD CITIZEN continues to build from here.

In preparation for this review, revisiting saisa’s full discography revealed four albums with distinctly different approaches, all of them highly rewarding listens. Among them, the second album “and I will,” with its particularly frigid and crushing post-rock sound, stands out as a personal favorite. For those interested, the opportunity to compare these earlier versions with the re-recorded tracks by WORLD CITIZEN adds another layer of enjoyment. All of these works are currently available to stream on Bandcamp.

[Update: 2026] The project appears to have reverted to its original name, saisa, and its releases are currently unavailable on major streaming services.

Second EP from Machida-based post-rock/shoegaze band EARTHLING.

Formed in 2022, EARTHLING currently operate as a five-piece, featuring Ayaka (Vo), Katty (Gt), Raita (Ba), Hiroki (Dr), and Mitan (Key, support member). The band name is derived from David Bowie’s album “Earthling,” a reference that subtly hints at their interest in atmosphere and transformation.

Released roughly six months after their debut EP, this second outing retains the band’s core contrast—heavy guitars paired with strikingly beautiful vocals—while shifting toward a slower, darker sonic palette. The interplay between darkness and beauty feels more pronounced here, giving the EP a weightier emotional presence.

Track #2 “Haiiro” opens with an ethereal introduction that ripples like moving water, before a surge of heavy guitars pulls the listener deep into a shadowed forest. Against the grinding riffwork, Ayaka’s vocals alternate between seductive restraint and passionate intensity, glowing like a single candle flickering in the dark. On #3 “Zanzou,” the band leans further into classic shoegaze territory vocally, with hazy, dreamlike melodies set against guitars that remain unflinchingly heavy. This tension—soft versus hard, stillness versus motion—is where EARTHLING seem most at home.

Their songwriting thrives on contrast not only in texture but also in structure. The unpredictable shifts and richly contoured arrangements, along with a sense of decadent darkness, may remind some listeners of cult 1990s gothic metal acts such as The 3rd and the Mortal or Unholy. One could imagine this as what might happen if those sounds were infused with shoegaze and post-rock sensibilities.

According to interviews, the band draw inspiration not only from shoegaze but also from visual kei, metal, gothic, industrial, and progressive music, which helps explain the distinctiveness of their approach. Even the EP’s title, ““Guwa” (meaning allegory or fable) carries a sense of narrative ambiguity. The opening sound of a clock and lyrical references such as the “carriage” in “Haiiro” (Gray) may suggest echoes of familiar fairy tales—perhaps even Cinderella—though the story here seems to veer toward a far more tragic conclusion.

Whether this reading holds true or not is ultimately up to the listener. EARTHLING’s music invites interpretation rather than prescribing meaning, allowing each listener to draw their own conclusions from its dark, evocative world.

The second album from South Korean shoegaze band FOG.

I first discovered the band through an online broadcast of DREAMWAVES, a Nagoya-based shoegaze-focused event held during the COVID-19 pandemic. True to their name, FOG creates a hazy, immersive performance that can captivate the listener instantly.

The current lineup consists of Gyungwon Sin (Vocals/Guitar), Ganghyeon Ryu (Guitar), Seungjun Oh (Bass), Bang9suk (Drums), Dongkyun Park (Synth), and Guinneissik (FX). Formed in 2018, the members came to shoegaze from diverse backgrounds including black metal, punk rock, noise rock, and jazz. Gyungwon Sin also releases solo material under the shoegaze/emo project Asian Glow.

About four years after their widely praised, Slowdive-influenced debut, FOG returns with two contrasting releases: fogesque II and fogesque III. fogesque II, the darker of the pair, features fragile, melancholic vocals echoing over blizzard-like noise that may remind some listeners of Whirr’s Sway, yet with a deeper, more penetrating sadness—like cold seeping into the heart. Without proper protection, one might feel instantly frozen. This is shoegaze at absolute zero, and fans of extreme melancholia akin to Last Leaf Down or Life on Venus will find it essential listening.

By contrast, fogesque III leans into dreamy textures rooted in math/post-rock, demonstrating a remarkable range of arrangements within the same band. For those interested, comparing both releases is highly rewarding. In South Korea, FOG frequently interacts with Japanese bands such as Asu no Joken and Suichu Spica, suggesting the possibility of a future Japan tour. The prospect of experiencing their beautiful, immersive “fog” live is eagerly anticipated.