BEST OF
DARK
SHOEGAZE & DREAMPOP
2024

The fifth album from Scottish post-rock band Midas Fall.‍

The band was formed around 2008 by Elizabeth Heaton and Rowan Burn and has undergone several lineup changes, with Michael Hamilton (Ba) joining for this release to complete the trio. They are signed to Monotreme Records, home to accomplished post-rock acts such as 65daysofstatic, Sleepmakeswaves, and This Will Destroy You.

The name “Midas Fall” appears to reference King Midas from Greek mythology, famed for turning everything he touched to gold. Originally, the band had a much cruder name, but they later selected two dictionary words to match their evolving musical identity. Early influences were distinct: Elizabeth favored delicate, beautiful sounds like Ólafur Arnalds (post-classical), 65daysofstatic (post-rock), and Chelsea Wolfe (goth/dark folk), while Rowan leaned toward metal acts such as Tool, Pantera, and Celtic Frost. Their contrasting tastes sparked a creative chemistry that shaped Midas Fall’s signature sound: progressive structures imbued with neoclassical/folk grandeur, shoegaze bliss, and post-rock dynamism.

Following the critical acclaim of their previous bedroom-produced album Evaporate—which won the Limelight Award at Prog Magazine’s 2018 Progressive Music Awards and caught the attention of Robert Smith of The Cure, who invited them to perform at Meltdown Festival 2018 where he served as curator—this new release maintains their ethereal beauty while evolving toward a darker, more dramatic sound with the addition of a 5-string bass and baritone guitar. Elizabeth’s silken, emotionally charged vocals merge with rich strings, electronic synths, and sparkling guitars, creating waves that sweep from the ocean floor to the sky. Michael Hamilton’s compositional contributions are a significant part of this expanded sonic palette.

Standout tracks include #2 “I Am Wrong,” which combines shimmering guitars with rhythmic momentum and culminates in cathartic, self-directed intensity—its music video evokes the frenzied imagery of the film Possession. #4 “In This Avalanche” is a soothing folk piece with lush strings, while #6 “Monsters” offers thrilling, progressive twists. Heart-wrenching balladry emerges in #7 “Atrophy,” and #8 “Cold Waves Divide Us” connects post-rock dynamism with buoyant electronic beats. The album crescendos with #10 “Mute,” where blizzard-like walls of sound freeze the soul.

Midas Fall’s meticulous pursuit of beauty rivals that of legendary 4AD artists like Dead Can Dance and Cocteau Twins. This release stands as a defining 2024 masterpiece of ethereal post-rock and shoegaze.

Second album from Sendai-based solo artist Byakusyn.

Influenced by ’90s visual kei, 2000s nu-metal, and modern post-metal/post-rock/blackgaze, this dark, heavy instrumental release balances crushing riffs, melancholic leads, and ethereal clean passages with masterful guitar work. Odd time signatures add tension and flair throughout.

Standout tracks include “fukuro no niwa,” where technical sections erupt into Insomnium-level melancholic leads, and “suiu,” with groovy Deftones-style riffs. A thrilling listen not just for shoegaze fans, but for headbangers and prog enthusiasts alike.

The seventeenth album from shoegaze / trip-hop duo SPC ECO.

SPC ECO is the long-running project of former Curve member Dean Garcia and his daughter, Rose Berlin. Following the marathon-like release run that began after the tenth album “Fifteen,” during which the duo issued new material on a near-monthly basis, the project entered a brief hiatus in 2023. This release marks their return after roughly a year of relative silence.

Musically, SPC ECO continues to build on the legacy of Curve’s industrial-leaning shoegaze while expanding it into a broader, more atmospheric framework. Brooding, weighty rhythms reminiscent of Massive Attack form the foundation, while layers of ethereal beauty—often associated with acts such as Cocteau Twins or Tamaryn—float above the surface. Although the project once leaned more heavily toward darker trip-hop territory, this album reintroduces textured, luminous guitar work throughout, resulting in a carefully balanced blend of shoegaze and trip-hop.

Among the highlights are #3 “Look Down” and #7 “Touch The Light,” both featuring Diamond Ray. These tracks unfold with a sense of graceful suspension, suggesting the sensation of drifting through space and passing slowly through glowing nebulae. They exemplify the album’s ability to combine heaviness with a striking, almost weightless beauty.

Garcia’s creative momentum remains notably undiminished. In recent years, he has continued to release new SPC ECO material while also contributing to projects such as Blurred City Lights, demonstrating a sustained curiosity and drive. Looking back across SPC ECO’s extensive catalog, one finds a remarkable range: brighter, more uptempo material from the “The Art of Pop” period, minimalist and spatial explorations, and noise-saturated shoegaze that directly channels Curve’s influence. The throughline is a persistent spirit of exploration rather than repetition.

This new album stands as another reminder of SPC ECO’s enduring ability to refine and reimagine their sound. For those willing to immerse themselves, it offers yet another invitation to drift outward—into a familiar yet ever-expanding sonic cosmos.

For listeners unsure where to begin within SPC ECO’s vast discography, a few entry points may help.

【Shoegaze】

3 D (2010)
You Tell Me (2011)
Sirens and Satellites (2013)

【Dark】

Dark Notes (2012)
Dark Matter (2015)
All We Have Is Now (2016)
Anomalies (2016)
Fifteen (2019)

【Pop】

The Art of Pop (2014)

Third album from Belgium-based shoegaze band Newmoon.

Formed around former members of the hardcore band Midnight Souls, they draw inspiration from My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Slowdive, Yuck, Nirvana, Nothing, and Whirr. Their debut album Space fused hardcore-derived heaviness with melancholic melodies, immediately garnering attention.

Approximately four years after their second release, this third album balances the heaviness of the first with the pop sensibility of the second, all coated in Slowdive-esque ethereal beauty. The melodies have grown even more melancholic, radiating a chill that approaches tracks like Life on Venus and Last Leaf Down. Every track is a standout, but #3 “Fading Phase” and #5 “Through the Glass” are my current favorites—especially the heartbreaking chorus of the latter, arguably one of the strongest of the year.

A landmark release that epitomizes melancholic shoegaze in the current era. Fans eagerly await a Japan tour, alongside fellow countrymen Slow Crush.

Debut album from Regensburg, Germany–based shoegaze / dream pop band Swirlpool.

Mixed by Mark Gardener of Ride, the album proudly inherits the spirit of classic ’90s shoegaze à la Slowdive, while showing impressive stylistic range. From ethereal dream pop to more stoic, post-punk–leaning moments, the arrangements feel fluid and confident rather than boxed into a single mood.

My personal highlight is #2 “Reimagine,” which carries a sense of post-rock dynamism. The dramatic wall-of-sound finale in the second half is genuinely stirring. Tracks like #3 “Breathing Visions” and #6 “Caught In a Dream” pair decadent, flowing melodies with languid vocals in a way that should also resonate with fans of gothic rock.

As an aside, Regensburg happens to be one of my favorite cities in Germany. When I visited about a decade ago, the cathedral left such a powerful impression that it felt almost like being struck by lightning. That personal attachment probably makes me root for Swirlpool even more—but honestly, the music more than earns the enthusiasm.

Emilija Karosaitė is an artist with an unconventional background, having studied contemporary dance at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre while also working as a music creator.

Her debut album is structured as a suite, combining short, mostly instrumental pieces with four fully developed songs. Drawing from classical music, folk traditions, shoegaze, and industrial textures, the result showcases a distinctive talent that resists any easy “alternative” label.

The sound balances delicacy and unease, occasionally erupting into searing, heavy noise, while the exotic resonance of the Lithuanian language adds an almost ritualistic atmosphere. Listeners may find points of connection in the melancholic dream pop and shoegaze lineage of artists ranging from Mazzy Star to Wisp, or even approach it as a kind of folk-leaning progressive work.

That said, Karosaitė herself has noted that she does not see her music as bound to any specific genre, and expects listeners to come away with very different impressions. Take these references as loose guideposts at most—the meaning and appeal of this album ultimately depend on what you bring to it.

As a bonus, the music video for the title track also highlights her background in dance. With its Dario Argento-style saturated lighting and a clear nod to The Exorcist, it’s especially recommended viewing for longtime horror film fans.

The second album from El Paso, Texas-based post-punk/shoegaze band Lesser Care.

Formed in 2019, Lesser Care’s first release was as a trio, but the current lineup appears to be a duo: Andres Chavez (Gt/Vo) and Zane Pacillas (Dr/Vo). Mastered by Will Yip, known for his work with Nothing and Turnover, this album layers dreamy guitar and synth textures over a foundation of decadent, energetic post-punk, complemented by echo-laden, soft vocals. The result is a sweeter sound that should appeal to fans of dream pop and shoegaze alike. Standout track #5 “Candy” features intertwining shimmering guitar lines that recall early DIIV, as if sandwiched between two split selves. #3 “STREETWEAR” leans into punk, delivering driving riffs and intense exchanges between guitar and drums. Guest vocals on #6 “HEAVENLY” introduce a beautiful male-female twin vocal harmony, demonstrating careful attention to shoegaze listeners’ sensibilities.

While the album maintains high production quality, its closer alignment with dream pop and shoegaze slightly softens the darker edge present in their earlier work. For those who favored the more gothic-tinged vocals of the previous release, this may feel a little less intense. Interpreted alongside the cover art—which depicts a figure wrapping bandages around what was once a bloodied chain—the stylistic shift can be seen as a reflection of healing and transition.

Debut EP from LA-based artist Amira Elfeky, which instantly blew my mind when it appeared in my YouTube recommendations. If I had to sum it up in one phrase: Deftones × Evanescence.

While there are plenty of artists exploring a similar sound, few reach this level of quality. Fans of dark, heavy music will be throwing fists in the air.

The core of her sound draws from ’90s–2000s nu-metal, so it’s not pure shoegaze—though early track “Tonight” could pass a casual shoegaze test. If you love heavy shoegaze acts like Narrow Head, Loathe, or Wisp, give her a listen.

Her 2nd EP is also a masterpiece.

Review: Amira Elfeky — Surrender

Fourth EP from LA-based dream pop duo CD Ghost, formed by Cody Han and Blake Dimas. Serving as the B-side companion to their previous release Vignette I, this EP continues their signature dreamy synthwave approach, immersing the listener in a honey-sweet, romantic haze.

The darkwave elements have largely receded—making it a slightly tougher fit for our site’s usual scope—but a closer listen reveals traces of pain and melancholy lingering beneath the soft glow, which ultimately reaffirms its emotional pull.

Track #5 “Twin Peaks”, while never explicitly stated, is almost certainly an homage to the iconic TV series’ opening theme. The way repeating synth lines are gradually swallowed by creeping noise creates an unmistakably mysterious atmosphere.

New EP from TikTok-born shoegaze breakout Novulent.

He calls it an album—but honestly, either label works. What matters is that this release once again delivers heavy, melancholic shoegaze, now with noticeably stronger vocal expression and more memorable melodic hooks.

Standouts include the icy, Whirr-level heaviness of “Special” (#2), and “used goods” (#3), a collaboration with vvherearewe where dual vocals melt together into something unexpectedly romantic.

At the time of this EP’s release, Novulent’s Spotify monthly listeners sat at 1.47M. As of June 2024, that number has surged to 2.42M—putting him in the same league as Slowdive (2.56M) and Cocteau Twins (2.94M).

I was admittedly more critical during the VOL.1 era, but at this point there’s no denying it: his sound is the real deal. It’s easy to imagine this release appearing on many year-end best-of lists. With a new single scheduled for release on June 20, 2024, Novulent shows no signs of slowing down. The future looks extremely bright.