REVIEW

The second album from Philadelphia-based solo shoegaze project Nostalgiaisfun.

Departing sharply from the dreamier tone of its predecessor, this release embraces a far more decadent strain of shoegaze. Vast layers of reverb create a hollowed-out soundscape where vacant, whispered vocals linger like echoes in an empty room. Clean guitar tones fall like steady rainfall, guiding the listener at a slow, deliberate pace into deep melancholy rather than overwhelming them with sheer volume.

Particular attention is drawn to #4 “Decolate Circuit” and #6 “Existential Crisis,” both of which feature elegantly flowing string arrangements. Rather than relying on violins, the project incorporates viola and cello—an uncommon choice within shoegaze, where dense guitar distortion often leaves little room for such instrumentation. As a result, strings are rarely employed in the genre, yet these tracks demonstrate how, with careful arrangement, they can become a remarkably potent expressive tool.