Born in the United Kingdom in the late 80's, Shoegaze never reached the dizzying heights of Rock n'Roll or mainstream Pop Music. A derivative of Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia and Alternative Rock, it always oscillates in the middle of the musical spectrum, consistently staying in the shadow of the mainstream culture and targeting a very specific set of audience.
The distinctively unique sound of the genre features incredibly creative guitar effects that blends with the homogeneous vocal melodies inducing a very ambient, atmospheric and conciliating effect on the brain.
So without further ado, here are the five essential Shoegaze records of all time.
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, My Bloody Valentine spent two meticulous and pedantic years in a whopping 19 studios, almost pushing their record label Creation into bankruptcy before producing their genre defining album Loveless.
Released in 1991, the album initially had little chart success but its influence grew over time. Loveless is widely regarded as the greatest Shoegaze album of all time.
Slowdive - Souvlaki
Released in 1993, Souvlaki is Reading rockers Slowdive's second full length studio album. Although still receiving mixed reviews from critics, Souvlaki has solidified its position in the genre's greatest hits collection over the years.
The album however failed to garner mainstream success in the United Kingdom as the rise of Britpop with Oasis and Blur coupled with the steady decline of Shoegaze, overshadowed any hope for global recognition for arguably Slowdive's best work till date.
Ride - Nowhere
Nowhere was Oxford outfit Ride's first full length album. Released in 1990, it features eight glorious tracks including the number one hit Vapor Trail.
Sung by Andy Bell, who would later go on to play Bass in Oasis, the song was critically acclaimed by numerous publications and can still be heard on the radio sometimes.
Often described to be drawing inspiration from My Bloody Valentine, Ride's sound on this record is considered to be 'a bit rockier than The Stone Roses'. Pitchfork media named it among the top 100 albums of the 1990's.
Lush - Spooky
Spooky is Lush's first full length record. Produced by the legendary Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins in 1992, Spooky topped the national Indie charts and also reached the British Top Ten.
The album features a varied range of guitar effects, quite similar to Cocteau Twins which is understandable considering who produced it. But Guthrie's production was criticized for fiddling with the band's original sound. Regardless, the album did surprisingly well on the charts.
Chapterhouse - Whirlpool
One of the best works this genre has ever witnessed, Whirlpool encapsulates all the quintessential characteristics required to become a major success. Released in 1991, the album peaked at 23 in the UK charts.
Pearl, the second track on the record, features guest vocals from Rachel Goswell of Slowdive.
