SHOEGAZE MAP

We collected data about shoegaze bands all over the world and made a map for discovering new music!

SHOEGAZE

is a musical genre that originated in the 1980s in Great Britain. It is characterized by a tight sound with many effects. The genre got its name thanks to British journalists, who characterized the musicians, who on stage behaved passively and aloof, focusing on the music and guitar extras. The constant use of pedal effects, on which musicians focused their gaze, became one of the most distinctive features in the image of the shoegazers.

As a rule, musically, it is very easy to distinguish shoegaze from other alternative rock. Rhythm guitars are usually played at the same time to create a fuzzy timbre. Riffs are certainly present in most cases, but do not play a primary role. The vocals in such music usually "sink" into the background of the music, like another instrument, and it is problematic to hear the lyrics. The lyrics are usually dedicated to reveries or unfulfilled dreams, which sends the viewer to reflect and immerse themselves in their thoughts.

Characteristics of Shoegaze Music

Atmospheric, layered guitars
Building on the legacy of My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields, most shoegaze guitarists multitrack their instruments and bury them in reverb, which creates a distorted wall of sound. Shield's signature sound also comes from moving the vibrato arm on his Fender Jazzmaster as he strums chords. This has helped make the Jazzmaster the guitar of choice for many shoegazers.
Vocals buried deep in a mix
Like other rock genres including post-rock and math rock, shoegaze rarely prioritizes lead vocals among other instruments. A shoegaze vocalist typically plays other instruments and only occasionally sings. When they do, their voice is notably buried in the mix. My Bloody Valentine's second album, Loveless, exemplifies this mixing technique.
Contrast between vocals and guitars
Most shoegaze albums show tremendous contrast between heavily distorted guitars and clean, pristine vocals often performed by female singers like Slowdive's Rachel Goswell and Lush's Miki Berenyi. Strong examples of this contrast can be heard on Slowdive's Souvlaki, My Bloody Valentine's mbv, and The Jesus and Mary Chain's 'Just Like Honey', of their debut album, Psychocandy.

Several musical genres had a strong influence on shoegaze

But where all of this started? And with what?

let's know more!

our team

Vsevolod Piniazhin
Data Collection, Analyst
Xenia Vachrameeva
Frontend