Film School - P.S.

“P.S.” by Film School // Film School (2006)

Whenever I find myself missing the autumn months, or just looking for something familiar and comforting and lovely, this song does the trick. It’s been a quiet couple of days for new tracks, so being the weekend, I thought I’d post an old favorite that never gets old for me. “P.S.” is that perfect mixture of dream pop and shoegaze that hits all of the right notes. The droning, melancholic synth lines and somber guitar swirl together around the quiet, almost hushed vocals (that get more pronounced as the song progresses) creating some of the dreamiest sounds of the past ten years, but then when you’d think the song is going to start to fade away, the guitars shift and bulk up and everything starts to grow into this cacophonous shoegazer that leads the song to it’s incredible conclusion.  Film School has a lot of wonderful tracks in their catalog, but something about “P.S.” stays with me in a way that few songs are capable. It’s an absolute favorite that sounds best at night, under the stars. 

School of Seven Bells - The Night

“The Night” by School of Seven Bells // Ghostory (2012)

Just when I thought it was safe to put my list of favorite songs of the year to rest, School of Seven Bells has to go and release this driving, shimmering, shoegazer and now it’s on repeat for the foreseeable future. Absolutely magnificent. A must listen for fans of M83, Zola Jesus, and Curve.

(download) “The Night” by School of Seven Bells (via P4k)

Mint Julep - Cherry Radio

“Cherry Radio” by Mint Julep // Save Your Season (2011)

The new full length from Mint Julep is an dreamy, shoegazey beauty and you can stream the whole thing over at Soundcloud right now, courtesy of The Line of Best Fit. One of the standout tracks in an album loaded with ear goodies, is this one, “Cherry Radio”. It driving beat matches up nicely with the airy, ethereal synths and otherworldly vocals. Definitely a must listen for fans of Slowdive, Secret Shine, and Lush. 

(stream) Save Your Season by Mint Julep (via Soundcloud)

SPC ECO - Fading Out

“Fading Out” by SPC ECO // You Tell Me (2011)

SPC ECO are back with a new album loaded with chill shoegaze and ethereal dream pop. “Fading Out” is the jam that immediately grabbed my attention with it’s breathy vocals and soaring synths. Such a good jam. Like diving back into the golden age of shoegaze. For fans of Pale Saints, Secret Shine, and Curve. 

(stream and purchase) SPC ECO’s “You Tell Me” (via Bandcamp)

Secret Shine - It's Killing Me

secret shine - IT’S KILLING ME

Here’s a track included in the new Afterglow Mixtape. I’ve posted a couple of tracks from the new Secret Shine album already. This is more dream pop bliss. Shimmering guitars, whirling synths and melodic male/female vocals. I’ve said it already, but their new album is wonderful.

Secret Shine - Trying to Catch the End

secret shine - TRYING TO CATCH THE END

This will have been the third song that I’ve posted from my favorite album of the year so far (fuck it, it’s been 11 days, let’s start making lists). It’s not as immediately jaw-droppingly beautiful as the track “Harry” or as swoon-worth as the dream pop gem “Hole In Your Heart”, but “Trying to Catch the End” captures all the great things that i love about dream pop and shoegaze and bottles it down into just under four minutes. It’s a dreamy and sweet love song that turns into a burst of jagged guitars, pained longing, and beautiful piano. I fucking love this album. This song is no exception. And yes, it still sounds like some amazing long track from an early 90’s college radio station.

Secret Shine - Harry

secret shine - HARRY

After this evening and after all of this everything, why not cap it off with some sorrowful horns and beautiful instrumentation. Feels about right. The best two minutes and twenty seconds you’re liable to hear at this hour. Sad away your remaining hours awake.

Secret Shine - Hole In Your Heart

secret shine - HOLE IN YOUR HEART

Sounding somewhere between mid-80’s The Cure and early 90’s Sundays with a smidge of Cocteau Twins tossed in for good measure, i can’t help by wonder why in the shit i’ve never heard of Secret Smile before a couple of days ago. Their new album “The Beginning and the End” is solid shoegazey-dream pop through and through. This track is one that grabbed me early on thanks to the guitars that sound like they were laid down by Robin Guthrie. The male/female vocals are a nice touch as well. My descriptors are broken because I’m braindead this evening, but let’s just settle on this being a great little jam to discover, even if it does sound like it’s beaming from a college rock radio station in 1992.

For fans of: Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Sundays, Pale Saints