Given the critical backlash and derision Shoegaze garnered in the nineties at the hands of the British music press and publications such as the NME and Select, who favoured bland sixties Britpop revivalism (Oasis, Blur, Supergrass take a bow), the resurgence in recent times has proven somewhat surprising.
This can be attributed to bands such as Whirr, Nothing and Narrow Head sparking a newfound interest, especially amongst Gen Zers, none of whom were alive for the genre’s progenitors during their heyday; San Diego, California’s Sparkler are the latest to be added to the ranks of the aforementioned. The band was formed in 2019 from the ashes of Hug by Ashley “Tron” Castillo – Guitars/Vocals and Christopher Sennes – Guitars / Vocals, and they are joined by Amelia Sarkisian and Ian Marshall. Glidewinder is their sophomore release following up from 2023’s full-length debut Big Sonic Chill and the 2024 split with Doused.
“Slowerratic” brings to mind the “wooziness” found on My Bloody Valentine’s pre Loveless work. The track’s title is something of a misnomer as there’s nothing erratic about what is being presented here. Instead its beautifully crafted with whispered Vocals, Acoustic Guitar(s), and heavy Dinosaur Jr Fuzz, a wonderful opener. “Methadone Jesus” brings a psychedelic droning goodness to proceedings with some hints of vintage Spacemen 3 shining through, albeit minus the darkness and drug-fuelled chaos which cast a forever shadow on much of that overlooked band’s career. “Last Left” is a good deal more melancholic than its predecessors and initially makes the listener think they were hearing an outtake from Souvlaki, by Slowdive. Despite not featuring much in the way of lyrical fare, the track is nonetheless impressive in how it manages to convey raw, if somewhat painful emotions.
Speaking of Slowdive, their influence is once again noticeable with “Pet Hotel” displaying more of an ambient quality, sharing similarities to “Sing”, which saw a collaboration with the legendary Brian Eno, a definite standout. “Such Is” is ghostlier sounding, with nods to both Cocteau Twins and a thin veneer of Siouxsie and the Banshees Post-Punk/Goth Rock, stunning. “Postal” is reminiscent of yet more Shoegaze royalty, this time in the form of Lush. The track is possibly the most direct, “conventional” sounding pieces on the record, with some great alternating Vocal harmonies and hooks which grab you and never let go. It would be a stretch to call it pop, but there is a more melodic sensibility present, some of the noise dialled down to brilliant effect yet never fully abandoned.
“Untitled 2” has a slightly space-rock vibe ala Failure’s Fantastic Planet, mixed into their otherwise Shoegaze and Dream Pop sound. The track’s use of space (so to speak) also demonstrates that this is a band willing to use dynamics in a way which helps to distinguish them from some of the bands in their genre. “Come Today” is outright, unashamed My Bloody Valentine worship and will please fans who’ve been patiently waiting for well over a decade to hear new material. It also recalls some of the Valentine’s Kevin Shields work on the Lost in Translation soundtrack, especially the sense of longing which those pieces evoke. “Pruning” is predominantly an instrumental with a repetitive slow-core refrain which brings proceedings to an ethereal, gentle and highly effective conclusion.
Gliderwinder may not necessarily be reinventing the wheel sonically, but it does nonetheless contain great moments of experimentation and adventurousness which showcases a lot of promise for the future. Well worthy of your time and money.
Buy the album here:
https://sparklersd.bandcamp.com/album/glidewinder-2
7 / 10
REZA MILLS
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