Despite offering the best balance of sonic heaviness and atmospheric dynamics when done right, the Shoegaze genre can find bands all too often relying on the nostalgia of nineties guitar sounds and becomes an airy dungeon for gear fiends with a pedal fetish to instruments within. This is not the case on Midscale’s new EP, Dread, This Could Save You. Instead, the French band invests in songwriting and gives vocals more of a priority, rather than relegating them to just being a human layer in a sea of delay. 

This is not to say they are totally uninterested in capturing the woozy guitar tone of My Bloody Valentine, as they do this on the opening track; they have just taken a more Indie Rock approach, and by making different production choices and not dousing the vocals in a tone of effects, and giving them a more front and center place in the final mix.  So if you are just into the kinds of Shoegaze bands that only offer that more whispered androgynous coo, then this might not be your flavor. What you will be missing out on are lyrics that you can actually decipher, but that kind of depth is not for everyone.

This carries over to a greater extent on the second song, “Screengaze,” the guitar ringing out in less of a wall-of-sound manner, and more like The Smiths. The sullen croon of the baritone vocals might not carry the anxious tension of post-Punk, but it comes closer to the genre than Shoegaze here. Here, their strength as a band is displayed, setting them apart from what other bands are doing. This is also accomplished in the more nuanced vocal approach with this song. They are also very dynamic songwriters. Giving the vocals priority falls in line with this. This can also be felt in the very organic flow of “Blurry.” 

The last song finds the vocal melody carrying more of an apathetic drone that sets the stage for the more intense sonic build that grows around them. While this all sounds great, it is more of an abstract arrangement than a hookier songwriting formula they have managed to balance up until this point. Things get heavier, with an angrier shout to the vocals highlighting the dynamic shift, which is a build you won’t expect since it is never foreshadowed with any other strong sonic responses like this one. It’s cool that they are willing to take it there. Overall, what they do here works better than most, since they are writing songs and keep the vocals vital, which places them ahead of the pack when it comes to Indie Rock-flavored Shoegaze in 2026 

Buy the album here:
https://midscale.bandcamp.com/album/dread-this-could-save-you

9 / 10
WIL CIFER
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