LOST SHOEGAZE. FORGOTTEN BANDS, GREAT SONGS

Forgotten treasures of the shoegaze/ dreampop genre and closely related styles (influenced by the time in which they were released). Most bands are pretty much forgotten, despite excellent songs. Here is the complete list of all the bands you can find in a playlist on Spotify. Individual parts have so far been shared on all social channels like Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr and Reddit. Will be updated constantly... At the end of the list you can send me a comment if, for example, there are mistakes in my list or if you have recommendations for other forgotten bands (music should be on Spotify). I'm looking forward to it!

 Playlist on Spotify. Playlistcover: Old Magic Pallas (Bra)

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• Artist: The Charlottes (Cambridgshire, UK)
• Releases: Love Happy (1989), Things Come Apart (1991) & a best of compilation
• 1988-1990. Another favourite band of John Peel, for whom they recorded a radio session in 1989. Drummer Simon Scott left to join Slowdive. 

• Artist: Televise (UK)
• Different releases between 2005-2009 on Spotify
• Another band from Simon Scott with different sound influences and experiments. Also highly recommended feat. Simon Scott: Lowgold and Inner Sleeve (a band for the next episode)

• Artist: The Lassie Foundation (California, US)
• Releases: Singles, compilations and 4 albums
• 1996-2006. Band of Jeff Schroeder, who then joined The Smashing Pumpkins from 2007-2023, Wayne Everett & Eric Campuzano, who played for Starflyer 59 (1997-2000) among others, and Frank Lenz, drummer for Richard Swift, The Weepies, Everest, Pedro The Lion, Starflyer 59.

• Artist: The Prayer Chain (California, US)
• Releases: Three albums (1992-1995), 'Mercury‘ (1995) has the most gazey vibes with distorted guitars.
• Christian alternative rock band & the band before The Lassie Foundation feat. Wayne Everett & Eric Campuzano. Also with Tim Taber, founder of Floodgate Records (2000-2008) and Andrew Prickett, played with The Violet Burning, My Brother's Mother, OneRepublic and others.

• Artist: Gaslight Radio (Queensland, Australia)
• Releases: Handful albums, but only a Best of 1996-2006 compilation on Spotify
• Active 1995-2006. Fun fact: In June 2015 Emporio Armani select the song 'Change the Ending‘ for an ad campaign.

• Artist: Difference Engine (Rhode Island, US)
• Album releases: Breadmaker (1997), Flex Lavender (a ‚lost‘ album, released in 2023)
• Active in the 90s, split after a label drama. Members joing later Fern Knight, Skating Club and Magic Shoppe

• Artist: Ports Of Call (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Release: Like Thieves (album, 2008) & Fractals (ep, 2011)
• Band with Thomas Andrews, who then founded Philly Band 'a certain smile' 

• Artist: Blueshift Signal (Rhode Island, US)
• Releases: Seven Natural Scenes (album 1994)
• Active between 1989 and 1997

• Artist: Half String (Arizona, US)
• Releases: A Fascination Of Heights (album, 1996) & few singles/ compilation
• Active between 1991 and 1997

• Artist: The Morelings (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 
• Releases: Same Century (album, 2017)
• Duo of Kedra Caroline and Matthew William playing dreamlike hypnotic indie pop.

• Artist: Power Pyramid (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
• Releases: Handful of single and four albums (between 2013 and 2017)

• Artist: Volplane (Colorado, US)
• Release: Volplane – Retrospective (1997-1999)
• Active between 1996 and1999

• Artist: Skywave (Virginia, US)
• Releases: A handful releases between 1998 and 2004
• Most active between 1999 and 2001. Old band of Oliver Ackermann (A Place To Bury Strangers), the rest of the band (inkl. John Fedowitz reformed Skywave under the name Ceremony

• Artist: Screen Vinyl Image (Virginia, US) 
• Releases: Four albums (2009-2014)
• Electronic Psychedelic Shoegaze, formed by ex-members of Alcian Blue

• Artist: Elysium (Los Angeles, California)
• Releases: Glisten (album, 1995)
• Formed in the early 1990s and disbanded 1996. Only one album, but a milestone.

• Artist: When The Sun Hits (Nottingham, UK)
• Release: Immersed Within Your Eyes (2017)
• Strangely enough, the brilliant title track is not on this anthemic six song ep, released by Saint Marie Records (Texas), apparently only on a Static Waves compilation

• Artist: Drowner (Houston, Texas)
• Release: Drowner (2012), You’re Beautiful, I Forgive You
• Two of their best songs are only on the Stativ Waves compilations, but ’Stay With Me’ (2013) is also a banger. A Saint Marie Records band, too

• Artist: Jetmann Jet Team (Seattle, Washington)
• Releases: Three albums on Spotify (2013/ 2014), ‚We Will Live the Space Age‘ is the debut
• Info: Formed in 2011, pych-gaze, another Saint Marie Records band

• Artist: Les autres (Rennes, France)
• They released two 7", a split 7" and an album. Compilation ‚Backward‘ on Spotify by Jigsaw Records.
• Info: noisy-pop and shoegaze band from 1991 to 1995

• Artist: Windermere (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Releases: The World Is Here (2004), No One Wins (2006)
• An epic song

• Artist: Lyca Sleep (South Yorkshire, UK)
• Release: Closer In (ep, 2005)
• Info: Formed in late 2001

• Artist: Foxtail Somersault (San Francisco, California)
• Releases: Fathom (2007) & Reflection (2010)
• Info: Formed in 2004

• Artist: The Sorry Shop (Rio Grande, RS, Brazil)
• Releases: Bloody, Fuzzy, Cozy (2012) & Mnemonic Syncretism (2013) & Softspoken (2017)
• Info: Formed in 2011. They are 2 different artist profiles on Spotify, but it is the same band

• Artist: Pink Playground (Houston, Texas)
• Releases: Destination Ecstasy (album, 2011)
• Romantic pop-duo

• Artist: MOVIELAND (Vancouver, Cn)
• Song: I Relate (from the 90s)
• Info: This is MOVIELAND's advance single, ahead of the release of their full album Then & Now, out on Dec 13, 2024! This Vancouver shoegaze troupe from the ‘90s is having their work beautifully reissued on 604 Records’ new archival series, 604 Decades, which pays tribute to Vancouver’s overlooked artists from decades past. Movielands sound, often considered ahead of its time, defined a unique chapter in the underground music scene of the early ‘90s when Nirvana and Sonic Youth were on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream. 604recordsinc 

• Artist: Ether Aura (Detroit, Mi)
• Song: „Falling“ from the album „Crush“ (2005)
• Info: Active between 2004-2008. Band of Tony Hamera & vocalist Kate Hinote (then fronting alt.rock band The Blueflowers for 15 years, today she’s is making great „cinematic folk acoustic“ with the excellent Kate Hinote Trio) 

• Artist: Mistle Trush (Boston, Ma)
• Song: „Champion Jack“ (from the debut ep „Agus Amarach“, 1994)
• Info: Active between 1993-2002.The former band of lead singer Valerie Forgione, who now plays outstanding, dreamy shoegaze/ indie rock with Lovina Falls 

• Artist: Modern Charms (San Francisco, Ca)
• Song: „When We Get There“ from the one and only self-titled album, 2013
• Info: Dreamy shoegazing bliss-pop. A re-press of the vinyl was planned for this year on KR Records 

• Artist: Roe-Deer (Prague; Cz) 
• Song: „Happy“ from the debut album „Everforever“, 2001
• Info: Active between 1999-2008. Various line-up changes. Singer Ema Brabcová and guitarist Filip Míšek founded the wonderful electronic/atmospheric pop group Khoiba after leaving the band in 2002. 

• Artist: The Spiny Anteaters
• Country: Ottawa, Canada
• Highlight song: 10 Years Ago (1994)
• Info: A Kranky Records (Chicago) band

• Artist: Snowpony
• Country: London, England
• Highlight song: Easy Way Down (1996)
• Info: Initially formed in 1996 by Katharine Gifford (Moonshake) and Debbie Googe (My Bloody Valentine)

• Artist: A.C. Temple
• Country: Sheffield, England
• Highlight song: Miss Sky (1989)
• Info: Active from 1985 to 1991

• Artist: Maids Of Gravity
• Country: California, US
• Highlight song: Moon Spiders (1995)

• Artist: Here
• Country: Czech Republic
• Highlight song: For My Star (1993)
• Info: Three shoegazing albums, a John Peel favourite band

• Artist: Toyen
• Country: Czech Republic
• Highlight song: Last Free Swans! (1992)
• Info: Formed in 1989

• Artist: Whipped Cream
• Country: Gothenburg, Sweden
• Highlight song: Observator Crest (1992)
• Info: Active from 1989 to mid 1990s

• Artist: Snapper 
• Country: Dunedin, New Zealand
• Highlight song: Gentle Hour (1993)
• Info: Active from 1989 to 1996. Band of Peter Gutteridge (1961-2014), pioneering the Dunedin sound with The Clean and The Chills

• Artist: Llala Farmers
• Country: Greenwich, England
• Highlight song: Yellow (1999)
• Info: Formed in 1997

• Artist: The Hobbes Fanclub (Shelflife Records)
• Country: Bradford, UK
• Highlight song: Your Doubting Heart (2014)

• Artist: Bang Bang Machine
• Country: Evesham, Worcestershire (England)
• Highlight song: 16 Years (1992)
• Info: Active from 1989-1996

• Artist: Skinny Dream
• Country: Southend on Sea, UK
• Highlight song: Crush (2013)

• Artist: Venus Beads
• Country: Stoke in Trent, England
• Highlight song: Moon is red (1991)
• Info: Feat. Rob Jones (member of Exit Condition)

• Artist: Youth In Bloom
• Country: Williamsport, Pennsylvania
• Highlight song: Crush (2015)

• Artist: Swirl (Halfacow Records)
• Country: Sydney, Australia
• Highlight song: The Last Unicorn (1994)
• Info: Debut album ‚Aurora‘ (1992) also brilliant

• Artist: Edweena
• Country: Stockholm, Sweden
• Highlight song: Thunderboy (2013)
• Info: Feat. Johannes Göthager, who now releases great DIY dream/space pop under Darkly

• Artist: Roku Music
• Country: Brisbane, Australia
• Highlight song: Collider (2012)

• Artist: Spoonfed Hybrid
• Country: Leeds/ Sheffield, England
• Highlight song: Heaven’s Knot (1993)
• Info: Duo of Ian Masters (Pale Saints) & Chris Trout (A.C. Temple). A 30th Anniversary edition of their one & only album just came out via 4AD Records

• Artist: Sad Day For Puppets
• Country: Blackebourg (Sweden)
• Highlight song: Blue Skies (2008)
• Info: Formed in 2006, last release 2013

• Artist: Seely
• Country: Atlanta, US
• Highlight song: Wind & Would (1996)
• Info: Feat. Steven Satterfield, award-winning (Miller Union Chef)

• Artist: Afraid Of Stairs
• Country: Sweden
• Highlight song: Tell Him How You Feel (2006)

• Artist: The Sunshine Factory
• Country: Alabama, US
• Highlight song: Don’t Fall Asleep (2011)

• Artist: Miss Bliss
• Country: Michigan, US
• Highlight song: Emily’s Shoes (1998)

• Artist: Whirlaway
• Country: Florida, US
• Highlight song: Strange Planes (2006)
• Info: Formed 1999

• Artist: The Ludvico Treatment
• Country: Toronto, Canada
• Highlight song: Enter Secondary Character (2011)

• Artist: Sleepy Township
• Country: Perth, Australia
• Highlight song: Just a Sec (1998)
• Info: Feat. Guy Blackman from Chapter Music Label and painter Mia Schoen

• Artist: Monoland 
• Country: Berlin, Germany
• Highlight song: De Pale (2001)
• Info: Formed in 1996, disbanded 2022

• Artist: The Airfields
• Country: Toronto, Canada
• Highlight song: Never See You Smile (2008
• Info: Band of David Lush (Analytica, Memorex)

• Artist: The Blanche Hudson Weekend
• Country: Leeds, UK
• Highlight song: Grip Of Fear (2010)

• Artist: Suredo
• Country: Linköping, Sweden
• Highlight song: Sonic Atmosphere (1992)

• Artist: Averkiou
• Country: Florida, USA
• Highlight song: New York Friends (2008)

• Artist: paint in watercolour
• Country: Niigata, Japan
• Highlight song: Heal All (1993)
• Info: First formed in 1989, they remain one of the first, most significant and popular shoegaze bands in Japanese music

• Artist: Nipples
• Country: Taiwan
• Highlight song: City (2005)
• Info: Band of White Wabbit Records, the raddest independent record shop in Taiwan. Follow-up band: Aphasia, somewhat better known and also great.

• Artist: Sweet Jane
• Country: Ireland
• Highlight song: Texas Tears (2010)

• Artist: ArtClassSink
• Country: Oxford, UK
• Highlight song: Someone To Try For (2013)

• Artist: Charmparticles
• Country: Oregon, US
• Highlight song: Solvent (2004)

• Artist: Sonnet XVIII
• Country: Philippines
• Highlight song: Treasure Heaven (taken from the great Awanggan compilation of filipino shoegaze history, Grey Market Record)
• Info: First shoegaze band from the Philippines, founded 1996

• Artist: Cat-a-tac
• Country: Denver, US
• Highlight song: We’re all gone
• Info: One album in 2007 („Past Lies And Former Lives“) with atmospheric melodies & winning beats

• Artist: April Fool’s Day
• Country: Barcelona (Spain)
• Latest release (Spotify): Cloudless (2013)
• Highlight song: The Farewell of a Sad Clown

• Artist: Love/Comes
• Country: Kuching (Malaysia)
• Highlight song: His Gesture Of Love (2011)
• Info: Only one release on Spotify, the 3-pc „The WKND Sessions“

• Artist: Snoww Crystal
• Country: Vienna (Austria)
• Highlight song: One Sided (2013)
• Info: Only one release on Spotify (2-pc single)

• Artist: Mean Red Spiders
• Country: Toronto (Canada)
• Latest release (Spotify): Still Fast Moving (2003)
• Highlight song: Compromise (2000)
• Info: Formed in 1993

• Artist: Thee Heavenly Music Association
• Country: Los Angeles, US
• Highlight song: Angelic Discorder (2004)
• Info: „Shaping the Invisible“ from 2004 is the only album of duo Dave Hillis (best known for engineering Pearl Jam’s „Ten“) and Helen Storer (from all girl punk band Fluffy)

• Artist: Evening Lights
• Country: San Francisco, US
• Latest release (Spotify): The Disappointment (Compilation 2012)
• Highlight song: Ocean Coming
• Info: Existed from 2002-2004

• Artist: Poundsign
• Country: California, US
• Latest release: Wavelength (1998)
• Highlight song: Button (1996)

• Artist: Mumbly
• Country: Paris, France
• Latest release: Beeing Ernest (1998)
• Highlight song: Demain (1998)

• Artist: Lotus Crown
• Country: Dublin/ Chicago
• Latest release: Chokin’ On The Jokes (1997)
• Highlight song: The Well (Of a Mother’s Symphony)

• Artist: Maria False
• Country: Rennes, France
• Latest release: When (2015)
• Highlight song: Head (2015)

• Artist: Smashing Orange
• Country: Delaware, US
• Latest release: No Return In The End (1994)
• Highlight song: Just Before I Come (Believe Me)

• Artist: Ask For Joy
• Country: Texas, US
• Latest release: A Blow and a Kiss (2017)
• Highlight song: Under a Breaking Wave (2017)

• Artist: Bleach
• Country: England
• Latest release: Song taken from the C91 compilation
• Highlight song: Bethesda (1991)
• Info: Founded 1989, two ep and one album (1991/ 1992)

• Artist: The Belltower
• Country: New York/ London
• Latest release: Popdropper (1992)
• Highlight song: Outshine the Sun (1992)

• Artist: Static Daydream
• Country: Virginia, US
• Latest release: Static Daydream (2015)
• Highlight song: Run into the Night (2015)

• Artist: The Becketts
• Country: West Country, UK
• Highlight song: The Most Beautiful Girl In Town (1989)
• Info: Taken from the compilation C89 (2018)

• Artist: Drop
• Country: UK
• Highlight song: Within and Beyond (1991)
• Info: Taken from the compilation „Cherry Stars Collide – Dreampop, Shoegaze 1986-1995“

• Artist: Pory Lucsin
• Country: Argentina
• Latest release: Singles (2009)
• Highlight song: Stars Can Frighten (2008)

• Artist: Hypergálicticos
• Country: ???
• Latest release: EP (2011)
• Highlight song: Atardeceres Violentos (2011)

• Artist: Black Mustangs feat. Sapphira Singgih
• Country: Jakarta, Indonesia
• Latest release: Black Mustangs (2014)
• Highlight song: Black Heavens of Hell (2014)

• Artist: Linoleum
• Country: Philadelphia/ New Jersey (US)
• Latest release: The Race From The Burning Building (2000)
• Highlight song: Black Dress (2000)
• Info: Band feat. Paul Jones, later Elastica, then head of A&R at Rough Trade Records

• Artist: The Werefrogs
• Country: New York, US
• Latest release: Swing (1993)
• Highlight song: Don’t Slip Away (1992)

• Artist: Sweet Jesus
• Country: UK
• Latest release: 3-piece single (1992)
• Highlight song: Albino Ballerina (1992)
• Info: The song was chosen by radio DJ and music journalist Mark Radcliffe as the Single of the Year for his 1992 NME end-of-year roundup

• Artist: Vaportrail
• Country: San Francisco, US
• Latest release: The Angel Has Landed (2001)
• Highlight song: Eta Carina (2001)
• Info: Formed in 1996

• Artist: Pray TV
• Country: Naarm/ Melbourne, Australia
• Latest release: Horizontal Life (2016)
• Highlight song: Spent (1991)

• Artist: Technicolor Teeth
• Country: Wisconsin, US
• Latest release: Teenage Pagans (2012)
• Highlight song: Magick Sunlamp (2012)

• Artist: The Rosemary Beads
• Country: Perth, Australia
• Latest release: Shine (2016)
• Highlight song: Wedding Song (1994)

• Artist: The Rosaries
• Latest release: Engine Common (compilation, 1993)
• Highlight song: Leaving (1992)
• Info: A short-lived indiepop group who released one 7" single on the legendary Sarah Records label in 1992

• Artist: Sonic Discruptor
• Country: Brazil
• Latest release: Poppers (1995)
• Highlight song: Landscape Lane (1995)

• Artist: Deardarkhead
• Country: Atlantic City, NJ (US)
• Latest release: Strange Weather (2016)
• Highlight song: Alone With You (1999)

• Artist: Hideous Town
• Country: Naarm/ Melbourne, Australia
• Latest release (Spotify): Disquiet Living (2016)
• Highlight song: Don’t Forget (2016)

• Artist: The Sky Drops
• Country: Wilmington, Delaware (US)
• Latest release: Bourgeois Beat (2009)
• Highlight song: Swimming with Fishes (2009)

• Artist: Juned
• Country: Seattle, Washington (US)
• Latest release: Every Night for You (1996)
• Highlight song: Kyuss (1996)

• Artist name: We Need Secrets
• Country: Nova Scotia, Halifax (Cn)
• Highlight song: How you remember (2013)
• Info: Solo project of Kestrels’ Chad Peck

• Artist: A Shrine
• Country: Sweden
• Highlight song: Foursome (1994)

• Artist: Soðin Fiðla
• Country: Iceland
• Highlight song: Fyrirmind (1997)

• Artist: clear horizon
• Country: Ohio, US (2003)
• Highlight song: Open Road (2003)

• Artist: You Walk Through Walls 
• Country: Sussex, UK
• Highlight song: Burning Inside (2014)
• Info: Matt Bartram and James Harrison are both in successful Brighton band Air Formation . This album was created after the (temporary) split in 2011

• Artist: Monsterland
• Country: Connecticut, US
• Highlight song: Rid Of You (1993)

• Artist: Lavender Faction
• Country: Durham, UK
• Highlight song: Ride (1990)

• Artist: Mollycuddle
• Country: Minnesota, US
• Highlight song: king me (1998)
• Info: Active from 1994 to 2000. Irresistibly listenable candy-glazed voice.

• Artist: suā
• Country: New York, US
• Highlight song: All You Have (2013)

• Artist: Tse Tse Fly
• Country: Leeds, UK
• Latest release: Mudflat Joey (1994)
• Highlight song: Itchy (1994)
• Info: From 1988 to 1994, three founding members later joined The Wedding Present. 

• Artist: Morellas Forest 1988
• Country: California, US
• Latest release: Tales (1988)
• Highlight song: Cherry Tree Prairie
• Info: Recorded by a pair of 16-and-18-year-old brothers

• Artist: Strata Florida
• Country: Wales, UK
• Latest release: Made of Stars (2014)
• Highlight song: Monster (2014)
• Info: Formed in 2012 by Louise Trehy, known in the early 90s as one half of the fantastic band Swallow 

• Artist: LOCO-HOLIDAYS
• Country: Japan
• Latest release: Screw (1992)
• Highlight song: The Fountain (1992)
• Info: one of the first shoegaze bands from Japan

• Artist: For Those Who Know
• Country: Austin, Texas
• Latest release: Pop Sickle (2011)
• Highlight song: Wimbledon (2011)
• Info: Formed in 2003; besides „Pop Sickle“, the debut from 2006 is also legendary

• Artist: Believo!
• Country: Belgium
• Latest release: Hard To Find (2012)
• Highlight song: It’s Now (2012)
• Info: Formed in 2003

• Artist: Decahedron
• Country: Washington D.C., US
• Latest release: Disconnection_imminent (2004)
• Highlight song: Landscapes (2002)
• Info: Formed in 2001, emerged from DC punk band Frodus

• Artist: Mindscape
• Country: Stockholm, Sweden
• Latest release: Bring You Down (1992)
• Highlight song: Blueprint (1992)
• Info: Formed in 1992; in 1993 it was all over. Nice to hear the influences of the time (roaring guitars and Madchester dance music beats)

• Artist: Lenola
• Country: New Jersey, US
• Latest release: Sharks & Flames (2003)
• Highlight song: Shared a Route (1996)
• Info: Formed in 1994

• Artist: Old Magic Pallas (the band on the playlist cover)
• Country: Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Latest release (Spotify): Pull My Daisy (1995, remastered 2024)
• Highlight song: Stargazer (1995)
• Info: Formed in the mid 90's. Nice that this treasure has been polished up!

• Artist: The Great Wilderness 
• Country: Costa Rica
• Latest release: In The Hour Of The Wolf (2013)
• Highlight song: Nicholas Cage (2013)
• Info: Still playing live, sometimes...

• Artist: Astreal
• Country: Singapore
• Highlight song: Wallflower (2006)
• Info: Formed in 1992

• Artist: The Caulfield Sisters
• Country: Brooklyn, NY
• Highlight song: Box of Glass (2013)
• Info: Formed in 2000.

• Artist: Colfax Abbey
• Country: Minneapolis, MN
• Highlight song: Chameleon (1996)
• Info: Mid '90's indie band

• Artist: Laboratory Noise
• Country: Bradford, UK
• Highlight song: You Can Never Get Inside Someone Else’s Head (2006)
• Info: Formed in 2005

• Artist: Study of the Lifeless
• Country: US
• Highlight song: Promised Land (1999)

• Artist: Moral Mazes
• Country: US
• Highlight song: Gold Beach Fortress

• Artist: The Crash That Took Me
• Country: Dallas, US
• Highlight song: Deeper Than The Sun’s Pulse (2007)

• ‘Latest Release’ information refers to the artist page on Spotify
” The links provided open in new windows and go to Wikipedia or artist pages for further information
• The playlist and the lists will continue to be updated at irregular intervals and new bands and songs will be added.