Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, up-and-coming shoegaze band Smush is quickly making their mark on the music scene, challenging and redefining what shoegaze means to a wider audience with their new album.
For those not familiar with the genre of shoegaze, the term has its roots in the late 1980s indie rock scene taking place in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The sound mainly consists of distorted guitars and heavy effects pedals. However, the genre gets its name from the style of how the musicians would play often staring at their pedals in a trance like state, coining the term ‘Shoegaze.’ A wide variety of bands, such as My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and the Drop-Nineteens, would bring the lesser known sound into the mainstream. The indie band making waves consists of Emily King as the band’s bassist and vocalist, Atley King as the band’s guitarist, and Jay Christie on drums.
As early as February of this year, they began their gradual rise, publishing their early demo work onto platforms such as YouTube without much viewership. However, it was their hit single “If We Didn’t Cry” that brought them a wave of success with over thirty-one thousand views on YouTube, and by June 15 they would go on to release their debut album If you were here, I’d be home now under Candlepin Records.
Featuring strong guitars melancholy vocals and a rich track list containing phenomenal songs like ‘fivefivefive’ and ‘sweetheart,’ this melancholy album discusses a combination of belonging and the sting of one’s past relationships. These songs manages to captivate your attention from the killer start to its powerful finish, as each track has a unique riff that works to linger throughout its entirety.
After releasing their debut album, they would proceed to play a few more shows at the Green Auto Music Venue and the Red Gate Art Society with several musicians from the local scene. As time goes on, it became apparent that this band has a killer sound and a dynamic lineup, quickly making a name for themselves. Smush is continuously gaining a mighty fan base as they continue to play with more local musicians, release more music and counting to expand their impressive discography.
Furthermore, it’ll be interesting to see where they go next as they continue making a name for themselves, and we would definitely encourage you to check them out and give their music a listen.
I'm from Plano, Texas. As an advanced technical theater student at Plano East Senior High, I have a deep passion for physical media, particularly collecting records and CDs. I'm also an avid member of my high school's tech crew, where I spend much of my time building and assembling, which fuels my creativity. When I'm not in the classroom shop crafting the next set piece, you can find me vibing to the eclectic sounds of Le Tigre, They Might Be Giants, and Mazzy Star.
