Taking inspiration as much from early Sonic Youth as they do Slowdive, Minneapolis’ Waveless make a poppy, dreamy racket that is more dynamic than many of their “nu-gaze” compatriots. Having played together previously in the perfectly insouciant punk band Total Trash, they have a raw, joyful energy that flickers through even their quieter moments. Finding blissful moments in bleak landscapes, they serve as a good reminder that so much original shoegaze was actually circuit-bent on joy, not trying to reach the total annihilation of feeling. More spring thaw than icy tundra, these are songs with enough embedded hope to carry one through the darker days.
Spirit Island is available January 29 via Deranged Records. You can stream it in full below:
