VORTURA: Shoegaze of Australia & NZ

A collection of Shoegaze, Psych, Noise and Indie Rock from Australia & New Zealand.

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The 15 Greatest Aus/NZ Shoegaze Releases Ever (who doesn’t love a good list)

Bailter Space - Robot World Sandpit - On Second Thought Love Of Diagrams - Nowhere Forever Day Ravies - Tussle Colours - Colours EP Lowtide - No Horizon Zond - Zond Barnard’s Star - EP The Laurels - Mesozoic The Jean Paul Sartre Experience - Bleeding Star Beaches - In A While/Halve Underground Lovers - Dream It Down The Church - Priest = Aura Sounds Like Sunset - We Could Leave Tonight White Walls - Afterthoughts In Limbo

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It’s hard not to talk about shoegaze/dreampop in Australia without mentioning Lowtide. Made up of former members of The Morning After Girls and a handful of other great local bands from the last few years, their musical experience and maturity shows both on record and in a live setting. As a band they cover a huge sonic spectrum, dual basses shift emotional weight below shimmering clean guitars, with male and female vocals sprinkled through for good measure. This track is one of many great tunes on their S/T release.  The band also has a ridiculously good new single out which you can listen to here: https://lowtidemelbourne.bandcamp.com/album/julia-spring-7

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Another great band out of Melbourne, Contrast are making major waves in the music community with their quality songwriting, evocative guitar sounds and knack for a hook. They have a decidedly British take on the genre, at times sounding a little like Chapterhouse and Ride and all that good stuff. I believe these guys are about to embark on a US tour, seems like big things to come for this band

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‘tis a great time for Shoegaze & Dream Pop in Australia. Hideous Towns from Melbourne at times remind me of The Sundays or The Organ with their haunting female vocals and faraway drums. Other times they remind me of The Cure with their shimmery chorused textures and pulsing basslines. Regardless of what it reminds me of they bring their influences together with strong songwriting and production, and are one of many great bands coming out of this country right now.

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Ahoy, it's been a while... Here is Collider by Roku Music. This came out last year, here is in the standout track in my opinion. Probably one of the most 'pure' shoegaze albums to ever come out of this country. Mind blowing production and guitar tones..

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Here's some incredible noise rock/shoegaze from Melbourne quartet ZOND. This track is off their self titled album, and features some of the most dense, gripping sounds heard in the genre. Eagerly awaiting their second release...

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Here is a new music video from Wollongong, NSW band Miners. EP Due out later this year. If you like what you hear there’s more tracks at www.soundcloud.com/minersofpala

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Sydney's Swirl, circa 1990.

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So my friend gives me this CD of 6 tracks from a bunch of Melbourne teenagers called The Stevens. What i heard upon putting this disc on really took me by surprise. Part late 80's Flying Nun jangle-pop, part Zombies-esque harmonies, The Stevens have crafted 6 consistently good pop gems that really stand alone in terms of quality when compared to their contemporaries.

Crisp, subtle guitar melodies weave in and out of throbbing basslines and woozy keyboard lines, crafting a colourful musical tapestry that to me sounds like a long lost tape of The Chills or The Clean.

Recorded in a bedroom, it is captured in a lo-fi haze that suits the band to a tee. There is a great feeling of authenticity that i get from listening to these guys, like they REALLY dig music and want to create stuff that people will cherish and listen to for years to come.

This track is my favourite from the release, Teenage Satellites. Check them out live if you get the chance. What a bright future ahead for these young men.

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One of my favourite new bands coming out of Melbourne, Australia. White Walls take inspiration from the harder side of shoegaze, from bands like Swervedriver, Loop and Sonic Youth, even hints of Black Metal can be found in there. You can tell these guys really like fucking around with their gear, trying to create the biggest baddest guitar tones ever. I really dig their approach. With already 4 releases under their belt, these guys aren't going away anytime soon hopefully. You can grab their awesome self titled album here: http://whitexwallsx.bandcamp.com/www.bandamp.com/whitexwalls

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Out of Sydney comes the fantastic Day Ravies, with their debut single Double Act. Saw these guys a month or so ago and they blew me away. Fantastic, understated pop songs overflowing with subtly pretty melodies, kraut-inspired drumming and soft whispery vocals.  Reminds me a lot of Minimum Chips and Stereolab. Album is due later this year.

http://dayravies.bandcamp.com/

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Killer first release from Sydney's favourite psych/garage band, East River.

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Here's a great little song from former Sydney band Radio. Made up of members that would go on to form East River and Silver Moon, Radio had a sound that was somewhere in between Flying Saucer Attack and Teenage Fanclub. This is the only track I have ever heard from these guys, let me know if you know of any others.

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Most recent video from New Zealand's Bailter Space. After reuniting for last year's Strobosphere, the band has been playing a few show's around their homeland, to rave reviews. From what i've seen they haven't missed a beat. Definitely see these guys live if you get the chance!

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Debut EP from Sydney band Colours. Released by Free Loving Anarchists (The label run by Texan gazers Pink Playground) in 2010. Beautiful production that reminds me of the early Drop Nineteens demos, as well as the more recent works of Pink Playground. Definitely one to watch!

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The Laurels - Soul Arising

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