Shoegaze

Shoegaze (originally called shoegazing and sometimes conflated with "dream pop") is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterized by its ethereal mixture of obscured vocals, guitar distortion and effects, feedback, and overwhelming volume. It emerged in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the late 1980s among neo-psychedelic groups who usually stood motionless during live performances in a detached, non-confrontational state. The name comes from the heavy use of effects pedals, as the performers were often looking down at their pedals during concerts.

Quotes about Shoegaze

• A number of critics claim to have coined the term back in the 1990s, including Andy Ross and Moose magazine, but they didn’t invent the music itself. The origins of the genre may depend on how strict your definition of shoegaze music is. Before the genre experienced a full-blown boom in the 1990s, albeit overshadowed by the giants of Britpop and grunge, a number of artists showed shoegaze leanings in their sound.
  • Elle Palmer of Far Out

• The original, early-’90s era of shoegaze took to the EP like ducks to water. Not to generalize but shoegaze bands tended to favor extended instrumental sections allowing them to bliss out on a riff, or even just a chord. A whole album of that might prove taxing for some, but with an EP, the indulgence is more digestible and the best groups’ EPs offered up a “hit,” a song where they really let go, and made room to experiment too. With acid house, the Manchester scene and grunge all happening at the same time, there was a lot of sonic osmosis going on.
  • Bill Pearis of Brooklyn Vegan [1]

• This unique genre is known for creating dreamy atmospheres with sound, obscure vocals, feedback, distortion, and amped-up volume.
  • Em Casalena of American Songwriter [2]

• Emerging in the United Kingdom in the late 1980s, shoegaze was Britain’s answer to America’s emerging grunge craze. [...] Obtaining the classic “shoegaze” sound requires the use of effect pedals to capture its spiraling complexity.
  • Miguel Gonzales of Daily Free Press [3]