Indie Basement is a weekly column on BrooklynVegan focusing on classic indie and alternative artists, “college rock,” and new and current acts who follow a similar path. There are reviews of new albums, reissues, box sets, books and sometimes movies and television shows. I’ve rounded up July’s best music, highlighting my favorite songs and albums, plus links to relevant features and news, a monthly playlist, and more.

July was wild! I’m mostly talking non-musical things but the hottest month of the year always has spicy things in store and kept it that way right until the end. In fact, four of the inclusions on my Best Songs of July list were released in the last two days of the month. This is also the most songs I’ve ever put in a monthly roundup (16), with a few Indie Basement favorite artists, some first-timers and a lot of shoegaze and groovy psych.

It was a little slimmer pickins in the albums department. I picked five standouts, but runner ups include Font’s Strange Burdon, YNYS’ Dosbarth Nos, SAULT’s Acts of Faith, and Beachwood Sparks’ Across the River of Stars.

You can listen to all the songs reviewed here, plus songs from my albums of the month and more July favorites, in a playlist available in Spotify and TIDAL form at the bottom of this post.

In July I also launched a new feature, Indie Basement Classics, and so far records by Birdie, The Wolfgang Press and Primal Scream have been inducted.

See you in August. Head below for reviews of July’s best songs and albums.

INDIE BASEMENT BEST SONGS OF JULY 2024

Caribou – “Volume”

“Pump Up the Volume,” the iconic 1987 single by M|A|R|R|S, is one of my all-time favorite dance tracks, a song that is very much of its era but still sounds timeless. Dan Snaith has pulled off an Olympics-worthy move with “Volume,” in that the original makes up the very identifiable building blocks of his track — at first it sounds like a fancy edit — but then the song takes its own path. “Volume” is clearly based on M|A|R|R|S yet is also 100% Caribou.

The video, created by SHYNOLA’s Richard Kenworthy, uses amazing found footage of prime late-’80s fashion and dancing (and just a little of the original’s spacey vid):

Cornelius – “MIND TRAIN”

Cornelius just released an album of ambient-leaning material and then immediately followed that up with this 10-minute head trip. “MIND TRAIN” is definitely a journey, with its unchanging beat chugging hypnotically alongside his signature pinging guitar style as atmospheric sound effects pass through the stereo field. I could’ve done without the beeping at the start that every time makes me think a truck is backing up outside my apartment, but the rest (including some old-school modem sounds, and a stop at a station which might make you think the song is over) makes this all the more cinematic. There’s an actual pop song buried in here too and will likely catch you off guard when it surfaces.

deary – “Selene”

My favorite of the new crop of shoegazers (and that crop is huge) is London duo deary who have been smartly taking their time, releasing an EP and then a steady drip of new singles with no word yet on an actual album. And everything so far has been fantastic. In June they released the wonderful, hazy and danceable “The Moth,” and now they’re back with this song that shows off their pure ethereal side. “Selene” plays like a blooming flower where arpeggiated synths meet layers of gossamer guitars, and it’s bolstered by one of the band’s best melodies/vocal performances yet. Who is that playing drums here? It’s Slowdive drummer Simon Scott, who also mastered the recording. I’m happy to have deary continue like this, with a steady diet of great singles…just collect them all on once piece of vinyl eventually, ok?

Fcukers – “Homie Don’t Shake”

Forget The Dare, this is the mid-’00s bloghouse / indie sleaze revival you’ve been waiting for. Fcukers slap some ’90s house chords and a fuzzed-out post-punk bassline on a skipping two-step beat that’s just minimal enough to let you hear Shanny drop lines like “Silk’s real leather’s fake / Say you’ll dj at my wake” and the none-more-2006 “All day M.I.A. / Tell your boss I need a raise / Cropped outta Cobrasnake.” “Homie Don’t Shake” would’ve killed at Motherfucker.

Field Music – “Six Weeks, Nine Wells”

Sunderland, UK duo Field Music (brothers David and Peter Brewis) are one of those groups that pull off the difficult trick of being “always different, always the same” with each new album. (It was how John Peel used to describe The Fall.) For the upcoming Limits of Language, the Brewis brothers put ’70s synths front and center. “We didn’t want to use the synths just as a nostalgic thumbprint,” says Peter. “I hope that the approach was more Eno-esque than that.” There’s Eno for sure but also Harmonia, Be-Bop Deluxe and other proggy delights. David wrote and sings “Six Weeks, Nine Wells,” but Peter’s drumming might steal the show.

Georgia Gets By – “Split Lip”

I can’t say that I ever paid much attention to New Zealand duo BROODS, but this solo single from singer Georgia Josiena Nott is very much to my liking. “Split Lip” is a pop song at heart but has been given a shoegaze/dreampop arrangement that really works. Georgia’s mopey vocal delivery — shades of King Krule or Nilüfer Yanya — really sells it, as does the moody bassline and production, which takes things into Heaven or Las Vegas territory.

Goat – “Ouroboros”

Enigmatic (masked) Swedish group Goat took six years off but have been on a hot streak since their return, releasing an album a year since 2022. Their self-titled sixth album is due this fall, and if this song is any indication, sounds like their biggest party record since their 2012 debut, World Music. “Ouroboros” is also not quite like anything Goat have done before, working classic ’90s hip hop beats and funky ’70s soundtrack riffs into their globe-trotting sound. “Find a beat that will push you through,” they sing, and by George, they’ve done it.

The Hard Quartet – “Earth Hater”

“This is not a project—it’s a band,” Stephen Malkmus insists, and the other members of The Hard Quartet (Matt Sweeney, Jim White, Emmett Kelly) have just as impressive indie CVs — and noodling skills — even if they may not have the name recognition as the Pavement frontman. They’re off to a good start with “Earth Hater,” which is equal part skronk, hooks and memorable Malkmus lines, including “The archetype of the narc is eternal” and “Can you dredge emotion from me?” The claymation video is great, too.

High Vis – “Mind’s a Lie”

This is more like it. When High Vis released “Mob DLA” back in June I was a little disappointed that it was straight up punk, which they are very good at of course, but the best moments of 2022’s Blending where those cross-pollinating moments that gave the album its title. “Mind’s a Lie” mixes in elements of dance music (house, UK garage), R&B and ’80s rock — not to mention Graham Sayle’s hoarse shouts juxtaposed against South London singer and DJ Ell Murphy’s sweeter style — in a way you’d never expect but totally works. I’m now officially excited for High Vis’ new album, Guided Tour.

Kelly Lee Owens – “Love You Got”

After three albums and a handful of singles proving her serious dance music bonafides, Kelly Lee Owens is going for it on “Love You Got,” the bonkers-good first single from her upcoming fourth album Dreamstate. It works both as the kind of throbbing techno that would be at home at Berghain, and as a pop song, with its soaring title chorus and whispered “sing pure euphoria” refrain. There are slow builds, drops, all the stuff you want in a dance track, but all given a little more polish, a little more elegance. Pure euphoria indeed.

Kim Deal – “Coast”

“I’ve had a hard hard landing, I should really duck and roll out…of my life.” Kim Deal is not having the best time in “Coast,” her first-ever official solo single, but she’s making the best of it. For her and us. The song was inspired by attending the wedding of her friend Mike Montgomery (who is in O. Ring with Kim’s sister, Kelley) and watching the reception band play Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville,” as well as a summer Kim spent on Nantucket in 2000. Kim notes the latter was not an ideal situation: “I hate the sun, beach and watersports.” Adding to the bittersweet vibes, Kim made this (and a whole album, yet to be announced) with the late Steve Albini who she worked with in Pixes and The Breeders. “Coast” is a sunset sort of song and a wonderful one.

Man/Woman/Chainsaw – “Ode to Clio”

“We thrive on the thin line between pretty and noisy, often trying to jump between the two,” says young London band Man/Woman/Chainsaw of their sound. “It’s that chaos that excites us.” You definitely get that dichotomy on “Ode to Clio,” named after Man/Woman/Chainsaw’s violin player, which swings from string-laden folk pop to a roaring, fuzz-pedal-stomping, loud-as-hell indie rock maelstrom and back.

MEMORIALS – “Cut It Like a Diamond”

After releasing two terrific documentary soundtracks last year, duo MEMORIALS (Electrene’s Verity Susman and Wire/It Hugs Back’s Matthew Simms) will soon deliver their proper debut album. Their styles fit together like halves of a broken pendant on “Cut it Like a Diamond,” with a loping komische beat, a bassline that flies all over the fretboard, droning organ, sizzling guitar leads and even a little flute. It’s great to hear Susman sing again, she has such a distinctive voice, and this single is a fantastic showcase for that and everything these two bring out of each other.

Mica Levi – “slob air”

Mica Levi is such an established film composer at this point (Jackie, Under the Skin, The Zone of Interest) it’s easy to forget that just a few years ago they led indie rock group Micachu & The Shapes. Mica hasn’t totally abandoned more pop forms of music, however, and “slob air” (out via esteemed label Hyperdub) is a transporting piece of atmospheric, hypnotic dance music in a similar vein to Four Tet’s “Three Drums.” It’s so transfixing I almost don’t want it to end and feel like if there was a four-hour version of this I would just let it play.

The Soundcarriers – “Already Over”

Between this and MEMORIALS (and Laetitia Sadier’s excellent Rooting for Love), the fall is shaping up to be a good time for fans of sophisticated baroque psych. The Soundcarriers have carved out their own corner of the genre, making them compatible with, yet distinct from, Stereolab, Vanishing Twin, Broadcast and other space age bachelor pad dwellers. Like almost all the great Soundcarriers songs, “Already Over” is decidedly groovy in a 1967 Carnaby Street kind of way, with rolling fills on the drums, a killer bassline, and an irresistible “ooooooooh” chorus.

Tanukichan – “City Bus”

Up until this point, the music Hannah van Loon made as Tanukichan was on the chillwave tip, which was maybe not surprising given she was signed to Toro Y Moi’s label and had her records produced by TyM’s Chas Bear. Now signed to Carpark, Hannah is staying chill but now has layers of hazy guitar behind her. Shoegaze may be all the rage these days but it’s a natural fit for Tanukichan. “City Bus” is engrossing, all bashing drums set against a mellow-ish acoustic guitar arrangement where van Loon’s ethereal vocals are nestled. She also keeps just a little of that electronic edge which makes a song like this really stand out.

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INDIE BASEMENT BEST ALBUMS OF JULY 2024

Wand – Vertigo (Drag City)

It’s been five years since the last Wand album and a lot has gone on in their world since Laughing Matter. The band’s lineup changed significantly — only singer-guitarist Cory Hanson and drummer Evan Burrows remain from their original lineup — and Hanson released two very good solo albums, including last year’s unfortunately named Western Cum. With new members inspiring new sounds, in particular Evan Backer who comes from a music composition background, Wand went back into the studio to quietly blow up their sound. Hanson mostly left guitar duties to Rober Cody and played Fender Rhodes electric piano instead, while Backer arranged strings and horns while the band got inspired by Miles Davis’ electric albums from the ’70s. The result is Vertigo, a record unlike anything they have made before that still retains their Wand-iness. Gone are the guitar heroics and in their place are subtle, simmering arrangements and songs that don’t follow traditional pop arrangements and often flow into seamlessly into the next. This all makes for an “album” album, in the ’70s sense, where you’re meant to listen to the whole thing as a piece. Vertigo is not “difficult” but it does benefit greatly from dedicated listening — it’s a great headphone album — and there are no shortage of standouts, including the syncopated horn blasts of “Mistletoe,” the dreamy, jazzy “Lifeboat,” and the swaying, subtle stunner “Smile.” (There are also plenty of guitars here, just not the towering riffs of their previous records.) Vertigo has a lot of big ideas and impressive moments packed into a mere 39 minutes, but all of them flow naturally and nothing is overstuffed. Ten years on from their debut album, Wand continue to grow and surprise in wonderful ways.

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Major Murphy – Fallout (Winspear)

It’s a good summer for Indie Basement-style heartland rock. (This genre subset may not have even existed till this year.) Good Looks released their terrific second album back in June and now here’s the wonderful third album from Grand Rapids’ Major Murphy. Fallout is a further refinement of their mix of ’70s country rock and ’90s indie rock and shoegaze and these three — singer/guitarist Jacob Bullard, singer/bassist Jacki Warren and drummer Chad Houseman — excel at late summer music, evoking sweltering days and cool nights, tomatoes and corn, fireflies and long shadows. Songs are lazy, soft and slow, even on “rock” tracks like “Time Out,” and they’re thick with harmonies and bass that’s played like a lead instrument. Low, Galaxie 500 and Acetone come to mind but Major Murphy are more pop-oriented than any of those bands, and songs like “Daylight,” “Breakdown” and “First Thought (Best Thought)” glow with the warmth of a sunset just after a rainstorm. (See also the album’s cover art.) Strings, a new element for the band, are a logical progression and really add to the warm vibes. The album title is a recurring lyrical theme throughout these eight songs, where emotional “fallout” comes via “love, life and time” and can be felt even on the instrumental title track that brings things to a majestic close as a sampled voice says “the only aspect of time that is eternal is now.” For Major Murphy, through the fallout, hope survives.

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Robber Robber – Wild Guess (self-released)

Burlington, VT’s Robber Robber are one of those bands who defy easy categorization. I don’t know if they’re unpigeonholable but they do incorporate a bunch of disparate elements into their off-kilter brand of indie rock. One of the first things you notice on their debut album is the drums; co-founder Zack James has a unique style that is both lithe and powerful where live drumming hits side-by-side with either triggered samples or drum machines. He gives the band a unique backbone that effortlessly slips between easy groove and industrial clank, and locks in step with Carney Hemler’s bass. Then there’s the guitar interplay between singer-guitarist Nina Cates and Will Krulak; their instruments dance around each over, sometimes slashing, sometimes blurring together, sometimes slapping you in the face. Cates’ vocals are chameleonic as well, capable of a breathy coo that lends itself to Wild Guess‘ shoegazier moments (“Sea of War,” “Seven Houses”), but also banshee wails and heavy-attitude snarl. Robber Robber are at their best and most memorable when throwing curveballs — the push-pull mechanics of “Backup Plan” and playful ripper “How We Ball” — which thankfully makes up most of Wild Guess. What genre is Robber Robber? They’ve created their own right out of the gate.

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Crack Cloud – Red Mile (Jagjaguwar)

Vancouver’s Crack Cloud, a true collective who make art and films in addition to arty, cinematic records, are now just a little less DIY; after two self-released albums, they signed to Jagjaguwar (part of the big indie Secretly group) for their third which they made in the US of A, specifically in the California desert around Joshua Tree. Despite being made as an eight-piece (though Zach Choy, Aleem Khan and Bryce Cloghesy are the primary creatives), Red Mile is less sprawling and more focused than either Pain Olympics or Tough Baby. This is their most “rock” record to date, sounding more like a band and less like a post-apocalyptic epic in album form. The lyrics are more down to earth and inward-looking as well. “Imagine that there’s no final act, just adaptations of perpetual mass,” Choy ponders on “Epitaph,” one of the best songs here. “How climactic could it possibly be? A thousand plateaus that we cannot see.” Some may miss the wild swings, the raging, and rage-filled dance anthems of records past, but Red Mile is no less powerful in its intimacy.

Luke Temple and the Cascading Moms – Certain Limitations (Western Vinyl)

Luke Temple is a chameleon, having made records over the last 20 years under of a variety of bands and aliases. Having spent the last seven years exploring african music, funk and new wave as Art Feynman, apexing with 2023’s fantastic Be Good the Crazy Boys, he’s now taking things easy with new project Luke Temple and the Cascading Moms. A trio with Art Feynman drummer Kosta Galanopoulos and bassist Doug Stuart, The Cascading Moms cite Dire Straits, The Velvet Underground, and jazz label ECM as sonic touchstones, and their debut album is definitely on the mellow side but I would be hard-pressed to pinpoint any obvious influence. I hear sunshine pop, deadheady folk and soft rock, but it’s by way of fusion and prog. Certain Limitations goes down smooth, but there’s a lot going on in songs like the string-laden “Sandy’s Dead,” the lush, xylophone-colored “It’s All About Timing, and the ascending, beautiful “Church Street.” Temple has brought a few things with him from Art Feynman, including a dexterous rhythm section (dig the basslines and lithe drumming), skillful use of backing vocals, and “I Can Dream” which first appeared on 2020’s Half Price at 3:30 but has now been transformed from an ethereal lullaby into swaying, breezy and gently groovy jazz pop. The album takes some swerves near the end too, with the funky Feynman-esque “Second Half” before finishing with “Softly,” a delicate folk number that turns into bongo-fueled psychedelia by the end. There’s a lot going on here in just 36 minutes, and more of its many charms reveal themselves with each listen of of this very replayable album.

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Here’s a playlist featuring all 16 songs reviewed above, songs from each of the Albums of the Month and more great songs from July, available on both the popular Spotify and better-sounding TIDAL platforms:

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Looking for more? Browse the Indie Basement archives.

And check out what’s new in our shop.

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Top 20 Shoegaze EPs of the Early-’90s

20. Bleach – Snag (1991, Way Cool Records)

Formed by brothers Neil and Nick Singleton, Ipswich, UK's Bleach unfortunately ran out of songwriting steam before they released their first album. (Hey, it happens, just ask Elastica.) The band managed to deliver one terrific EP that showcased their moody style, with guitarist Neil providing the haze and bassist Nick providing the mood. Like a lot of shoegaze groups of this era, singer Salli Carson's ethereal vocals seemed more like an equal element of Bleached's sound, as opposed to a focal point. "Bethesda," with its tom-heavy drumming is especially good, as is "Dipping." Extended listening: the cover art is the most distinctive thing about Bleach's 1992 album Killing Time, but it's the only one of their releases on streaming services.

19. Medicine – 5ive (1993, Creation)

Led by Brad Laner, who spent time in the '80s in L.A. cult post-punk band Savage Republic, Medicine were arguably the U.S.'s best shoegaze band, with a firm grip on melody, noise and dynamics, and they weren't afraid of sampling or dance culture. They also had rare bonafides for an American band; they were signed to Creation in the UK. (Rick Rubin's American Recordings put out their records at home.) The 5ive EP, also known as Come Here to Drink Milk, takes the tremolo-heavy title track (originally on their debut album) and pairs it with the ragged version of "Time Baby" (not the version with Liz Fraser & Robin Guthrie), searing slow jam "Lime 6," and the quasi-industrial "Wrought." Extended listening: The Sounds of Medicine EP has the Cocteau-ized version of "Time Baby" from The Crow soundtrack, plus "stripped and reformed" versions of other songs, but the 1993 sophomore album The Buried Life is Medicine at their best.

18. The Telescopes – Flying (1991, Creation)

Having got their start in the mid-'80s, The Telescopes predate shoegaze but were part of the dark neo-psych scene that included Spacemen 3 and Loop (who they shared a split 7" with in 1988). By their fourth EP for Creation, 1990's Flying, The Telescopes had blasted off most of the white noise in favor of groovy psychedelia that put them somewhere between The Stone Roses and Ride, but frontman Stephen Lawrie was always on his own sonic plane. With layers of 12-string guitars -- acoustic and electric -- Flying's title track is one of their best pop songs, while "High on Fire" heads deep into outer space and "The Sleepwalk" showed they could confidently compete with their Creation labelmates that were getting much more ink in NME. Extended listening: 1990's Celeste EP features an amazing 10-minute version of the title track that's worth the price of admission.

17. Blind Mr. Jones – Eyes Wide (1992, Cherry Red)

Their fondness of flute gave Blind Mr. Jones the reputation of being the shoegaze Jethro Tull, but this band from Marlow, UK were one of the more underrated groups of the era, with a distinctively British sound, a decided goth streak, and consistently memorable, melodic (New Order-esque) bass lines. There are no wind instruments on the Eyes Wide EP but it does feature Slowdive's Neil Halstead who gifts the record with some of his transcendent guitar cloud cover. All four songs are terrific. Is your favorite Ride song "Decay" from Nowhere? You should definitely investigate Blind Mr. Jones further. Extended listening: Compilation Over My Head collects everything Blind Mr. Jones recorded, including the Crazy Jazz EP that featured Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood.

16. Adorable – Sunshine Smile (1992, Creation)

While they owed more to Echo & the Bunnymen or House of Love than My Bloody Valentine or Ride, Adorable were signed to Creation Records, peppered their very catchy songs with guitar noise and got not entirely unfairly lumped in with the shoegaze scene...even if frontman Peter Fijalkowski bristled at the word in interviews. One thing's for sure: "Sunshine Smile" was a hell of an introduction that sounds like its title, a wonderful guitar-drenched pop song with a slinky slowburn intro that gives way to a massive guitar riff chorus. The two b-sides -- melancholy-drenched ballad "A to Fade In" and the Madchester-leaning "Sunburnt" -- are great, too, as is the cover art which uses imagery from The Passion of Joan of Arc. Extended listening: The Sistine Chapel Ceiling EP takes its title track from Adorable's debut album, Against Perfection, and adds three good b-sides, especially "Everything's Fine."

15. Catherine Wheel – 30th Century Man (1992, Fontana)

Released in the last week of 1992, this limited edition EP was a step up, sonically, for Catherine Wheel who had never sounded so confident and powerful, giving fans a taste of what they might get with 1993's Chrome. This is probably a controversial pick, given that three of the four songs here are covers, but Catherine Wheel seriously deliver the goods with these killer takes on Scott Walker's "30th Century Man," Husker Du's "Don't Wanna Know if You Are Lonely" and Mission of Burma's "That's When I Reach for My Revolver." Their cover of "30th Century Man" is particularly inspired, while the other two merely rip (while they make them their own). The EP's original, "Free of Mind," is great too. Extended listening: If you just want great Catherine Wheel songs, the Black Metallic EP has four of them, including the title track which was a Modern Rock Radio hit in the U.S.

14. Kitchens of Distinction – Drive That Fast (1990, One Little Indian)

Kitchens of Distinction would probably be classified as dreampop these days; Julian Swales was up there with Robin Guthrie and Neil Halstead for being able to coax out gorgeous waterfalls of sound from his guitar, but bassist/frontman Patrick Fitzgerald was a confident frontman who had a lot to say. (They were probably closer to The Sound or The Chameleons than to Ride or Lush.) Released as a precursor to their second album, Strange Free World, "Drive That Fast" is one of KoD's best-ever singles and the EP's other tracks are all good, with the dark, boozy "These Drinkers" and a piano rendition of single "Elephantine" being standouts. Runner up: The Elephantine EP has the full-on swirling version of the title track, plus three worthy other tracks.

13. Lilys – A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns (1993, spinART)

Kurt Heasley has reinvented Lilys a few times over the last 30 years, but the group began as noisy indie rockers who pulled equally from late-'80s Creation Records and Dinosaur Jr's freak scene. This wonderfully titled EP has some of Lilys' catchiest songs, including "Ginger" (which inexplicably ended up getting used in a 2007 Cadillac commercial), "Any Place I've Lived" and "Jenny, Andrew and Me." It's one of their best releases and, sadly, also one of the rarest...out of print, not on streaming services, and used copies are hard to come by. Extended listening: Lilys' debut single, "February Fourteenth," is a real ripper.

12. Verve – All in the Mind (1992, Hut)

Before they became Britpop stars with “Bittersweet Symphony” and “Sonnet,” The Verve were just Verve (they had to add the "The" after legal threats from Verve Records), a band from Wigan, England who made out-there, super-groovy psych rock. The group pretty much disowned the title track of their debut EP moments after releasing it, but what do they know? “All in the Mind” is a propulsive space-hopper jam that really shows off Nick McCabe’s incendiary fretwork, Simon Jones’ deeply melodic bass, and the indispensable, jazzy style of drummer Peter Salisbury. The other two tracks -- the beautiful “One Way to Go” (featuring a great vocal from Richard Ashcroft) and dreamy “A Man Called Sun” -- are more indicative of where The Verve would go on their debut album, A Storm in Heaven. Extended listening: The Verve E.P. was the band's introduction to the U.S., taking tracks from their first three singles/EPs, including "A Man Called Sun," and edits of their tripped-out A-sides "Gravity Grave" and "She's a Superstar."

11. Swervedriver – Duel (1993, Creation)

Another band who got better when they burned off some of that haze, Swervedriver made a massive leap between their first album, Raise, and their second, Mezcal Head. A big part of that was a new lineup of the band -- which included a much-improved rhythm section of drummer Jez Hindmarsh and bassist Steve George -- that could really rip. But it was also better songs and more muscular production courtesy producer Alan Moulder who was very busy in the early '90s. (He probably worked on half the records in this list.) The soaring, roaring "Duel," arguably the album's finest moment, is backed with two killer B's: the majestic "Planes Over the Skyline," and starry eyed "Year of the Girl," both of which have Jez going full Keith Moon. Extended listening: Standalone single "Never Lose That Feeling," which would be tacked-on the U.S. edition of Mezcal Head, was actually the last record the original lineup of the band made. The EP version melts into the dubby "Never Learn," making for a very worthy 11 minutes.

10. Chapterhouse – Mesmerise (1991, Dedicated)

In the UK, there was a lot of cross-pollination between shoegaze, acid house and the Manchester scene, and few groups pulled all those together as successfully as Chapterhouse. Coming just a few months after releasing their debut album, Whirlpool, the four-song Mesmerise EP -- which is is sometimes listed as a single -- features two great examples of their blissed-out style: the title track, which blasts out thick waves of synthesizers against a piano hook, was as much a Madchester anthem as anything else; while “Precious One” rides a bongo-fueled groove. There’s also the swirling, ambient “Summer Chill” and the windswept guitar haze of “Then We’ll Rise.” Extended listening: 1990’s Freefall EP falls a little more into space rock territory, but “Falling Down” -- which uses The Soul Searchers’ "Ashley’s Roachclip" drum break sample heard in Eric B & Rakim’s “Paid in Full,” Milli Vanilli's “Girl You Know it’s True” (and on many, many, many other records) -- pointed to the direction they would soon be heading.

9. Curve – Blindfold (1991, Anxious)

Curve were an interesting group, as both Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia had been around for a while in the industry; Dean was a live member of The Eurythmics in the early-’80s, and they were both in short-lived ‘80s band State of Play, who made one record and then broke up. Dean played on Toni’s 1989 solo album, and then they decided to take another whack at a group, perhaps taking My Bloody Valentine’s “Soon” as an influence, mixing hazy guitars with dance music. With Halliday’s powerful pipes it was an alluring combination. Alan Moulder, who they’d worked with in State of Play and on Halliday’s solo album -- and who was THE shoegaze engineer -- was the de facto third member of the group. Curve released three EPs in 1991, all of which are great but the first, Blindfold, is the best with the seductive single "Ten Little Girls"  featuring something no other record on this list has: rapping. Extended listening: Curve’s second EP, Frozen, is also killer, featuring “Coast is Clear” -- one of their best-ever tracks. All three of their 1991 EPs were collected onto the Public Fruit album.

8. Velocity Girl – Velocity Girl (1993, Slumberland)

While mainly known for its influential punk scene, Washington DC also had a thriving indie rock scene in the late '80s and early-'90s that was heavily influenced by the UK's C-86 scene and labels like Creation, Cherry Red and 4AD. Velocity Girl, in fact, were named for Primal Scream's song on C-86, and played a similar style of very fuzzy janglepop. The group included former Black Tambourine member Archie Moore and, originally, Bridget Cross who, when she left to focus on Unrest, would be replaced by vocalist Sarah Shannon. The band's gift for melody, and love of shambolic, noisy guitars, is evident on this EP that collects songs from three early 7"s. "My Forgotten Favorite," which would turn up a few years later on the Clueless soundtrack, is the obvious standout (and arguably VG's best song), but the other five songs are equally stellar. Extended listening: Velocity Girl were more fond of 7"s than EPs, but their 1993 debut Copacetic (released, like all their albums, on Sub Pop) has held up well, and gotten better with age.

7. Ride – Today Forever (1991, Creation)

Released just a few months after their debut album Nowhere, the Today Forever EP takes Ride out of the hazy murk and into cleaner production without sacrificing their signature swirl. The EP also shows a growing confidence in songwriting and arrangements, like with the powerful, deliberate “Sennen.” Today Forever was never released in the U.S., and is unknown still to a lot of fans, though three of its four tracks found their way onto the American "Vapour Trail" CD maxi-single...but it leaves off one of Ride’s prettiest songs ever, “Today.” Extended listening: Ride’s 1989 debut EP contains classics “Chelsea Girl” and “Drive Blind.”

6. The Boo Radleys – Lazarus (1992, Creation)

Like a number of shoegaze bands, The Boo Radleys spent a couple years hiding their musical skill and good songwriting behind a wall of MBV-inspired noise. This resulted in some great music but when they came out of their shell, they got even better. Released not long after their wilfully dissonant Everything’s Alright Forever LP, the Lazarus EP felt a bit like seeing the band with a new pair of glasses. The signs had been there all along for The Boo Radleys, but all four songs here are a step up in every way. “Lazarus” would show up on 1993’s Giant Steps, but without the long, dubby EP intro that pays off so well when the song roars into focus. It's also amazing they'd delegate songs as good as "Petroleum" and "At the Sound of Speed" to b-side material. Extended listening: 1991’s Every Heaven EP is pretty fantastic with a nice balance of melody and roar, and has one of the Boos’ best-ever songs, “The Finest Kiss.”

5. Slowdive – Holding Our Breath (1991, Creation)

While clearly influenced by the Cocteau Twins' shimmering style, Slowdive didn’t really sound like any other group from the original shoegaze era, with an oceanic guitar swell that remains unique and mysterious. “Catch the Breeze,” which would also show up on their 1991 debut album, Just for a Day, is an all-time classic but the rest of this EP is just as captivating. Rachel Goswell’s ethereal harmonies on “Shine” will never not send shivers down your spine, and their cover of Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair" is rather titanic. Extended listening: Slowdive’s debut EP, Morningrise, nods to the band’s ‘80s goth youth while pointing toward the direction they’d soon head.

4. Moose – Jack (1991, Hut)

If it wasn't for Moose, this list might have to be called something slightly different, as the word "shoegaze" was first used in a Sounds review of one of their early gigs. That is probably enough to warrant an inclusion here, but luckily Moose were a great band who carved out a distinct corner in The Scene That Celebrates Itself. Their first of three 1991 EPs, Jack, was as dissonant as they got, but underneath the bandsaw guitars were melodies rooted in a classic songwriting style that owed as much to Burt Bacharach as the Velvet Underground. That would bubble up to the surface more as the band progressed, but you can hear it on both "Ballad Of Adam & Eve" and "Boy." The EP kicks off with the awesomely drony title track, and wraps with moody ballad "I'll Take Tomorrow." Extended listening: By the release of their third 1991 EP, Reprise, they were already halfway to the breezier style they'd adopt for XYZ and subsequent albums, and it features the gorgeous, country-ish ballad "This River Never Will Run Dry." Songs from Moose's early EPs were cherry-picked for the Sonny and Sam EP, the only record Moose ever got released in America. Criminally underrated, I

3. Pale Saints – Flesh Balloon (1991, 4AD)

In between their first and second albums, Pale Saints added singer-songwriter-guitarist Meriel Barham to their lineup, changing the dynamic of the group for the better. She made her debut on this EP, singing lead on a playful, dreamy cover of Nancy Sinatra's "Kinky Love." The whole EP is fab, though, with the sprawling, dramatic "Hunted" -- which would show up on second album In Ribbons -- and is one of the best examples of the group's unique mix of beauty and noise. There's also a demo of "Hair Shoes," which shows up in full studio version on In Ribbons, but the real standout here is spectacular instrumental "Porpoise." Extended listening: 1990's Half-Life Remembered is pretty great too, especially "Half Life" which toys with Madchester beats. The title track is great.

2. Lush – Mad Love (1990, 4AD)

Cocteau Twins’ Robin Guthrie was behind the boards for this four song 12” that remains the perfect distillation of everything Lush did so well. Quintessential Lush song “De-Luxe” leads the EP that also includes the equally wonderful dreampop track "Thoughtforms" both of which feature Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson's signature guitar and vocal interplay. plus great minor chord slashers “Leaves Me Cold” and “Downer.” Lush made many great records during their brief run, but if you can only have one, make it this. Extended listening: Lush’s debut, the six-song Scar mini-LP is excellent too, if a little rough around the edges. You don’t have to choose, either: Gala compiles Mad Love and Scar, plus a couple other tracks, on one album. It's also hard to argue with picking up Ciao! Best Of Lush which includes their dabblings in Britpop (like the title track which was a duet between Miki and Jarvis Cocker).

1. My Bloody Valentine – Tremolo (1991, Creation)

While My Bloody Valentine’s 1990 Glider EP features their danceable classic “Soon,” the 1991 Tremolo EP has an overall higher hit-count, and sees Kevin Shields and the rest of the band continuing to break new ground. Tremolo features the swirling, transportive “To Here Knows When,” the beautiful “Swallow,” glide guitar ripper “Honey Power” and the churning, Brian Wilson-esque “Moon Song.” Nearly 30 years later, listening to this dazzling EP's four songs will have you wondering "How did they make this?" and "are my stereo speakers functioning properly?" A must-own companion to Loveless. Extended listening: Then again, Glider does have “Soon.” Get them both!