One of my favorite elements of shoegaze is its tendency to combine monumental, spacey guitar riffs with dreamy, oft wispy vocals. Conduits excel at this pairing on their new track “Top of the Hill”. Likewise, the typical shoegaze darkness persists, all encompassing but not entirely overwhelming. There’s energy here, but it’s not the torment so often found in post-rock.

Thunder Power seems content to just dish out EPs, having given us quite a few since they debuted in 2008 with Love Yourself. A split between Thunder Power and The 1959 Hat Company, Hearts Intersect is their fourth proper EP, and it hits in early March via Slumber Party Records.

Capgun Coup‘s pure pop sensibilities are thwarted by a distorted fuzz in every element of “Bad Bands”, the first single off their new LP, Maudlin. Yet without it the song wouldn’t have the energy in the crazy jangly guitars and pointed percussion. This energy is channeled through the raucous vocal shouts of Bad bands are my favorite bands and the wild California surf guitar solo that bows out the song. Fitting the noise-pop sub-genre, Capgun Coup returns to the era of garage so inherent in the greats …