Formed back in 2016, the German-based dream pop/shoegaze outfit Swirlpool — Thomas A. Fischer, Markus Kraus and Chris Atzinger — have remained loyal to the “sounds better with reverb and distortion” maxim, and as a result they’ve managed to win over a loyal fanbase within the global dream pop and shoegaze scenes.
The German dream pop/shoegaze outfit’s highly anticipated full-length debut, Distant Echoes features material inspired by titans like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive while breathing fresh life into the genre’s beloved sound and approach.
Earlier this month, I wrote about Distant Echoes album single “Reimagine,” a classic era shoegaze-inspired track built around dense and towering layers of reverb and distortion-laden guitars, thunderous drumming and ethereal, yearning vocals paired with enormous hooks and choruses. “The single was one of the first ideas Tom came up with on rhythm guitar,” the members of the German band explain. “The lyrics deal with our sometimes too perfectionistic songwriting process, where we would spend days writing new interesting parts and sometimes just get stuck in a loop. It is about the agony of slow change and the need for re-invention.”
Distant Echoes‘ second and latest single, the woozy “Evergreen” features ethereal vocals floating over strummed guitars, painterly swirls of howling feedback that ends with a gorgeous, acoustic guitar-driven coda. Much like its predecessor, “Evergreen” brings memories of Slowdive, RIDE, and My Bloody Valentine to mind, fueled with a bittersweet sense of nostalgia.
“‘Evergreen’ is all about the moment,” the German shoegazers explain. “Brief seconds that feel like an eternity. The beauty of a memory that stays with you forever. We personally like to listen to albums from start to finish. It captures a time in your life forever, with all its ups and downs. A world you can immerse yourself in.”
Directed by Daniel Dueckminor, the accompanying video continues a run of 120 Minutes-era MTV-like visuals shot on what appears to be Super 8: The video follows the band walking around the wintry German countryside, and playing their instruments in the forest with psychedelic scenes behind them.
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