Several conversations over the past couple of weeks online with a few strangers introduced me to the coining of a term to describe the intersection of electronic and shoegaze, specifically a rather niche variant entitled "Headphase". The name is a reference to Boards of Canada's downtempo shoegaze proginator, "The Campfire Headphase". While it gives a slight, specialized notion for what the subgenre is, Simon Reynolds' energy flash blog has been documenting the long running shoegaze and dream pop love affair with UK rave and electronic all along! From AR Kane's non Pump Up the Volume a-side to first pressings of MBV's Isn't Anything and even Lush's Emma Anderson playing jangly vaporous guitar on a chill out rave track, the reverb has been trying to get people vibing on the couch and lightly dancing in their minds. It even briefly had a phase with Jungle! As the 2000s approached, electronic tinged shoegaze began its merger with glossy synthesizers, harnessing the full potential of Cocteau Twins' dream pop hinted on Treasure and made good on in Blue Bell Knoll in the works of M83 and Ulrich S. Suddenly, a new vibe was approaching and by "Dayvan Cowboy", Headphase had coalesced into its signature track. The five minutes of stunning pop bliss pushed Boards of Canada's idm psychedelia to a saturated, if not drum heavy bliss that screamed sunset beach drive. It was totally proto-chillwave (alongside an incredibly stacked group of other pastiches tbh). Out of Chillwave would come new exciting contexts to experience headphase and the electronic drumming that is emphasized over reverb. However, the specific works of shoegaze provacatuer Jefre Cantu-Ledesma and post-rock dark horses Fly Pan Am have utilized their own particular combos of reverb, electronic drumming, and emphasis on noise elements towards new directions for headphase in alternate contexts.
Reverb is incredibly effing versatile y'all!
