That’s a bold claim in the headline, I know. The Philly shoegaze scene is boiling over with talent right now. But I haven’t been this excited by a debut in a long, long time. If you hang around the right basements and bars and Philly, you might’ve already heard “LYSMIGKMS,” the debut single from Boo Boo Spoiler. They’re a DIY band that’s managed to build a considerable amount of hype off the strength of their live shows, and none of that magic is lost in the studio; in fact, it’s only amplified.
The mix on this track is crushing but clear, blissfully bassy and heavy as a weighted blanket, but clean enough to call attention to the dynamic vocal arrangements, which weave between vulnerable indie-pop crooning and ethereal TAGABOW-esque murmuring. There’s no slacking on the instrumental front, either; this track is a sea of countermelodies, some of them straight-ahead shoegaze riffs, some of them laced with a little alt-country flair. There’s a lot going on in this track – the complexity feels especially uncharacteristic for shoegaze – but it all comes together perfectly. If you’re looking for the next big thing in Philly shoegaze, this is it. And if they’re not the best new band in the scene right now, they’ve at least got the best name.
Boo Boo Spoiler’s self-titled EP comes out August 30th on Julia’s War records, and the band plays a release party that night at Cousin Danny’s. Stream “LYSMIGKMS” below.