Ozean Scenic (1993)
If you love the guitar, then you’ll love shoegaze, a genre that places the six-string at the center with everything else being auxiliary. Shoegaze leans heavily into effects and distortions to create layers of sounds, rolling soundscapes with ethereal vocals floating just above and melting into wonderful sonic constructions. The music is named for guitarists who focus on their pedals during performances, which is to say, gazing at their shoes.
The genre was popular in the 80s and early 90s and is making a comeback on TikTok, with the vintage music being replayed to new audiences and new shoegaze bands like They Are Gutting a Body of Water on the rise. If you’re unfamiliar and looking for a definitive shoegaze record from back in the day, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless is probably it.
A far less-well-known record from shoegaze’s heyday is a self-titled EP by Ozean. It’s far too good to have been overlooked, but that’s how it goes with this genre: it’s a little bit niche but also so evocative and dreamy, drawing us into its lush world. Today’s song “Scenic” from Ozean’s EP is just that, a euphoric, effortless listen and the perfect companion for any sort of travel or contemplation. It’s a song to be shared but never spoken over. Just let it wash over you and leave you feeling sweeter and more joyful.
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