Sungaze return with “Shadows,” a brooding, reverb-heavy single that leans into their most explicitly shoegaze territory yet, and marks a shift in vocals as guitarist Ian Hilvert takes the lead. The track—written and recorded in one spontaneous five-hour session—layers dry, crisp guitar lines with a lush, immersive wall of sound. Its thematic focus is stark: the internal push-pull between good and evil, and whether survival in this world sometimes demands compromise.
The lyrics raise uncomfortable questions. “Am I actually a good person?” the song asks, as it swells into a dense, cinematic climax. Ivory Snow, who usually fronts the band, contributes backing vocals here—her signature velvet timbre blending into the noise rather than sitting atop it.
Though unreleased until now, “Shadows” has already earned attention. Early TikTok teasers sparked a growing fan interest, with listeners chasing down the song’s title after brief clips circulated online. With Will Yip on mastering duties and a sound that echoes the weight of Nothing or Whirr while touching on Glixen’s clarity, “Shadows” hits right in the pocket of modern shoegaze.
The band—Hilvert and Snow, joined by Angela Colvin, Zach Starkie, Charlie Hausfeld, and Justin Van Wagenen—will hit the road this summer, with shows booked across the Midwest and East Coast. A full list of dates is included below.
Alongside the release, Sungaze shared a curated list of their favorite current shoegaze and under-the-radar bands. Ivory and Ian each offered five picks, spotlighting artists they’ve shared stages with, found via interviews, or simply been blown away by.
Check out the full list below.
Ivory’s picks:
Sunday 1994
A modern day hit factory: the catchiest alt / dream pop songs you’ll find. They’re relatively new in general, having put out their debut single, “Tired Boy” in February of 2024. They’ve since released two EPs, both chock full of clever lyrics and beautiful melodies.
Bloomer
A TikTok discovery and now friend! Bloomer makes music that blends the best elements of shoegaze and emo to create truly lovely, uplifting songs. Fun fact: Bloomer also has a 6 octave vocal range.
Bosses
Some of my favorite songs that I would place in the “heavy shoegaze” category have been written by Bosses. We played with them in Chicago earlier this year after a couple years of playing schedule tag and dare I say they’re even better live. Frontwoman Harlee is also an angel on earth.
Horsehell
Another new friend. We played with Horsehell in our hometown the week before the Bosses show, when No Culture came through Cincinnati. Horsehell was actually added last minute to replace another band who’d had to drop off and it was one of those extra serendipitous moments. We were blown away by their set and I’ve been listening to them ever since. It reminds me a little bit of Radiohead but with much more of a shoegaze influence and also some twangy sprinklings thrown in. They just put out a really great Alice In Chains cover.
Wayside
I came across this group via interview while looking into past projects Will Yip had worked on. I was really inspired by what they had to say about the making of their album ‘What Does Your Soul Look Like’ and in a way became a fan before ever actually hearing them. After reading the interview, I listened to that album straight through and became a genuine fan. Similar to Bloomer, their music has elements of emo and shoegaze. The songwriting on that album especially is wonderful and the lyrics hold a lot of depth.
Ian’s picks:
Fern Murphy
These guys are friends from Indianapolis, and they have such a rich beautiful sound that is so melancholy and dramatic at the same time, they are great to watch live.
Smush
I have some friends that showed me Smush just last year, and I just love the production and songwriting, the two together really create a 3D music landscape that is easy to get lost in.
Softcult
I think Ivory showed me Softcult, I was immediately floored by how good the production was, and how their lyrics are interesting and moody. They have such unique guitar and vocal melodies/harmonies too that set them apart in my opinion.
No Culture
This band we have actually played with! They are super cool and fun heavy shoegaze, they have a really great ‘rock’ attitude when performing that makes them a joy to watch.
Farewell Days
These guys have a neat 2 sided heavy and light sort of sound that really keeps you engaged and sucks you in with their composition. Very moody, very cinematic.
Sungaze tour dates 2025:
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6/13 Chicago, IL – Cole’s Bar w/ Talking to Shadows, COOL HEAT, The Warm Fuzzies, Shimmer DJs
6/20 Lawrenceburg, IN – Whiskey Theater w/ Horsehell
6/26 Pittsburgh, PA – Ormsby Cafe w/ Gloomer, Earth and Elsewhere
6/27 Philadelphia, PA – Ortlieb’s w/ Farewell Days, Catatonic Suns
6/28 Brooklyn, NY – Alphaville w/ Panik Flower, Jeerleader
7/4 Cincinnati, OH – Northside’s Rock N Roll Carnival
7/12 Fort Wayne, IN – The Bug House w/ Necromoon
7/24 Louisville, KY – Mag Bar
7/25 Nashville, TN – The Underdog w/ Horsehell
7/26 Birmingham, AL – Woodlawn Theatre w/ No Culture
