Produced by Abstract and BROCKHAMPTON’s Romil Hemnani, plus additional assistance from Devstacks and Quadeca, the pair originally premiered the song during the second weekend of Coachella. It also marks a total full-circle moment, as both artists have pointed to each other as inspiration in the past and attended the same high school in Georgia for a time before they knew each other.

Read more: Fan poll: 5 best shoegaze bands of all time

You can pick up our latest issue with Kevin Abstract, where he ponders his solo career following BROCKHAMPTON’s split, over at the AP Shop. See the Cole Bat-directed video for “Tennessee” below.

Read more: One Step Closer take us behind the scenes of their triple co-headliner with Anxious and Koyo

The lineup also includes rare reunion sets from Have Heart, Weekend Nachos, and Twitching Tongues, along with Anxious, Fiddlehead, Fleshwater, Full of Hell, Harms Way, Koyo, One Step Closer, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Sunami, and more. See it in full below.

Sound and Fury 2024 happens on July 13-14 at Exposition Park, and tickets are on sale now.

Read more: 9 bands commonly mistaken as emo who really aren’t

Here, Valentine unraveled the many artists who informed her forward-thinking songs in celebration of her new album.

Death Cab For Cutie – “What Sarah Said”

Ben Gibbard is one of my favorite songwriters of all time. His writing has influence all over this album, but especially on “the fool.” I wanted to create an electronic piano ballad with blunt storytelling and metaphors like they use in “What Sarah Said.” I also like the way their drummer plays really intricate grooves that scratch your brain, and I wanted to incorporate a similar feeling, but instead with electronic samples.

Lil Peep – “White Tee”

Funnily enough, Lil Peep actually sampled the Postal Service in this song, which is a Death Cab For Cutie side project. Peep had a very distinct sound, and part of why is the way he processes his vocals. It’s so imperfectly perfect. Essentially, he stacks a bunch of the same vocal melody on top of each other and drenches it in reverb. I tried recreating that effect in different hooks throughout the album, but my favorite song that I did that on was “CS-80.” The whole song is processed that way. I recorded like 10 tracks of the same exact vocal part, and tried to intentionally sound bad because the pitchiness makes the effect more noticeable. There was no vocal tuning at all on this song because the imperfections is what made it cool to me. It’s my favorite song on the album by far.

Imogen Heap – “Closing In”

I wholeheartedly believe that this album was so ahead of its time. Imogen Heap is probably my favorite producer ever, and she writes and produces all her music by herself, which is super inspiring to me. This song is a whirlwind of textures and sounds that blend so beautifully together. The bass melody and tone are my favorite parts of this song. The way she writes bass and drum parts has definitely influenced my production throughout the years.

Mitski – “I Bet On Losing Dogs”

I don’t know how to describe my love for Mitski in words, but I will try. Obviously, she is an incredible songwriter, but there’s so much more subconsciously going on. The way she performs this song is so numb and emotionless almost. When I listen to this song, I feel like the world is spinning around me while I stand still. She has perfected the art of vibe. I think the overall feeling and energy of a song are more important than everything else. I tried to remember that while making each song on the album. “Does this feel like how it sounds?”

Daft Punk – “Instant Crush”

Julian Casablancas is incredible. This song is incredible. It’s similar to Mitski, in the sense that it’s also just such an atmospherical song. Just incredible storytelling and melodies overall.

Rosalia – “G3 N15”

Honestly, Rosalia’s entire artistry inspires me. My goal for this album was to be open-minded to other genres and feelings — to be playful. The first time I listened to Motomami, I was super impressed by her decision to not stay in one sonic box, and I realized not being afraid to leave the box is very important to me and my sound. I’m happy that I ended up committing to that and not being afraid to try out new things.

Elliott Smith – “Waltz #1”

Elliott Smith was one of the first musicians to make me really dive into the lyricism of a song. He was so brutally honest and vulnerable in every single song he wrote, and that’s a very scary thing to do. The first song on the album was a challenge for me to be as vulnerable as possible, even if it makes other people uncomfortable. Feelings are feelings, and sometimes you just have to say them like it is. Elliott was a master of expressing raw and real emotion. I try to carry that with me every time I write a song.

WILLOW – “Split”

I started getting into Willow Smith around the time I started this album, and her heavier stuff is so, so good. <COPINGMECHANISM> was pretty much the only music I was listening to, and to this day, I haven’t gotten sick of it, which is rare. She’s also another artist who isn’t afraid to leave the box and try new sounds. I love her new era of jazz, too. Her vocal ability is so impressive and hard to do. I never got into belting and hitting high notes, but she does it so tastefully, and that inspired me to try belting on “ask nicely.”

underscores – “Where Did You Fall”

underscores is inspiring for so many different reasons. Her visual and sonic world is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. She really homed in on her sound and what is cool to her. You can tell she’s spent time listening to so many different kinds of music and really appreciates the details. Her music has ear candy all over the place, and that perks up my producer ears. I wanted to have moments similar to that on my album. I wanted musicians and music lovers to be like, “Oh wow, how did she get that sound on this song?” or, “Damn what is that noise?”

Coldplay – “Shiver”

Coldplay is in my top 10 favorite bands of all time, but this song specifically hits a certain place in my heart. The arrangement from section to section is so seamless. It’s constantly building to reach some kind of sonic explosion, and when it dies down, it builds again. I have really bad attention issues, so I like songs like this that keep me engaged the whole time. I feel like you can tell when you listen to my music that I have attention problems because there are unexpected random sections that jump out at you. This song is a perfect example of how that is executed in a way that makes sense.

Read more: 10 most criminally underrated the All-American Rejects songs

In fact, it wasn’t until recently that Hemmings, now 27, felt the existential pangs of his youth beginning to slip away from him. When the realization hit, it hit hard. “Watching the numbers [on your age] tick up, getting older, you start thinking about different things,” Hemmings tells Alternative Press. “You start thinking about creating a life for yourself. You start thinking about having a family and trying to get to a point where you’re comfortable in your own skin. It’s something that takes time. And even when you think you’re there, in a few years you’ll look back and go, ‘Man, I thought I had it all figured out at that age, but I didn’t know anything back then.’”

Grappling with the inevitability of growing older was the perfect creative catalyst for Hemmings’ new EP, the simply and aptly titled boy. The EP opens with “I’m Still Your Boy,” a twinkling, dreamy ode to regret and that ever-persistent longing to recapture moments lost. The song would sound perfectly at home on the soundtrack to a 2000s indie coming-of-age film, but in truth, so would most of the tracks on the EP. Melancholic lead single “Shakes,” with its sparkling, electric guitar riffs and slow, swirling vocals, is a pensive love song Hemmings wrote during a gloomy evening in New York City. As the song progresses, its languid sonic drizzle builds into a cathartic downpour. Elsewhere, on “Close My Eyes,” Hemmings ponders the complexities of growing up (“Where is the time I lost?”) over a driving synth-pop soundscape.

“The way I write my solo stuff, and particularly for boy, is like looking back at memories. When you look back on things, it doesn’t always come back to you exactly how it happened. It’s not a clear picture — it’s sort of a blurry mess,” Hemmings explains of his ruminative writing process, which he likens to “ripping up the pages of a diary and putting different stories and memories with each other.” 

Hemmings says he was feeling a bit “hopeless, emotionally lost, and yearning to go home” when he worked on the EP, which was written largely on planes and in lonely hotel rooms. He’s been in transit for nearly two decades now — the greater part of his life, to put it in perspective — traveling around the world for gigs and awards shows, bouncing in and out of hotels, wandering foreign cities, messily scribbling potential lyrics down on paper napkins along the way. 

“I’ve been traveling from such a young age. I feel really lucky to have been able to experience other cultures and so many people who speak different languages; to be around all these different life influences. I think that’s really shaped who I am as a person,” he says. Still, being constantly on the move has taken a toll: “Your life is up in the air for so many years, and you’re not in one place for such a long time. You don’t have that stability. I think at this point in my life, I was aching for that. I yearn for it a bit more when I’m away, and now it’s harder to leave.”

Sonically, boy was inspired by New York City’s early 2000s post-punk revival scene, including the Strokes, the Rapture, LCD Soundsystem, and Julian Casablancas’ solo work, as well as the emotional musicality of acts such as the Verve and Cocteau Twins. At the same time he was working on the EP, Hemmings immersed himself in films steeped in themes of alienation, introspection, and cultural disorientation, such as Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas and Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. The latter 2003 comedy-drama explicitly inspired the dreamlike Bogotá-set music video for “Shakes.” “One day you can be in a city, walking around on your own, and feel like, ‘Wow, this is so beautiful.’ But if you look through a different lens, you might go, ‘Oh, I’m so lonely, and there’s so many people living all these lives, and it’s kind of existential and overwhelming,’” the singer shares.

It’s a much different perspective than when Hemmings first made the solo leap in 2021. Galvanized by his isolation at home at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Hemmings had nowhere to turn but inward. This solitude and subsequent artistic autonomy resulted in When Facing the Things We Turn Away From, an album that chronicled and reflected on a surreal decade spent in a massively successful, world-touring band. The project pushed Hemmings out of his comfort zone and marked the beginning of a series of major life moments, from going on his first-ever solo tour to getting married to his longtime partner, Sierra Deaton. “She’s a good sounding board because she’s got a good gauge on what’s cool,” Hemmings gushes of his singer-songwriter wife, who can be heard harmonizing with her husband on tender boy track “Close Enough to Feel You.”

Branching out as a solo artist has been a much different — and differently challenging — process than his work in 5SOS. “This process, for me, is just a bit more insular. It’s a soul search. It’s trying to dissect my life, just from my perspective,” Hemmings explains. “When you’re working with the band, people have their individual stories, obviously, and some shine through more than others on different occasions. Someone will throw a line in, from a different perspective, and it becomes this collective story.”

The solo project started as a challenge of “trying to figure out if I could write on my own, because I write a bit more all over the place, and I’m not very good at finishing things,” the multitalented musician admits. “Not having that safety net of other people you’ve known your whole life and written with for years… We know each other like the back of our hands, and I can always take songs for the band to Ashton [Irwin] or Calum [Hood] or Michael [Clifford] for their input. But you can become reliant on other people to help you finish songs when you’re not writing on your own.”

Currently, 5SOS are taking a much-needed breather to focus on their growing families, personal lives, and creative projects outside of the band. The break started roughly after they wrapped their extensive 5 Seconds of Summer Show world tour at the end of 2023. “The main thing is just talking beforehand and explaining why you want to do certain things [outside of the band], even if it’s not making solo stuff; even if it’s just, ‘I need a bit of time,’” Hemmings says. “We all know how much hard work was put in from such a young age, and we know we’ve got such a cool, unique, beautiful thing in the band. So even though we have these outside things, whether it’s having a family, making solo things, or having other artistic endeavors, the band is a home.”

The “love is still there” during their downtime, though, Hemmings says, adding that he, Irwin, Hood, and Clifford remain each others’ biggest cheerleaders even offstage and outside of the studio. “We text each other and call each other. There’s still a conversation happening even when we’re not making stuff. I think it’s important to be friends outside of work, and we just want each other to be happy,” he says, mentioning that 5SOS fans need not worry about his or his bandmates’ various solo projects — as self-fulfilling as they are — getting in the way of the band. “The band started when I was so young. I love making music with them, and I can’t wait to make another 5SOS album. It’s been such an anchor in my life; it’s part of who I am and in my DNA.”

Thirteen years after his 5SOS debut, Hemmings looks back at the whirlwind of success and fame that interrupted his youth with a complex, very human mix of sentimentality and gratitude. “When I look back, the positives obviously outweigh all the negatives, and I don’t really speak about the negatives too much. It definitely wasn’t normal, so I feel really lucky that I have a great family and that I went through it all with real, proper friends. I feel blessed that through all of that madness, we have remained mates and can talk through stuff and directly relate to each other. To go through that on my own would have been potentially not survivable, because it was so much noise, and so much was given away at such a young age,” he muses, reflecting on how reserved and shy he was at the time. “To have that amount of eyes on your childhood definitely shaped some views of myself, but I just feel really stoked that we kept at it, even though it’s strange to look back on.” 

Strange indeed as it was for a teen who grew up in the middle-of-nowhere suburbs of eastern Australia, Hemmings has absolutely no regrets about his remarkable boyhood. When asked what he might tell his 15-year-old self if he could send a message back in time, he pauses for a moment and jokes, “Maybe get better at fashion?” Then, he gets philosophical: “I don’t know what I’d say. I don’t know if I’d say anything at all. I think you’ve just gotta figure it out for yourself. There probably wouldn’t be a bunch of stuff I would do differently. I’d love to just be of the mindset that everything happened the way it was supposed to.” 

Photos by Silken Weinberg

Photo assistance by Emma Mortimer

Styling by Justine Logue

Makeup by Fitch Lunar

“Streetwise” presents an experimental turn for the NYC indie artist, reflecting the grit of the city she was raised in. Fuentes worked with Swedish producer — and longtime Drain Gang and Sad Boys collaborator — Woesum, where they tapped into heavier electronic and dance influences. The result is wholly different than anything she’s released, riding glitchy textures and a thwacking beat while laying down mercilessly cool lines about running around NYC (“Everyone’s a gossip, everyone’s trash/But I don’t mind the company when I’m just blowing cash”).

Read more: 24 of the most exciting rising artists to watch in 2024

Check out the video for “Streetwise,” directed by Fuentes and shot by Jason Isip, below.

Look to Hendrix’s newer, Robbie Hiser-produced tracks, “Flowers in Paris,” “Be OK,” and the latter’s remix track. In this work, his gritty vocals are layered atop quicker, more energetic drum parts, which rip along steadily and at warp speed. This added urgency lends a pop-punk flavor to the artist’s already exciting fusion of sounds — resulting in a playful balance between fresh ideas and Y2K nostalgia. 

Read more: 20 most underrated pop-punk albums from the last two decades

Hendrix, it appears, is not one to shy away from leaning in, and embracing a moment. This is evidenced in his remix track, “Be OK (RMX),” where shinier, pop-infused rock flavors have found their way into his genre-bending recipe. With salient features from Waterparks and Good Charlotte, the song becomes an unyielding anthem, full of electric, youthful spirit, and wistfulness, in both sound and sentiment. This song is about teenage love — a topic as applicable at 16 as it is in your 30s, apparently — and the ageless experience of fucking up and finding one’s way again. Blending the infectious pop-punk melodies of Good Charlotte with Waterparks’ bright alt-pop, Hendrix’s defiant, empowering track is redelivered with sticky hooks and classic GC guitar riffs. 

Whether on his own or with company, Hendrix’s work only gets bigger and bolder by the day. We sat down with him on the heels of the “Be OK (RMX)” release to chat about the music that raised him, his writing process, working with new artists, and more.

What was it like growing up in Milwaukee? Were you around creative people, and did your parents bring music into the home?
Growing up in Milwaukee, we made fun of what we had around us. You learned to adapt to our environment, which allowed us to navigate and survive the realities we lived in. I grew up in a household where sports and music were prevalent. My mom and pops used to play all types of music in the house, from oldies to rap, rock, pop, and blues. My musical curiosity stemmed from the melting pot of music I was around. My siblings and I were heavily involved in sports, which most kids at the time saw as an outlet from their circumstances, but this taught us important life lessons like teamwork, competitive edge, and work ethic towards a goal.

What was the first music you felt drawn to autonomously — what was the first CD or concert ticket you bought?
I was drawn to Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana.” The song is older than me, but I just remember when my brother worked at Target and brought home a Michael Jackson greatest hits CD, and I immediately fell in love with “Dirty Diana.” When I was old enough to make some money for myself, I purchased Lil Wayne’s Carter III and Rick Ross’ Teflon Don. The first concert I ever went to was Kid Cudi. Now to look back on that, I can see all those influences in my music today.

Do your songs feel like personal, vulnerable narratives of your life experience, or are they more metaphorical messages that are meant to apply to a general audience?
I think there’s a little bit of both. The beauty of music is that so many people use it to connect to something, someone, or someplace. So I try to keep more life experiences in my music because if I or someone I know has gone through these experiences, I’m sure the masses have some way to connect to the songs. This is a space where I can be super vulnerable. I do find myself some days just wanting to have fun and escape reality through music as well. When you listen to the project, it will really take you on a journey, and you will be able to tell the difference in the emotion of the songs but also see the story being told.

If you had to claim key inspirations for “Be OK,” what would they be?

The main inspiration for this project is choosing to live life to its fullest. If I were to break it down into five key components I would say letting go of fear, not being afraid of change or to change in general, confidence, perseverance, and, lastly, having fun. As I analyze my own life, these are the things that drive me to choose life every day.

What was your experience working with and collaborating with Robbie Hiser?

Working with Robbie has been great. He is a legend in my eyes. He allowed me to be a student around him. I asked a million questions, and we really got to know each other before any music was made. I think this is vital coming from where I come from, where it’s not so easy to trust, especially in a space that requires a little bit of vulnerability, and I think that helps the overall sound and production on this project because there was an understanding — like a sensei and their student.

What’s your writing process? Do you have any rituals around that, or around performing?

It’s a mood thing. I’ll write or come up with a concept based on something I’m currently dealing with in my life. Most of the time, I pull from everyday conversations. For example, if one of my friends is talking to me about a breakup and it resonates with me, I can channel that pain and make a song out of that situation based on his emotions, feelings, and conversation. Music is such a feeling thing, so when it comes to performing in the studio or onstage, I really try to empty myself and give it all. I truly believe every word, story, or emotion being expressed, but also when it’s all said and done, I know I gave my all.

Who are you listening to these days?

Lately I’ve been listening to MOD SUN’s God Save The Teen, and he snapped on it. Carlie Hanson, Chase Atlantic, WILLOW, MGK, Lil Saucy, B.I.G.G C, Waterparks, the Weeknd, Future, Good Charlotte. I like all types of music, and so I’m all over the place, but if it’s good, I’m listening.

Your goal as an artist has a lot to do with “uplifting” people, and defying circumstances that might bring you down. Where did that come from, the desire to do that for others? And what uplifts you?

It’s my nature. I can’t really explain it, but it’s something that comes naturally to me. I want to see people win, no matter what area of their life it’s in. When I look at my life, I would say the journey uplifts me — knowing that in a time of uncertainty, I can stop and look back and see that I’m further than where I’ve been. The times you’ve wanted to give up but didn’t unlock a new level and new challenges to life that allow you to continue to grow and learn a little more about yourself. But sometimes you look back and ask, “What if I would have given up?” You soon realize life is based on a thin line of decisions. So the joy in the journey is what shapes and molds made me, and that is all the project is about.

South Korean musical collective Balming Tiger are the inspired idiosyncrasy of the K-pop world. Self-described as “alternative K-pop,” their sound, disruptive style, and eclectic energy finds them exploring a colorful space somewhere between BROCKHAMPTON and BTS. That being said, as fluid as the members who make up the collective, no Balming Tiger track sounds alike, nor do the group claim any one genre. The goal here? Global impact, collaboration, and representation of Asia’s rich youth culture. 

Read more: 10 most criminally underrated Stray Kids songs

THE ORIGIN OF YOUR NAME

It is a name that was coined after discussing comfortably at the homes of the early members. We almost became Balming Koala, but we arrived safely at Balming Tiger.

WILDEST TOUR STORY

Our Europe tour, which took place right after COVID-19 was serious, was a time when airlines made a lot of mistakes due to the influx of people flying. All our personal luggage and tour luggage didn’t arrive, so we performed without any equipment or luggage throughout the tour. We also urgently bought tour costumes again and continued to endure with the clothes we wore on the plane. The luggage was returned to Korea about a week after the tour. I remember that we ended the tour with only our bare bodies.

THE HARDEST THING YOU’VE COME UP AGAINST AS ARTISTS

Does not exist. We think we’re very lucky to be able to live by creating. We have to be willing to accept the small difficulties that come with our creation because it’s our choice.

A TIME YOU WERE STARSTRUCK

When I was young, I once fell in love with Ayumu Kasuga from Azumanga Daioh, an animated series. It affected my ideal type, and I was attracted to weird and funny women.

LYRICS TO LIVE BY

“Trust Yourself”

HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE INTERNET AND HOW YOU USE IT 

Double-sided sword, for sure. Infinite inspirations but also the comparisons that come along. I’m usually mindlessly surfing on the web.

YOUR SAFE PLACE

When everyone is together, we’re sorry to Leesuho, but it’s Leesuho’s private studio that we’re currently using as Balming Tiger’s studio. It’s the first space where we all worked together, and sometimes we gathered to celebrate the members’ birthday parties and events. It’s a place with a lot of memories. Also, it seems to be a space where Balming Tiger’s content is posted on the web, like Balming Tiger’s YouTube channel.

YOUR LAST MEAL

Raw fish sashimi.

IF YOU COULD BE CARTOON CHARACTERS

Ninja Turtles.

YOUR 2024 GOALS

Last year, we focused on group activities, but this year, our goal is to release individual albums of the members, along with group activities. We also want to overcome the appearance of not allowing ourselves freedom, or limiting our roles by giving up our own definition of ourselves.

Australian crew SPEED have been making a name for themselves through brutal but motivational hardcore, and today they’ve announced their debut album, ONLY ONE MODE, out July 12 via Flatspot/Last Ride.

To preview the new record, they’ve shared lead single “REAL LIFE LOVE,” which comes with a tough, fast-moving music video shot in Sydney, Australia. The song revolves around the loyalty, expression, and connection they’ve gained from the hardcore community overtop ultra-pummeling music that lives up to their name.

Read more: 15 best modern hardcore bands for day one fans

“My time in hardcore has informed the relationships I have with everyone I hold close,” vocalist Jem Siow says. “An unconditional sense of love and loyalty. A bond that knows no words. Relationships that now span a lifetime. To us, this unique sense of deep-seated understanding is the essence of HC, it’s what we’re most passionate about and grateful for. Yet there are many in, and especially outside, of this space who conflate this idea. If you stick around long enough, you might just get it. Otherwise, what’s the point to all of this?”

See the album artwork and tracklist, plus listen to “REAL LIFE LOVE,” below.

ONLY ONE MODE tracklist

1. “REAL LIFE LOVE”
2. “DON’T NEED”
3. “NO LOVE BUT FOR OUR OWN”
4. “ONLY FOES…”
5. “THE FIRST TEST”
6. “KILL CAP”
7. “SEND THEM 2 SYDNEY”
8. “SHUT IT DOWN”
9. “I MEAN IT”
10. “CAUGHT IN A CRAZE”

Read more: 15 contemporary mathcore bands bringing the genre into the future

5. Deftones

Deftones aren’t exactly shoegaze, but it can be argued either way. For one, the Sacramento-bred band really know how to lean into atmospherics, like on Around the Fur’s “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)” and Koi No Yokan’s “Rosemary” — the latter being their most shoegaze-inspired LP yet. They also use delay, distortion, and hushed vocals — hallmarks of the genre — that make some of their songs hit so hypnotically. But they also up the heaviness, throwing metal, hard rock, and other experimentalism into the mix and making the music swell. Ultimately, Deftones can’t be defined by one sound, but shoegaze is definitely one of them.

4. Lush

When people think of classic shoegaze bands, their minds usually go to My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Ride, but Lush certainly deserve a place at the table. The band formed in the late ’80s — right around when the genre was coined — but adopted more of a dream-pop sound, leaning into lighter, more heavenly aspects rather than a towering wall of sound. That made their pairing with Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins, who produced their 1992 debut album, Spooky, a total dream. For the uninitiated, start with that album and work your way up.

3. Nothing

Nothing are easily one of the modern greats of the genre. Led by Domenic Palermo, the band have been kicking around since 2011 and bettering themselves with every release. That includes some real masterclass albums — from the deafening, ambient fuzz of Guilty of Everything to the driftier, washed-out reverb of The Great Dismal — that can get deeply existential, telling stories of life’s darker, unrulier realities. Nothing even started their own shoegaze music festival, Slide Away, which celebrated its inaugural year in March and offered sets from both the old guard and the upcoming generation for an all-star blend across two cities.

2. My Bloody Valentine

Of course My Bloody Valentine were going to make this list — the genre begins with them. Featuring Kevin Shields’ incendiary whammy bar and Bilinda Butcher’s tender vocals, their 1988 debut, Isn’t Anything, foreshadowed early markers of the genre as they morphed the sweetness of pop with noisy guitar. But they didn’t truly make their mark until 1991’s Loveless, which became a shining light within underground rock and transformed them into an entirely different band. It’s been over a decade without new music, but at least we have three perfect albums.

1. Slowdive

Slowdive are considered part of shoegaze’s big three, so it’s no surprise that the band snagged the top spot. The band cut their teeth during alternative rock’s golden era, broke up, and reunited in 2014, to grand applause. That’s because while they were away, Slowdive gained an even bigger following for their celestial, overdriven shoegaze and were embraced by thousands when they released their self-titled album — their first in over two decades — in 2017. Their second album, Souvlaki, is considered essential listening, but you can’t go wrong with any of their modern releases, either.