With all of the attention being paid to the new shoegaze and dream pop movement, it's nice to see one of its original proponents re-emerge with a new band. In 1993,
Louise Trehy
was one half of the U.K. dream pop duo
Swallow
. Their lone release for the
4AD
label received little attention at the time, slipping through the cracks as the band broke up not long after. Over 20 years later,
Trehy
has suddenly reappeared with the 2014 debut album of her new project,
Strata Florida
.
Made of Stars
is a beguiling mix of swirling lo-fi shoegaze guitar textures and hazy blissed-out vocals.
(having taught herself guitar over the intervening years) and collaborator and bassist
Peter Pavli
offer up ten tracks full of haunting melody and sonic experimentation that expand the boundaries of the genre. With this release, they join the heady roster of acts at shoegaze specialists
Saint Marie Records
. ~ Timothy Monger