The difference, by ear
Both bury the voice in effects. Shoegaze is built on volume and a wall; neo-psychedelia keeps the song's structure visible.
Both are sung cleanly and move at much the same pace, around 90 to 140 bpm. To hear the difference, play The Flaming Lips next to My Bloody Valentine. They share a root in rock, and neo-psychedelia came first, by nine years. United Kingdom appears in the origins of both.
In figures
Neo-psychedelia
Where it sits
Rock › Psychedelic rock › Neo-psychedelia
In short
Psychedelia retold by every new generation, with digital studios and rather less mysticism.
How it sounds
- Abundant reverb and delay, with the voice treated as an instrument.
- Modern studio production carrying 1960s sonic references.
- Pop melody under a thick layer of effects.
Key acts
- The Flaming Lips
- Tame Impala
- King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Start here
The pickTame Impala - Lonerism. One man, a bedroom studio, a stadium sound.
Full page →Shoegaze
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Shoegaze
In short
Walls of cascading guitar effects with the vocals buried in the mix. Named after the habit of staring at the pedalboard on stage.
How it sounds
- Dozens of stacked guitar tracks through long chains of pedals.
- Kevin Shields' 'glide guitar' - the tremolo arm used continuously, so the tuning never settles.
- Vocals mixed level with the instruments, as another texture.
Key acts
- My Bloody Valentine
- Slowdive
- Ride
- Lush
Start here
The pickMy Bloody Valentine - Loveless. Nobody has yet reproduced the sound exactly.
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