Audiopile Review: We’ve been both blessed and burdened by the sheer scale of the ongoing shoegaze resurgence. Admittedly, there aren’t many who have managed to break through to us despite the overwhelming amount of bands that seem to pop up on Bandcamp on a daily basis. Though, when a striking band like Glixen comes along, a glimmer of hope pierces through the crowded sea of reverb. Thriving on the classic tension between dreamy atmosphere and raw power, Glixen’s North Star is surely MBV, though they also reach back and lean into the cathartic sounds of Just For A Day-era Slowdive, the riff-heavy weight of Hum, Cranes’ gothic drama, Smashing Pumpkins’ melodic riffage, and even Deftones’ emotional intensity (just don’t call Deftones shoegaze, mmmkay??). Rarely settling into staid pedal-reverie, Quiet Pleasures simply rips—crashing cymbals, chugging basslines, and roaring guitars mount a veritable wall to contend with. But at the center of this heaving mass is Aislinn Ritchie’s drifting vocals, floating above the roiling storm and softening the edges without dulling the impact. Fans of Knifeplay and Cold Gawd’s raw volume will find much to love as Glixen carve a distinct space in an increasingly oversaturated scene. Evidently, there’s still something to be excited about in shoegaze.

***

Arriving as a standout group in the current American shoegaze renaissance, Phoenix four-piece Glixen transcend all expectations of what the genre should currently look and sound like. The band creates a profoundly heavy sonic experience with their music, paying respects to their predecessors but resulting in something completely modern. An amalgamation of influences like Björk, My Bloody Valentine, Godflesh, t.A.T.u, and Hum, their sound crawls with intensity and introspection to contrast lead singer Aislinn Ritchie’s lulling vocals.

In 2024, the band released “lust,” “foreversoon,” and “sick silent” beginning to preview what the upcoming Sonny DiPerri (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV) produced “quiet pleasures” EP will sound like.

Glixen has had a massive 2024! From playing SXSW and Treefort Festival to supporting genre stalwarts like Interpol, DIIV, Nothing., Tanukichan, Turnover and Glare, Glitterer, Softcult and Fish Narc, they’ve played to packed crowds across the United States. The run continues in 2025 with their first ever headlining North American tour with support from contemporaries she’s green and Suzy Clue.