Making big strides with shoegaze influences.

In their previous EP released back in 2012, Is/Is began scratching the surface of the genre we love and know as shoegaze. After spending almost an entire three years on tour, cooped up in a small, beaten-down minivan, the bands time on the road resulted in a lot of artistic development. In their most recent, self-titled EP, Is/Is has more than committed to the genre with washed out reverb tones played over droning progressions, which are evident in every track. Yet they are still able to leave their dreamy (when necessary) guitar riffs and pop/ambient influenced vocals unscathed, creating a very recognizable, psychedelic sound. The album has a bit of a slower start, some tracks even blend together, but it gradually picks up with more aggressive and even fuzzier guitar harmonies in “Side Ways‰” and “Gleam.‰” Is/Is are beginning to come into their own with this EP.

RIYL: Twerps, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Wye Oak
Recommended Tracks: 4, 5, 8