Phoenix's Glixen, Fresh from the trail of the American shoegaze renaissance, has returned with the new single "Lick the Star," an intoxicating, heavy-hitting dreamscape and yet another indicator of Glixen's burgeoning star power.
Pulling from an eclectic palette of influences, Björk's etheric world-building, My Bloody Valentine's roiling noise, Godflesh's industrial heft, the crushed pop sheen of t.A.T.u Lick the Star is both a salute to shoegaze's founders and a decisive step into its future. Lead singer Aislinn Ritchie's vocals drift like a haunting lullaby over walls of crushing guitars and pulsing rhythms, an interplay that characterizes Glixen's signature sound.
Since its inception in 2020, the four-piece Ritchie, guitarist Esteban Santana, drummer Keire Johnson, and bassist Sonia Garcia have carved out a niche in the underground rock world. They have snagged much-desired spots on the road with Interpol, DIIV, Narrow Head, and Nothing. Their 2023 EP She Only Said, released through tastemaking Philly tape label Julia's War Records, turned heads in the national DIY circuit.
Featuring production credits from industry heavyweights such as Jack Endino (Nirvana) and Sonny DiPerri (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV), Glixen's newest material collates this sonic progression. "Lick the Sta"r hits that growth strenuous, immersive, and unapologetically modern.
If you enjoy boundary-pushing shoegaze, "Lick the Star" is a must because it offers up earfuls of dynamic, engaging atmospherics.