It’s been a few years since we visited the ever-grounding and always superb musical catalogue of postpunk / shoegaze / alternative-noise rockers A Shoreline Dream. Based in Colorado and currently a duo, in contrast to the full band they started with back in 2005, their music continues to be lush and multi-layered, wonderfully blurring the lines between genres.
Their latest single is called ‘Driveaway’ and it goes hand in hand with a new glam-horror short film, which was directed and edited by Ryan Policky with costumes by Tiffany Smyth and Jessica Halpine. Filmed in the circus emporium of a town called Barnum, as well as Central City – both in Colorado – Jessica Halpine (with her eye-catching pink hair and dramatic expression) also plays the lead role in this dark journey of a video.
‘Driveway’ can be found on the band’s sixth full-length album ‘Loveblind’ album, released via Latenight Weeknight Records, which dives into recollections and past desires while looking forward in a wash of sound waves towards a blinding future. With 40 minutes of goth-laced progressive soundscapes, this album features immense synth layers, the band’s signature guitar and symphonic vocals.
Having changed lineups over the years, A Shoreline Dream since forming in 2005, today ASD revolves around multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ryan Policky and guitarist Erik Jeffries. Their legacy became even more lush owing to collaborations with legends such as Ulrich Schnauss, Mark Kramer and The Engineers. The band also opened for Chapterhouse for their very final appearance.
“After many months of pushing ourselves through the pandemic, we came up with this early on in the exploration of the ‘Loveblind’ album. The visual concept is based on a lot of what has been happening to people just going about their normal everyday lives, only to be now forcefully expelled from feeling any sense of freedom. Now that many are getting back to our pre-pandemic lives, we’re finding ourselves in an entirely new situation. A situation where lines are constantly crossed, art is overly scrutinized, and people are at each others throats trying to separate themselves to try and reset their entire existence. Computers and technology advances are faster than we can control, and our realities are being changed at every moment by a whole new way of living. Some are giving up,” says Ryan Policky.
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“Some are using it as a way to escape. Others are just moving into a hibernation state. In the video this is entirely the case. A person expelled by an unknown force. Something that is part artificial, and mostly real. A state of dreamy and a state of confusion. We follow along as it all blends together in a place from distant past. A place where we all find ourselves eventually.”
The pandemic has taken its toll on our mental well-being and the perception of money and power has blown previous years away. Dying to get back to the good times and moments of pure, unscathed lust, we long for new experiences to sweep us off our feet. ‘Loveblind’ reaches for that same energy, taking cues from previous A Shoreline Dream works, drawing from their progressive goth roots. Layers of moodiness, blissful explosions of rock and chugging tempo mix with the pain, love, hope and moments of near-death experience while creating the album itself.
“The video was shot on location in Barnum, Colorado, involving one of my favorite treks up in the mountains – the Central City Graveyard on the far end of town, hidden at the top of a mountain, buried in layers of trees with nonstop exploration. I utilized a bit of machine learning techniques to bring that element of out-of-control computer advancements, while merging in the lore of witches being cast away in the wardrobe stylings by Artsmyths, Inc., who helped pull together the style for our recent ‘Loveblind’ and ‘Harlow Syndrome’ videos,” says Ryan Policky.
The ‘Loveblind’ LP is out now digitally, available everywhere, includingSpotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The band have already started working on new material, and expect to be able to make an announcement about this soon.
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