You may not believe me, given the spike in popularity the genre experienced a decade later, but it was very uncool to make shoegaze in 2010. No Joy were among a rare breed of new bands making a case for the alt-rock subgenre at the time, releasing their modernized take on dream pop Wait to Pleasure around the same time critics and a more general public were beginning to come around to Deftones as more than just another immature nu-metal act.
Over a decade later, Jasamine White-Gluz’s attitude about the whole thing is far from told-you-so snobbiness—in fact, her last album Motherhood exploded genre constraints altogether with its passages of ’90s dance music and speed metal. Yet that still barely prepared us for Bugland, her new project produced by Chicago experimental artist Fire-Toolz which frequently incorporates Angel Marcloid’s specific bag of tricks (which, yeah, largely revolve around ’90s dance music and speed metal). “Fire-Toolz is the future,” White-Gluz raves. “She defies genre, makes kaleidoscopic sounds. That’s what led me to want to collaborate with her. She’s fearlessly creative and fun.” In hitching her wagon to Marcloid’s star, No Joy continues to hint at the future of alt-rock with these eight dreamy tracks (including a particularly Fire-Toolz-y finale).
While that influence is undeniable, the post-motherhood quirk of No Joy’s present chapter remains the focal point of the album’s boundless creativity, which could only come from the mind of a young parent who’s struck a balance between maintaining selfhood and the changes necessary for putting her child first. After all, she described her most recent single “My Crud Princess” as being like “sifting through deep soil and coming out just covered in crud but still feeling cute. Going a little feral while still trying to maintain composure because you’re in public.”
Ahead of the record’s release this Friday, White-Gluz gave us a taste of some of the music she and Marcloid were passing back and forth as Bugland came together (I can’t confirm the science here, but evidently these songs also have the power to hatch 100,000 larvae). Check out the playlist below along with White-Gluz’s writeups, and pre-order the album here. As a companion piece, you can also find the influences playlist Marcloid made for us two years ago for her album I am upset because I see something that is not there. here.
Underworld, “Jumbo”
This song shifts in such subtle ways and blooms like a flower mid-song. It was a huge inspiration for me while making Bugland. I love when songs can feel both slow and fast at the same time—it feels like floating in the ocean.
Boards of Canada, “I Will Get It Tattooed”
It’s hard to pick just one Boards of Canada song because they’re kind of my inspiration for everything, but I like this one because it’s so mysterious and short. It’s beautiful and terrifying. I listen to it on a loop and hear something different every time.
Aphex Twin, “34 ibiza spliff”
YouTube once recommended me a playlist that was just this Aphex Twin song six different times, and honestly I loved it. The perfect song.
Air, “Universal Traveler”
One of my favorite Air songs because of how restrained it is. It has melodies and moments that could really blow up, but instead it gradually cascades into something so beautiful—not unlike the Underworld bloom in “Jumbo.” I guess I like songs that sound like flowers act.
Massive Attack, “Unfinished Sympathy”
My car only has a CD player, and Blue Lines is the record I think I play the most. This song is so cinematic—makes a drive to the grocery store feel like I’m living in 16mm film.
Luscious Jackson, “Naked Eye”
A chorus that gets stuck in your head for years! We love it! I honestly think this song has been rolling around in my brain since the mid ’90s. The vocal harmonies in the chorus! Anytime I DJ I play this song and people go nuts.
Deerhunter, “Nothing Ever Happened”
The bass tone on this song is forever a reference point for me. Seeing them play this song live around its release was such a magical, strange, exhilarating thing. I wish I could loop the outro on this song forever. Deerhunter is underrated as a shoegaze pioneer, in my opinion.
Kittie, “Eyes Wide Open”
I’m so happy Kittie are back. Tara McLeod, their guitarist, plays in No Joy and is all over Bugland. She’s the best guitar player I’ve ever seen. This song is such a culmination of musicians at the height of their game and is heavier than anything else you’re probably listening to.
Type O Negative, “Everything Dies”
Fire-Toolz got me into Type O while we were making this record. I knew the hits, but I didn’t reeeally know the discography. Fire-Toolz was like, “Every song you seem to like is in Mixolodyan, so you’ll love this”—and I do. This song in particular rocks, but is also very sentimental and moving.
Enuff Z’Nuff, “fly high michelle”
I was exploring the Rhino Records back catalog and stumbled upon this music video. I don’t often really dip into hair metal or ’80s rock stuff, but this struck me immediately. The hooks are just so good. Fire-Toolz and I have been discussing covering it—I think this song reimagined could totally have a second life.
Fire-Toolz, “Paraclete Bhishajyati”
One of my many favorite songs of hers. Fire-Toolz is the future. She defies genre, makes kaleidoscopic sounds. That’s what led me to want to collaborate with her. She’s fearlessly creative and fun.
