blue smiley’s influence on the newer shapes stemming from the current interpretation of shoegaze and noise-pop — textures more so blurry and distorted than lush-loudly resonant in the blueprints of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Stereolab — predates any acknowledgement of that as artists like Spirit of the Beehive, They Are Gutting A Body of Water, and Hotline TNT break through the surface these last few years in similar pools of melancholic static. Tragically, the band’s impact never was able to see this moment, as vocalist and primary songwriter, Brian Newell, died tragically in 2017. The singular oddity of the Philly band is reintroduced to wider audiences with “coma”, an unreleased track being brought to light with news that Topshelf Records will be reissuing their cult favorite albums, 2015’s ok and 2016’s return. Nowell’s spectral presence is in its lightweight particulates, levitating as if the air is helium and the mind now wanders in limbo. The sensation captures in sonic form the conscious’ refraction when drifting in and out of this life.

blue smiley’s “coma” single is available now on Topshelf Records.