Photo by Kevin Allen

The more the shoegaze universe continues to expand, the more you realize how necessary this whole scene has become as an avenue for artists to turn to its highly malleable sound and allow it to reflect their own singular existence onto it. For Draag co-vocalist Adrian Acosta, it’s a fix of pain relief and escape from their own body on “Miracle Drug”, the lead single and title track from the Los Angeles experimental dream-pop band’s forthcoming 2026 EP, which takes hold of the body as a sonic war inward projected out.

Syrupy, rainbow synths and rippling guitars initially have this listen sounding like it feels — a decompression of every limb with a weightless release as the physical world as Jessica Huang’s floats on a wave of a calm — though its barbing juxtaposition of Acosta’s white noise screams and scrape of hardcore-esque riffs from beneath the surface are like waking reminders of the reality that threaten to disrupt the serene. “I can tell this day will end soon / I can back away.” For now, Draag’s music is as close to a remedy as there can be.

Directed by: Devonte Johnson

Draag’s Miracle Drug will be released January 23rd on Smoking Room.