CompilationA61625 is a collection of 6 atmospheric, experimental shoegaze demos. The artist describes the album as a "compilation of ideas recorded in 2025" and the music contained in very fitting of that description. On the whole, the sound is raw. These aren't meticulous and polished works but musical ideas. Moments in time, musical experiences captured and bottled. To my ears, these ideas are good ideas.
Track one, Tape Three, is warbly and cozy. There's a tenderness to the arrangement. It feels nice, like someone who wants to express their love for the world or the people around them but doesn't know how. I'm immediately struck by how sincere the whole thing sounds.
Track two, Redux, immediately switches the vibe. I'm reminded that this is a compilation rather than a coherent whole. We open with skimming through the radio before moving into blown out instrumental shoegaze. Maybe I'm a little crazy, but I feel like I'm one of the only people that doesn't mind my neighbors playing music. I usually jam with them a little bit through the wall, even if it's way way too late and I'm trying to get to bed. This is the feeling I get from Redux. It's like listening to my upstairs neighbor's band practice at 2am, but in a good way.
Most of the rest of the album follows in the steps of this previous track. Blown out, tape distorted, experimental shoegaze. The textures aren't crunchy as much as they are bumpy. Like squishing a sugary granola bar inside its package. It feels good in a sensory way. Shoegaze often feels hazy but the haze on this album is viscous.
Track four, Intermission, feels (checks notes) "silly and wet". If I was a rebellious high school crab living in the shallow water going to crab school for crabs and for some reason my life was chosen for a documentary, I would be quite pleased to know they chose this music for the film.
This short album will appeal to fans of bedroom shoegaze. As someone with a budding interest in the genre I find a lot to appreciate here. Speaking for myself, it's hard to say where this album specifically fits into my musical rotation. What I can say quite confidently however, is that I'll be excitedly on the lookout for what they release next.