Brooklyn-based newcomers retroshade are an exciting new force in the music scene, drawing inspiration from the ethereal stylings of shoegaze, dream pop and the unseen world. The band, which features members of Champale Gold and ethericashadowsound, is fronted by Mandi L. Neubecker on guitar and vocals, with Matt Wortz on bass and Dan Storchan on drums.
While all the members originally hail from Detroit, it wasn’t until they converged in the music sphere of New York City that retroshade was born. Before forming retroshade, the trio cut their teeth and developed their sound on the live circuit under a different name.
This experience provided them with a solid foundation, and now, with a fresh identity and vision, they’re ready to introduce themselves to the world. Capturing their sound in the studio, they recently linked up with producer Nolan Thies at Bunker Studio in Brooklyn to record a batch of songs.
The first taste of which comes with their recent debut single titled “Ursa Minor,” a song that announces retroshade to the wider world. “Ursa Minor” captures the perfect distiallation of retroshade’s sound via a blend of haunting melodies, lush instrumentation and a deep connection to the spiritual and emotional worlds.
Written in the wake of Mandi’s dog Wildfire’s passing, the track is a tribute to their bond and an attempt to communicate with him in the afterlife. Through this song, Neubecker channels her grief and pain, transforming it into something powerful, enduring and artistically beautiful. From the crisp sound of alternating guitar notes, the arrangement swells with laid back tapped drums and mellow bass lines to form a hazy atmosphere before Mandi’s soft vocals enter to stitch delicate melodies into the enveloping sonic fabric.
With hushed delivery, she casts an emotive spell before the song rises to launch into an anthemic chorus of bold guitar chords and drums capped by her mesmeric voice. It’s a sensational debut single that sits at the crossroads of shoegaze, alternative and art rock, officially marking the arrival of retroshade as a compelling new act taking its first steps as a must-watch band.
Listen to Ursa Minor below
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