Dream Pop

A spacious guitar sound developed by British Post-Punk bands in the mid-1980s, Dream Pop -- also known as 'shoegazer,' referring to bands like the Cocteau Twins who stared at the floor introspectively as they performed -- used echo, reverb and delay effects to create swirling, melodic, and noisy music. Vocals delivering poetic, often vague lyrics, could be viewed as just another instrument in the mix, especially in the case of My Bloody Valentine's pioneering textured soundscapes. Dream Pop continues to disregard conventional pop production and maintains a devoted following, championing its trademark ethereal haze of guitar noise.