New band alert: Glazyhaze

I can count the number of bands I have heard of from Venice, Italy on one finger. Up until just a couple of months ago that number was zero. I was just in “La Serenissima” one year ago, and while I wasn’t trying to sniff out any new local bands while I was there (it was a family vacation), I could sense from the lack of gig posters and record shops in the area that the city wasn’t exactly fertile ground for new music. But Glazyhaze are here to change that.

Formed in 2021, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic, Glazyhaze – Lorenzo Dall’Armellina, Francesco Giacomin, Irene Moretuzzo and Vsevolod Prokhorov – were originally pitched by their publicist as “if The Sundays ended up being influenced by Slowdive” and I can’t really argue against such a proposal. Glazyhaze balance the strengths of what those two bands do well: chiming melodies and textural waves of sonic bliss.

For a relatively new band that formed just as members were discovering shoegaze, they have developed into a robust and confident unit on their new album, SONIC. Following up the embryonic shoegaze of their debut, 2023’s Just Fade Away, Glazyhaze’s second album explores new terrain, mixing more nuance into their sound to expand their music beyond simply the realm of shoegaze.

Handily, I just discovered a list of current shoegaze bands from The Boot on the Shoegaze subreddit, which included Glazyhaze, as well as Mondaze, one of the more established Italian ‘gazers out there. It’s a pretty lengthy list with a few nice discoveries mixed in for anyone in search of new ‘gaze from that part of the world.

I vacationed in Venice with my family last year. It's such a bustling world packed into such a small region. How difficult is it to be a young band in that city?

Irene Moretuzzo: Venice is a unique and inspiring place to live, but when it comes to being in a band, especially in the rock or shoegaze scene, it presents some challenges. While the city’s atmosphere and history can be creatively stimulating, there are very few music-related opportunities on the island itself. There aren’t really any venues in Venice for live rock music, making it necessary to travel to the mainland for rehearsals and concerts.

How would you describe Venice's music scene?

As far as I know, there isn’t really a scene or a community in Venice, at least not for the kind of music we play. I wouldn’t say it’s a non-musical city, but since it has such a strong identity, the music that is played and written here tends to be more tied to the city’s culture.

Shoegaze is really growing on a worldwide scale. Is there any kind of shoegaze community in Italy?

Yes! It's a small community, but it's slowly expanding. In Italy, global trends tend to arrive with some delay, and only recently has shoegaze started gaining popularity again. Alongside longtime enthusiasts, more and more young people are discovering and developing a passion for the genre.

How would you say SONIC differs from Just Fade Away?

Just Fade Away was written when we were just starting out as a band and discovering shoegaze, we were totally hyped about it. So, while I think the songs are good, they were arranged and mixed following the typical clichés of the genre. With SONIC, that influence is still there, but we gave ourselves much more freedom in the songwriting process, letting the songs take shape naturally instead of forcing them into predefined patterns or genre clichés. Plus, we've grown, gained experience, and strengthened our bond as a band. The result, in our opinion, is a more personal album, and whether people like it or not, we feel this has been an important step for us.

How did the band form?

I met Lorenzo in 2021, and since we both shared a strong passion for music, we started jamming together and arranging the songs I was writing at the time. Then Francesco, who was a friend of Lorenzo, joined on drums, and Seva, a friend of mine, joined on bass, completing the band.

What are your influences? Slowdive, Sonic Youth, Fontaines D.C., Slow Pulp and Wisp.

How did you discover shoegaze?

During the pandemic, I spent a lot of time listening to albums, mostly out of curiosity and to pass the time. That’s when I discovered shoegaze for the first time, thanks to recommendations from RateYourMusic. I liked it, but at the time, it felt far removed from my reality... I never would have imagined that it would end up being the genre I would play and write.

Favourite shoegaze band: Present

Food of choice while recording: Pizza

TV show the band watches together: We don’t usually watch TV shows together, instead, we prefer listening to podcasts (especially since we spend a lot of time traveling). I would say that the one we listen to the most is Demoni Urbani, a popular Italian true crime podcast that delves into dark and mysterious criminal cases from Italy’s past, it's incredibly entertaining!

The album most played when the band is hanging out together or on tour: Fontaines D.C.’s Skinty Fia.

An activity the band does together outside of music: I wouldn’t say we have one specific activity we do regularly, but we definitely enjoy exploring new places together and bonding over good food.

Where did your band’s name come from?

We chose the name Glazyhaze because it immediately evokes the ethereal and dreamy atmosphere typical of shoegaze music. As I mentioned earlier, when we started working on our first album and chose our name and titles, we were kinda obsessed with the genre. We realize it’s definitely a bit cliché now, but here we are, we’re Glazyhaze!

The hardest part of being a band: We are four different individuals, each with strong personalities and tastes, so it's impossible to always agree on every decision. Musically, despite our diverse influences, we are very much in sync. However, disagreements arise more often when it comes to aesthetics and communication. That said, discussions are productive, and I feel that clashing over ideas means that each of us has a strong passion and vision for the project.

The best part of being a band: For us, this is simply everything we want to do. We are driven by a deep hunger for creativity, curiosity and new experiences. Discovering new places, exploring different environments, and encountering fresh musical influences constantly fuel us. This is what keeps us going in life, and we dream of turning it into a full-time career one day. In the meantime, we have an incredible amount of fun, being in a band is a lifestyle that truly feels like our own.

Another band from Venice (or Italy) that fans of Glazyhaze should know about: Be Forest.

If you had to pick only one subgenre listed on your Bandcamp page to describe your music it would be: Alternative rock.

Most of your lyrics are about: Love, personal growth, self-discovery.

Favourite venue to play and why: One of the venues we enjoyed playing the most was Supersonic in Paris last year. It was our first time playing in the city, and the venue was packed with people who were really into the live set, bringing an energy we absolutely loved. Plus, the club itself was really cool!

Favourite record shop in the world: Rough Trade.

Favourite Italian band of the 1990s: Prozac+.