shoegaze

Shoegaze (originally shoegazing) is a subgenre of indie and alternative rock characterised by ethereal soundscapes, obscured vocals, and extensive use of guitar effects and distortion. Rooted in Phil Spector's Wall of Sound and psychedelic pop of the 1960s, the style originated in the UK, particularly in London and the greater Thames Valley region, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The term was coined by music executive Andy Ross and was later used by the British music press to describe shoegaze bands' motionless stage presence, during which musicians directed their look down toward their effects pedals.

A British music-press label applied to shoegaze bands and affiliated artists in the early-1990s London club scene was "The Scene That Celebrates Itself". Artists that were associated with the Scene drew primarily from dream pop band Cocteau Twins, as well as from the sonic template established by Irish band, My Bloody Valentine on their 1988 EP You Made Me Realise and their debut album ''Isn't Anything''.