What happens when the melodic, hazy swirl of shoegaze collides with the raw, gritty punch of grunge? Well, I’ll tell you what: masterpieces happen. For fans of groups like Nothing and Superheaven, Side One is the debut EP by Massachusetts project tunneling, a genuine hidden gem worth digging into.
The five-track mini-album brings to the surface everything grungegaze does best: holding onto the dreamy, immersive wall-of-sound of shoegaze while dragging it through the muddy, restless, imperfect textures of ’90s alt-rock. The result is a sound that feels heavy and blurry all at once, aggressive yet introspective, melodic and decaying at the edges.
The guitars are layered, not in a shimmering way, but in a thick, fuzzy, sandpaper-rough tone, something closer to Nirvana’s blown-out crunch or Smashing Pumpkins’ molten warmth. They sit on top of a distorted, humming bass, loud and punchy drums, and vocals that are lazy, confessional, and slightly buried in the mix. Even in the haze, they bring out that grunge-like vulnerability, the kind that sounds both distant and painfully close.
With Side One, tunneling delivers a debut that captures the intensity of modern shoegaze while grounding it in the restless grit of ’90s alternative rock. It’s a confident, well-crafted introduction that proves the project has a clear identity and a sharp ear for texture. For anyone keeping an eye on the new wave of heavy, atmospheric guitar music, this EP is absolutely worth your time. You can check them out here:
Written by Joshua Cotrim
