Luje is a shoegaze band from Lyon, France, that combines shoegaze with elements of noise rock and punk music, creating a style that showcases heavy guitar textures and fast tempos paired with catchy vocals and hooks. They recently released a single titled “Too Cold” on May 20th of 2025.
The single starts off with a thundering roar of sound reminiscent of 2000s post-hardcore style bands such as Thursday, featuring heavy yet atmospheric, distorted guitars. It then transitions into an 80s post-punk style sound, characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars and a simple 4/4 beat that drives the song forward. The bassline drives along the rhythm before a soaring and smooth synth is incorporated, further building an atmosphere of melancholy and a more dream-like shoegaze sound. The song once again gets heavy for a sort of breakdown part around halfway through the song. It also incorporates elements of noise rock with dissonant guitars and moments of feedback that create an experimental edge.
One thing I found interesting is how the song ends in an almost abrupt cut yet manages to do so in a way that feels like an intentional, natural conclusion to the song. The guitars still maintain a full sound with an uptempo rhythm, even as the song ends within a second. It feels like a metaphor for the way that anything in life can end so suddenly and completely and that there doesn’t need to be any sort of fade-out or slow-burn climax. Things just end, and there’s nothing we can do to change that once it happens.
You can find the song’s lyric video visualized on YOUTUBE! and check out more from the band on BANDCAMP! To keep up with their work, follow them on social media at INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!
Written by Naomi Niemiec
