Built upon massive walls of sound and ethereal instrumentation, “Crayola” is a must-listen for every shoegaze fan. It is the first track from Lash, the upcoming debut EP by California’s dreamy rock group starbelliedbug, set to be released on September 25. Combining dense layers of guitars with a hazy, lo-fi approach to production, “Crayola” introduces the band through a sound that feels both massive and intimate.
The song begins with clean, reverberated guitar arpeggios, immediately establishing its dreamy and ethereal atmosphere. Before long, however, those delicate melodies are swallowed by thick layers of distortion, transforming into a massive wall of sound. It is a transition that perfectly captures what makes shoegaze so effective: taking something melodic and fragile and allowing it to grow into something overwhelming. Despite the density of the instrumentation, the melodies never completely disappear beneath the distortion, continuing to float through the mix.
The slightly lo-fi production adds another dimension to the song. “Crayola” has a certain rawness to it, with its layers occasionally bleeding into one another and creating a warmer, rougher sound. The vocals blend naturally into this atmosphere instead of standing prominently at the front of the mix, becoming another texture within the song’s dense sonic landscape. Combined with the fuzzy production and reverberated guitars, they give the performance a distant, ghostly quality.
The single serves as an introduction to some of the ideas explored throughout Lash. The EP revolves around the idea of giving into the unknown, touching on themes of friendship breakups, confusion, isolation, and ill-fated romance. These ideas were partly shaped by the group’s travels through Ireland, where the frigid cold air and lush scenery became a source of reflection and revelation.
Even the title Lash carries that same sense of contradiction. Originally an inside joke between the group, the name eventually came to represent the tension between punishment and pleasure, an emotional duality that seems to reflect the project as a whole.
For a first glimpse into their upcoming debut EP, “Crayola” does exactly what a lead single should do: it leaves you wanting to hear more. starbelliedbug already seem confident in the atmosphere they are creating, combining the immersive textures of shoegaze with dreamy instrumentation and a raw, lo-fi sensibility. If “Crayola” is any indication of what Lash has in store, the EP promises to be an immersive exploration of uncertainty, connection, and everything that comes with giving yourself over to the unknown. You can check it out here:
Written by Joshua Cotrim
