My Bloody Valentine Returns 

On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, Domino Records announced it had signed the Irish-English alternative rock band My Bloody Valentine, eight years after the release of their last album, “m b v,” in 2013. That same day, the recording company made the group’s entire official catalog available on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music for the first time. New physical editions will be ready to purchase starting May 21, 2021 and are now available to pre-order on Domino’s website. Among the reissued albums are the seminal 1991 album “loveless,” as well as 1988’s “Isn’t Anything” and a compilation of rare tracks and EPs including recordings from the ’90s EP’s “Glider” and “Tremolo.”  

Known primarily for their hazy, dreamlike melodies and sonic experimentation, My Bloody Valentine is considered today to be one of the pioneering bands of the shoegaze genre—aptly named for the tendency of musicians to focus their sights on the effect pedals situated near their feet rather than on the audience. Formed in Dublin in the early 80s by guitarist-vocalist Kevin Shields and drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig, the band’s first few records boasted sounds considerably different from their most notable releases of the following decade. The group underwent a significant musical transformation with the recruitment of bassist Debbie Googe in 1985 and vocalist Bilinda Butcher in 1987. In ensuing albums, they developed a characteristic sound, elevated by abrasive guitar chords and overwhelming distortion (creating a “wall of sound,” so to speak), that would one day receive widespread acclaim. 

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Shields disclosed plans for two new albums to be released in the future, the first the band intends to be “warm and melodic” and the second to sound more “experimental” (Gordon). Though it remains unclear when exactly they plan to record, fans can prepare ahead of time by listening to the legendary act now only at the click of a button.