Glazyhaze
SONIC
Hoodooh [2025]
“A shimmering split-screen of mood and melody—SONIC is shoegaze with emotional precision.”
Album Overview: Glazyhaze is a four-piece band based in Venice, Italy, united by a love for lush textures and emotionally resonant songwriting. The group—comprised of Irene Moretuzzo, Francesco Giacomin, Lorenzo Dall’Armellina, and Seva Prokhorov—has developed a richly layered sound that evolved throughout the late 2010s. Paolo Canaglia plays a significant role in their studio process, helping shape their sonic identity. Their second full-length release, SONIC, is a self-produced effort that’s as visually thoughtful as it is musically ambitious.
The album feels like two distinct moods stitched together. The first half shimmers with lighter tones and airy melodies, while the second half turns inward, dipping into duskier, more introspective territory. What stands out isn’t just the tonal shift, but how essential both sides feel to each other—like two incomplete thoughts finally making sense when joined. SONIC unfolds like a diary opened mid-thought, letting listeners drift through different emotional states without telling them how to feel.
Musical Style: Glazyhaze orbits the shoegaze genre, but with a preference for clarity amid the haze. Their music emphasizes mood while still preserving song structure. Layered guitars, breathy vocals, and rhythmic swells build a dreamy atmosphere, but the melodies stay intact—they don’t get lost in the fog. There’s a restraint in their pacing that feels intentional, and just when things begin to settle, they pull you back in with a well-placed hook or shift in rhythm.
Evolution of Sound: Compared to their earlier work, SONIC feels more focused and emotionally cohesive. Splitting the album into two thematic halves suggests the band is leaning into a more narrative approach—something less evident on their debut. They’ve also broadened their palette, sprinkling in subtle electronic textures and playing more confidently with loud/quiet dynamics. These choices hint at a band finding their footing and learning when to let moments breathe.
Artists with Similar Fire: If you’re into the soft-spoken depth of Slowdive, the melodic charm of The Sundays, or the bittersweet glow of Alvvays and Shower Curtain, you’ll likely find something to connect with here. There are also faint echoes of Sonic Youth’s more tuneful moments and the brooding tension of NewDad. Glazyhaze blends ’80s dream-pop haze with a modern indie touch, bridging the past and present without trying too hard to sound like either.
Pivotal Tracks: “Nirvana” shimmers with layered guitars and a steady build that never loses its balance. It’s a slow-burner that rewards patience. “Forgive Me” leans inwards—its mood more fragile, yet grounded. “What a Feeling” kicks off the record with a gauzy wall of sound that feels nostalgic but still carries emotional weight. “Slap” follows a more traditional shoegaze structure, building steadily until it crashes over you in a wave of saturated guitar. These tracks capture both sides of the album’s personality—some reaching outward, others curling inward—all held together by a pulse that feels distinctly theirs.
Lyrical Strength: Irene Moretuzzo’s lyrics don’t spell things out, and that’s part of their strength. They offer glimpses rather than clear stories—leaning into emotional ambiguity and internal tension. Her writing invites listeners to sit in the in-between spaces: moments of change, longing, and quiet unease. It’s less about concrete answers and more about the questions that stay with you after the music fades.
Final Groove: SONIC is a thoughtful and emotionally layered follow-up that shows clear growth from Glazyhaze’s debut. While it doesn’t always reach the peaks it aims for, there’s something compelling about its dual nature and the band’s careful attention to texture and mood. The album invites more than demands, which may leave some listeners wanting sharper edges—but for others, that open-endedness is exactly the point. If this record is any sign of where Glazyhaze is heading, they’re carving a space that balances haze with clarity, introspection with atmosphere. And with a little more confidence in shaping their emotional arcs, their next chapter could resonate even deeper.
GLAZYHAZE LINKS
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