Is shoegaze-pop a genre? I think Kestrels proves it is.

Of all their promo shots, this was the sunniest. Is there no sun in Halifax?

Here’s another on the “2016 albums I didn’t really get to fig into in 2016 but wish I had” list of entries. I should’ve guessed Kestrels would be pretty great. They’re from Halifax, NS—as is one of my favorite bands of all time Sloan—and it is common knowledge there is something in the water of that town that creates really great bands.

Is shoegaze-pop a genre? It is now, and it applies to this trio. Their new self-titled album is actually their third, but as seems to be the case when bands name an album after themselves, it really does seem like it coalesces all their influences into a mission statement that defines the band. And that mission statement is, “let’s write songs that you could sing along to in the shower or at a campfire and then throw loads of reverb and mind-melty guitars all over them while pushing the drums into “punch through the haze” mode.

It’s great stuff. The sort of thing ‘80s college rock kids, ‘90s Britpoppers, ‘00s indie hipsters, shoe gaze nuts—aw, hell, pretty much anyone—can dig into and enjoy.

Sadly it looks like the trio never really makes it down into the states (looks like they only played Chicago once, and that was at Township which, while I think it’s a groovy venue, might not have exactly resulted in a huge crowd or welcome for their set) but after finally giving this album a couple proper listens I hope that changes soon.

Stream Kestrels below and feel free to buy it and download onto your favorite mobile listening device.