When the sun hits, part II

Shoegaze is back — and everyone knows it. A melancholic, ethereal wall of sound made famous by classic ’90s bands like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Cocteau Twins is rising again. Today, a new wave of artists like Slow Crush, Wisp, and Superheaven is reimagining the genre — and fans are here for it.

For the second edition of When the Sun Hits, EKKO invites you to dive into the modern sound of shoegaze, brought to you by a powerful lineup of Dutch artists. Expect hazy textures and dreamy distortion, mixed with fresh influences from punk, psychedelia, electronica, and alternative rock.

Loveth Besamoh
Rotterdam-based producer and songwriter Loveth Besamoh blends new wave and krautpunk with elements of electronica, shoegaze, afro rock, jazz, post-punk, and afro-psychedelia. His Cameroonian roots pulse through the rhythm, transforming genres into something truly unique and spellbinding.

Part Garden
Part Garden is an indie/shoegaze band that leads you into a trance with melancholic guitars and dreamy vocals. Their lyrics speak to existential dread, nostalgia, and the experience of being a woman in today’s world. Let yourself be swept away in their garden of emotion and sound.

thrilled
thrilled delivers heavy shoegaze anthems full of bold chord progressions, sonic chaos, and seismic dynamic shifts — driven by distorted fuzz and thunderous drums. With a sound shaped by grunge, emo, and shoegaze, this young band has already made waves at Left of the Dial and opened for legends like RIDE. Their raw power will echo in your bones all week.

Vixsin
Vixsin is the solo shoegaze project of 18-year-old Lotta Thomese from Groningen. Inspired by Whirr, Fleeting Joys, Glare, and of course My Bloody Valentine, she produces and mixes everything from her bedroom — because, as she says, “why not?” With support shows at Rotown and Simplon already under her belt, Vixsin represents the fresh, DIY spirit of the new shoegaze generation.