Highspire – Crushed
Release Date: July 11, 2025
Origin: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
Genre: Shoegaze, dreampop, indie rock
After years of anticipation, Highspire return with Crushed—a triumphant third album that marks a new chapter for one of shoegaze’s most enduring cult acts. Originally emerging in the early 2000s, Highspire built a devoted global following through the digital underground, gaining visibility via legendary compilations by Losing Today Magazine, Tonevendor, and the now-iconic Club AC30.
Their 2004 debut Your Everything, released on Clairecords, quickly became a critical favorite, hailed by fans and tastemakers alike as one of the year’s definitive shoegaze albums. Its immersive layers and emotional depth secured Highspire a place among genre royalty. In 2010, the band followed up with Aquatic, an equally acclaimed record that deepened their signature sound and reinforced their legacy.
Crushed signals both a reunion and a reinvention. With original member Guyton Sanders on drums, the new lineup features Laura Watling (The Autocollants, Tears Run Rings) and John Loring (Fleeting Joys), bringing fresh energy and perspective. The result is an album that stays true to the band’s shoegaze roots while pushing their sound into new terrain—more refined, more expansive, and more emotionally resonant.
The band describes Crushed as their best work to date—and it’s hard to argue. Every track hums with cinematic depth and shimmering tension, the kind of music that invites you to dissolve into its haze. Released via Shelflife Records, Crushed is not just a return—it’s a statement of purpose, a reminder that true shoegaze never fades.
© Thusblog
