Words by Riley Fitzgerald
Graphic by Suhaylah H.

Here are my thoughts on the incredible new album Dreaming Again by Cloud Tangle. But first, a bit of context on why this immersive new recording sounds fresh and necessary.

My name is Riley Fitzgerald, and I run a record store in Brisbane, Australia. The name of the shop is Glitter Records. And let me tell you this. There is no shortage of people who visit asking for a first pressing of Mazzy Star‘s original albums. Often, they are surprised by the price tag. The thing is, these records are not hard to find, but they’re worth well over $300.

These records, iconic as they now are, were not as mainstream or discoverable back in their day. Today, they carry the weight of critical acclaim and nostalgia. And yes, all of that 100-albums-to-hear-before-you-die-list “blah, blah, blah.”

But honestly? There are things more vital happening right here in Brisbane, Australia right now. Music that feels alive and moving forward, not fossilized in the past.

Take Cloud Tangle, for instance. I recently saw Amber from Cloud Tangle perform live in Fortitude Valley venue The Brightside with Devotions, another local band playing shoegaze and dream pop with a fresh, modern edge. Brisbane has given us a steady stream of acts in this area of music over the past ten years, including Hatchie and Nite Fields. These artists shape something new and exciting with each release, taking the fundamentals of atmospheric music we grew up with in the 1990s and enjoy in David Lynch films, blending them with modern ideas and elements dream pop revival of the 2010s.

John Russell from 4000 Records has been working hard to build a platform for this scene. He recently shared a cassette with me he has put out by Cloud Tangle titled Dreaming Again. Now this is an album that taps into the same spacious, atmospheric territory we have been talking about but with fresh emotion and a much more immediate, local energy. This isn’t just a nostalgic exercise—it’s a forward-looking musical movement with its own identity and cultural weight.

Australia has always been home to musicians with bold visions. Think of Kevin Parker of Tame Impala, whose isolated upbringing in Perth led to a unique sound that has made him a global cultural influence. Brisbane, too, with bands like The Saints for punk and The Go-Betweens for indie pop, is an isolated music scene with a track record for producing music well ahead of its time. This is a place where artists have the space to innovate freely, away from the trends and commercial pressures of bigger musical cities.

Now, back to the album. Cloud Tangle’s introspective work is vital and deeply connected to our time. While shoegaze and dream pop might have roots in the past, what’s happening here now feels alive in a way that even greats from 4AD or Mazzy Star, or spiritual sonic successors such as Lana Del Rey and niche ethereal pop acts, no matter how good, can’t quite capture in the here and now. So let’s stop drumming up the past. It’s taking musical joy in the present that matters. And this is a vital album full of emotion and energy suitable for that purpose.