Flywheel – “Stop Looking at Her”

When a veteran group returns after decades away, there is always a question of whether they still have the spark. Cork, Ireland shoegazers Flywheel answered that question clearly with “Stop Looking at Her”. The band originally formed back in the early nineties and released their debut album “She” in 1996 before taking a long break. They reunited during the initial easing of Irish pandemic restrictions in late 2020, bringing a whole new focus to their songwriting.

“Stop Looking at Her” is the lead single from an upcoming five-track EP. It came together after five months of intense writing, capturing a blend of shoegaze, goth, and pop elements. Guitarist Mark Tangney recorded the track right in Cork, while Andy Killian handled production, and the sound quality is the crispest they have ever had, giving every element space to breathe. Beautiful cover art by Aoife Céitinn wraps the whole package together.

A major shift in their approach comes from how they handle vocals. Drawing from heavy influences like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, The Fall, and Gilla Band, early shoegaze tracks tended to drown the singing under walls of guitars. Here, singer Ann Marie Ryan sits right at the front. Her voice leads alongside guitarists Mark Tangney and Kieran Curtin and bassist Paul Kelleher, giving the music a far more direct, cohesive energy.

I absolutely love “Stop Looking at Her” and cannot get enough of it. It keeps the rich atmospheric core that made Flywheel special in the first place while pushing into exciting new territory. You should definitely dive into their previous catalog, especially “She”, to hear where their journey started. With four more songs already mixed, mastered, and set to roll out every four weeks, Flywheel is building massive momentum. Make sure to follow Flywheel on all their social channels and streaming platforms right away so you can stay completely updated about all their new releases throughout the rest of this year.