Tags
dreampop, electronic, Industrial, Philadelphia, rock, shoegaze, soundscapes, Voletta
Listing inspirations as diverse as Jameson whiskey and Saladworks entrées, Joe Sheairs admits that he is inspired by much more than other band’s music. Sheairs is joined by Andre Comfort to form Voletta, an electronic shoegaze band formed in 2004 and based in Philadelphia. Voletta seems to reside in a dreamy nebulous area, where emotions take precedence over the details of reality.
The duo’s releases comprise of one album and several EPs, the latest of which is titled, ‘A Big Mess,’ a three-track collection of B-sides and live recordings. Here’s a brief description of each.
‘The Collapse’ (2004): Hear a bit of powerpop in “Snap Bracelet”, a tinge of psychedelia in “Hypoglycemia”, and a nice dreampop ambience in “Pocket Full of Empty Film Canisters.”
‘Sign Language’ (2006): If Smashing Pumpkins were to do something more along acoustic lines, at least without the multi-layered guitars, it would sound something like this.
‘Voletta’ EP (2010): This is an amazing mix of 80s artrock with 90s powerpop, and layered shoegaze guitar fuzz.
‘Soft Focus’ (2011): Smooth and compelling, this EP features electronic beats, layered with fuzz guitar behind breathy vocals. Groovy industrial vibes alternate with explosive shoegaze soundscapes to create a pervasively powerful sound.
Voletta singer/songwriter Joe Sheairs spoke with Resonance about inspiration, clarification, and reworking songs. Continue reading