In August 2020, during the midst of the global pandemic, a storm came through the east coast of USA and lighting struck! The end result being the loss of our studio, all of our recording equipment, and extensive damage to our drummer’s house. The songs on “From the ashes” were recorded a couple months before the catastrophe and were able to be recovered from a hard drive that survived the fire.
Philadelphia’s Stellarscope have been a prominent presence in the independent rock scene throughout the east coast of the United States since their formation in the year 2000. They were part of the early 2000s shoegaze revival scene that emerged throughout the USA.
Their career has been divided between the constant creation of music and live performances. They gained a reputation as a go to band for organizing shows, curating festivals, and setting up tours with local and international bands across the region. Their music catalog is extensive and varied.
Stellarscope’s sound has evolved throughout the years, it shifts and morphs teetering between indie rock, post-punk, goth, shoegaze, alternative, and classic rock. After two decades, Stellarscope continues to forge ahead looking into a future of endless possibilities in sound.
Their music has appeared in many compilations and tribute albums, documentaries as well as on MTV, A&E, Discovery Channel, Alli Sports TV, and more.
Stellarscope pre-order package- ‘A glimpse of light in the darkness 3 Fold digipack CD, Stellarscope Stickers, and an autographed Stellarscope mini poster. You know you want it so don’t delay, pre-order it today 😉 https://pateticorecordings.bandcamp.com/album/a-glimpse-of-light-in-the-darkness-2
#indierock #shoegaze #grunge #postpunk #philadelhia #stellarscope
” Stellarscope stir in a shoegaze psyche rock aesthetic and a bit of grunge too. Tom Lugo’s kind of barbiturate droning vox has a broken dream sound and there a kind of 80’s romance wave quality ” -Robb Donker Curtius (American Pancake)
“My word, the surging intense ricocheting from this ‘un is quite something else, lifted from a January scheduled full length titled “A glimpse of light in the darkness” via patetico recordings, this is Stellarscope with the immense solar soul burn that is ‘shining light’. Admittedly lyrical wise, a little close to the bone, this one really does touch nerves, but that said, a euphoric forlorn it be hazed in sheens of dream drifted shimmering that rage and rise with bitter sweet jubilance all the time shifting headlong into a celestial rapture.”- Mark Barton (the sunday experience)
Muchismas gracias Diego Centurión y la Revista The 13th Número 61 :Entrevistas a Cielo Oceano, Pia Fraus, Darma, Mayflower Madame y @Swimming Pool. Adam Ant – The Church – The Cramps – Topographies- Nax – Victoria Real. Aquella Tapa – No Me Escucho Records – De Tiempo y Letra – Expedientes DD – La Oración de las Cenizas – Des + Conciertos – ¿Qué beber para escuchar mejor? – El Rincón de Noticias.
Gardy Perez is the mastermind behind Puerto Rico’s first dreampop/shoegaze band Un.Real. He was the lead guitarist for several instrumental bands in the Puerto Rico underground scene, like Defacto and Arnold Layne, and he continues to forge ahead with Un.Real and The Artificial Shadow Band. He is also an accomplished graphic design artist and co owner of 3 Robots Records. www.facebook.com/unrealonline www.facebook.com/artificialsband/ www.gardyperezruiz.info www.facebook.com/3robotsrecords/
Tom Lugo is a Philadelphia based Puerto Rican singer-songwriter who’s projects include the post punk-indie rock band Stellarscope, electro indie pop project Panophonic, dream pop project Cielo Oceano, electro trap gaze project Under The Wire, and more. He is the owner of Patetico Recordings and the curator behind Popnoise Festival. pateticorecordings.com panophonic.com stellarscopeband.com soundcloud.com/tomlugo
Thank you Mike Pougounas and The Blackout Radio Show for playing Cielo Oceano on this radio show- week 08 2020 – Counterparts
PLAYING TRACKS BY
Zagar, Mechanimal, Camilla Sparksss, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Cielo Oceano and more.
Hello! If you missed last week’s Blackout, you can give it a listen here. Pete Dennis did an exclusive interview with the leader of Canadian band, Counterparts while I gave a spin to tracks from the newest releases of Mechanimal, Ozzy Osbourne The Heavy and many more…interview
Post-punk is a truly unique genre, mixing droning guitar riffs and quiet vocals to create an ethereal, dream-like wall of sound. Stellarscope, today’s Band of the Day, have seemingly mastered the ability to create such a wall of sound, with the Philadelphia-based duo producing music which manages to be explicitly post-punk, defining the genre through their newest release Standing in the Shadows of Your Ghost. This is not to say that the pair follow a “painting by numbers” formula, restricted by predetermined rules, as in reality Stellarscope have infused a vast amount of personality and heart into their music.
The slow, proto-grunge sound which defines post-punk is ever prominent throughout the duo’s debut album, yet something particularly interesting about Stellarscope is the way in which the music presents itself. On each track, the music sounds distant, as if you are listening to it from another room, yet at the same time, it is totally encapsulating. Though it feels far away, it somehow also feels to be completely surrounding: something which, by all accounts, shouldn’t be possible (it is though, go and listen to the “Only Strangers Now” video below for proof).
Cherry-picking the best parts from the larger alternative rock scene, Stellarscope have managed to produce a sound which can only be described as haunting; a chilling atmospheric soundscape which when you listen to it, will make you feel miles away from anything. So strap on those headphones, turn up the volume, and allow yourself to be teleported to nowhere, as Stellarscope take you on a journey through the course of Standing in the Shadows of Your Ghost.
Standing in the Shadow of Your Ghost is out now and is available to buy here.
Hailing from Philadelphia, Stellarscope bring a high octane, super charged sonic sound to the underground post-punk, shoegaze infused musical table. With numerous releases under their belt & firmly stabled to the amazing independent record label ‘Patetico Recordings’, Philadelphia’s finest, Stellarscope, are the forerunners to the massive underground post-punk/shoegaze scene that has graced the modern day City of Brotherly Love. Stellarscope are a well structured band, with experience behind them to take on new directions and challenges whilst retaining the core of their output. They craft psychedelia, onto tightly constructed rock songs, which take them into completely new & unheard of before musical landscapes, thus in turn, creating new musical sub-cultures! Stellarscope’s energetic live performances has garnered the band serious accolades from peers, as well as fans. They are made up of: Tom Lugo – Vocals, Guitars, Bass & Bob Forman on Drums. Their latest album entitled ‘Shades Of Sadness And Sorrow’ gets it’s official release on 03/03/15 on‘Patetico Recordings’.
Stellarscope are a staple of the indie rock scene with their unique brand of post-punk indie rock. Their music is dark and emotive yet it still has a pop sensibility to it. Stellarscope’s energetic live performances has garnered the band accolades from their peers as well as their fans. With multiple releases under their belts they continue to march forward and evolve with the times. Their music has appeared in many compilations and tribute albums, documentaries as well as on MTV, A&E, Discovery Channel, Alli Sports TV, and more. For fans of Joy Formidable, Silversun Pickups, Wavves, A Place to Bury Strangers, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Joy Division, Interpol & Ramones. Below are a few of our favourite tracks taken from this Immense release.
Philadelphia’s own – Stellarscope
With an energetic swagger, the very distinct vocal tones of ‘Tom Lugo’ herald the arrival of a behemoth. The opening track on ‘Shades of Sadness And Sorrow’, entitled ‘Dug This Hole’, pulsates with post-punk anger & noise-pop swirls. It’s a full on whirlwind of aggression & angst with addictive guitar lines & thundering drums. Check it out:
Hints of shoegaze effected guitars introduce us to the second track on this latest ‘Stellarscope’ release, but don’t be fooled! ‘Never Hated Like This’ remind’s me of very early, debut album, ‘Nine Inch Nails’ but with a modern day twist. This track also ventures into Trent Reznor territory lyrically too, with Lugo again expressing his anger at the world. This is gripping stuff. Go check it out:
A full on wall of sound greet’s us on track 3.‘Living In A Haze’ explores Stellarscope’s old-school gazing side with an immense slow burner of a track that explodes on the chorus’s whilst introducing quieter moments throughout it’s verses – Yeah, I did say “Quieter Moments”, but this is Stellarscope after all, so their “Quieter Moments” would still register on the richter scale!! This is a stunning track & probably my favourite on the whole album.
You can listen to any track on this album and still get a feel for what it is that Stellarscope are trying to achieve. Their angst ridden assault on your earholes are designed to heighten your senses & shake your inner core. Take a listen to the three tracks above again & then listen to ‘Farewell, Eat Your Heart Out, Broken To Pieces, Ocean Of Storms, It’s All Gone, Soul Disturbance’ & the brilliant ‘Face First In The Dirt’ to hear exactly what I mean. ‘Stellarscope’ continue to release relevant, pioneering & awe inspiring music, not only for todays bands to follow but also for future bands to get influenced by & in turn start the process of creating their own brand of music all over again.
Del Chaney – The Primal Music Blog – February 2015 – Dublin, Ireland.
Find out more info about Stellarscope by following the links below:
Del Chaney has spent the last two years not only fronting popular Irish Electronic duo ‘Analogue Wave’, but also dedicating his time to uncovering the best artists in the Unsigned or Small Independent Label based Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Noise-Rock & Post-Rock genre’s of music from all over the globe & reviewing them for this blog – The Primal Music Blog. His other arm, ‘The Primal Radio Show’, has gained considerable respect from band’s and promoter’s alike since it’s conception in 2013 & has helped him in actively promoting a genre of music that he’s passionate about. He also currently write’s for Canadian based online music webzine www.ReplicantEars.com. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, he is a keen Vinyl Collector, Tattoo Fan & all round good guy! He is a self confessed music freak & is never far away from a studio console or a turntable.
Just out on digital download, Cielo Oceano feature the combined talents of Lugo brothers Tom and Andres (well we’re assuming their brothers – guess we’ll expect the complaint jottings very soon). The Tom half of the equation you might well know better as Stellarscope and Panophonic – both bands having made frequent visits to these pages in recent times. Anyhow, this ‘un comes primed from what we gather, will be a debuting EP primed for appearance shortly via Patetico Recordings. For now, ‘moth to a flame’ has been sent ahead on scouting detail. A typically bliss bathed bruiser replete with withdrawing sighs solemnly ghosting dream dazed corridors occasioned by rupturing ripples of radiating angel sighs which all said had us a tad pining to go out and reconnect with our treasured Chapterhouse platters.
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