When You Sleep

A defining achievement of the shoegaze movement, this track masks its infectious pop melody beneath towering walls of heavily manipulated guitar distortion. Kevin Shields utilized his signature 'glide guitar' technique, constantly manipulating the tremolo arm while strumming, to create a seasick, bending sonic texture. The vocal track is an androgynous, layered composite of Shields and Bilinda Butcher singing simultaneously, blurring the lines between voice and instrument.