D.C. Dream Pop Duo GLOSSER Release Meteoric Debut

GLOSSER, photo by Chris DeFlitch

By Christian Ortmann

Why pay a quarter-million to go to space with Richard Branson when GLOSSER wants to take you for free? 

GLOSSER is a D.C. dream pop duo whose debut single “Lost in Your Life” fell to earth on July 14th, followed by a self-titled EP later that week. The EP evokes all the weightless tranquility of Beach House’s 2015 triumph Depression Cherry and the immersive warmth of peak shoegaze. Speaking of warmth, the band borrowed a little creative fire from their producer, Bartees Strange, one of the hottest artists from our nation's capital in recent memory who earned a meteoric rise last year off his debut album Live Forever. The EP was produced in full at Bartees’ studio 38 North. 

In the few weeks leading up to this EP, I really felt like I was getting to know this band under the surface. They aren’t shy about loving their inspirations and sharing music with their followers. 

GLOSSER’s angle is one of grace and finesse. Few moving parts in the instrumentation allow vocalist Riley Fanning room to lull, glide and soar across the lush atmosphere built by multi-instrumentalist Corbin Sheehan. Taste, I believe, is an unteachable skill that Fanning and Sheehan were most definitely born with. “Run From The Light” is a standout song to me that reaches for power with pulsing percussion under synths and guitar tones that carry a celestial sheen. This EP is the most extraterrestrial lullaby and one of the most genuinely beautiful front-to-back works I have heard in a while. Despite its sweltering debut, this isn’t just summer music. I could easily see all of these songs taking on new life in each season this year as people continue to discover this release for a long time. The all-enveloping sound of GLOSSER already has my mind daydreaming the potential of a sold-out theater, pristine acoustics, and a serene light show that would bring together a truly transcendental audio-visual experience. Following up such a fulfilling debut will be as difficult as it is exciting. Knowing that they have the right personnel on and off the track means that potential is forever.