Shoegaze in 2026 is a lot of things to a lot of bands — atmosphere, aesthetic, reference point, careful name-drop. smush, a Brooklyn duo, appears to treat it as working method. Emily Borrowman and Atley King, a married couple who built their collaborative practice in Vancouver before relocating to Brooklyn, make music their press has called “imperfect, dreamy, and hypnotic” — and based on their 2024 debut LP, “if you were here i’d be home now,” that description earns its keep. They bring that record and this year’s covers EP, “standards,” to The Song & Dance in Syracuse on November 15, closing out a 20-date North American fall tour.
About the Show
Borrowman handles bass and vocals; King plays guitar. Their debut, released on Softseed Music in 2024, drew press comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and built early word-of-mouth in the shoegaze underground, establishing what coverage called “a lush, textured aesthetic” grounded in what the band describes as “curiosity, exploration, and texture” — a mix of rural introspection and urban life with, by their own framing, “a surreal fantasy space populated by fairies, vampires, and unicorns.” Earlier this year they released “standards,” a self-produced six-track covers EP mixed by Sonny DiPerri, whose credits include DIIV and Julie, out February 20. The tracklist ranges widely: Norah Jones’ “Don’t Know Why” and Owl City’s “Fireflies” alongside songs by Hotline TNT, Retail Drugs, Field Medic, and Big Rig, processed through what press has called “a sweeping wall of sound that feels both seasoned and new.” One reviewer described the EP as “a great record” that “delivers several new classics.” The show is presented by After Dark Presents; the ticket listing notes “special guests” without naming them.
Venue & Logistics
The Song & Dance is at 115 E. Jefferson Street in downtown Syracuse — a small room in central New York, and a natural fit for music that operates at the level of texture and quiet accumulation rather than scale. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. Age requirement: 16 and older; under 16 admitted with a parent or legal guardian; no one under 12.
Tickets
Tickets start at $20.29, on sale now. Tickets are delivered digitally two days prior to the event; all sales are final unless the show is cancelled or postponed. Buy tickets