now is the time doesn’t whisper – it roars through distortion and haze, a storm of light and shadow. these songs feel like pages torn from a diary and set on fire, their edges curling but still glowing. gwen katherine leans into the chaos with tenderness, turning shoegaze walls into a kind of catharsis. it’s music that aches but also shimmers, like staring into headlights on a lonely road and finding a strange comfort in the glare.

based in detroit, gwen blends indie rock, shoegaze, and dream-pop into something heavy yet luminous. guitars crash like waves, fuzz collapses into silence, and her voice cuts through with raw honesty. it feels crushing and fragile all at once, like staring down your demons under neon skies.

the album begins with leave it all behind, a big guitar chorus wrapped in dreamy vocals. it’s immediate, soaring, and sets the stage perfectly – the kind of opener that grabs hold and doesn’t let go.

lowell keeps the energy flowing with another rush of guitars, one of the record’s true standouts. it hits hard but stays melodic, the kind of track that feels both powerful and essential in shaping the album’s core.

By contrast, life not lived slows things down, stripped back to something quiet and acoustic. it’s fragile, intimate, and gives space for breath, showing another side of gwen’s songwriting.

you don’t exist returns with a mid-tempo sway, slightly more commercial in its pull. it balances urgency with atmosphere, drifting off into a spacey, thoughtful outro that lingers long after.

Then comes stop motion, perhaps the most “single-ready” song on the album. the melodies shine, particularly on the refrain – “it’s all i want, it’s all i need” – a line that feels like both a plea and a mantra.

underwater picks up the pace again, a faster, more urgent moment that keeps the record’s flow moving forward. it’s placed perfectly in the tracklist, jolting the energy back into focus.

With ease my mind, the band leans into their janglier side. distorted, reverb-soaked guitars shimmer and stretch, giving the song a restless but deeply satisfying texture.

always wrong dials back the tempo, built on a great groove. it’s slower, moodier, and carries its weight in atmosphere, another reminder of how dynamic the record is.

Closing with the way it’s been, hey look listen deliver another standout. mid-paced and glowing with resolve, the long outro and layered guitar work feel like a curtain slowly falling – not with silence, but with light.

now is the time is a self-produced album that lands heavy but leaves you glowing. it’s cathartic, raw, and achingly beautiful – the kind of record that stays long after the last note fades.

listen to the full album here: heylooklisten.bandcamp.com

thank u for making this hey look listen 🌌