After a week of new music from the old guard of shoegaze, let’s turn our eyes forward – if still gazing downwards – and see what the kids are up to, starting close to home.

Toronto newcomers Otsyuda released their first single “Drift” back in May of last year and immediately made an impression with their combination of up-front pop instincts with sneakily complicated song structures. Their live debut was my last show of last year, and across a short set of new material, one of the standouts was the set closer “Resin”, which was just released as their second official single. It kicks a little harder than its predecessor and confirms the outfit is taking their time to do something fresh and distinctly them. Of course, I hope it doesn’t mean we are on a one- or two-song a year schedule, but good things and all that.