Glixen share new single "Unwind" ahead of headlining tour in Japan
GLIXEN UNVEIL “UNWIND”
PHOENIX SHOEGAZE BAND KICK OFF MAJOR YEAR
WITH UNRELENTING NEW SINGLE
PRODUCED BY SONNY DIPERRI - LISTEN
JAPANESE HEADLINE TOUR BEGINS NEXT MONTH ON MARCH 12 IN NAGOYA, JP
CO-HEADLINING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH TRAUMA RAY
BEGINS APRIL 2026 WITH SUPPORT FROM HER NEW KNIFE, KNIFEPLAY, AND MORE
OUTBREAK FESTIVAL APPEARANCE SET FOR JUNE 2026 IN MANCHESTER, UK
Today, Glixen are excited to return with their newest single, “Unwind.” Floating in with a haze of reverb-soaked guitars and soft distortion, “Unwind” creates an immersive atmosphere from the first note. The track unfolds at a slow, deliberate pace, letting each layer of riffs bloom and dissolve with an almost weightless sense of motion. Subtle dynamic shifts and swelling textures replace traditional hooks, drawing the listener deeper into Glixen’s undercurrent. A quiet tension crawls around, as if the song is drifting just out of reach.
“‘Unwind’ is about that feeling of relief when someone comes back to you after they’ve left,” bandleader Aislinn Ritchie explains. “It’s human nature to crave that push and pull—a drug weaned off. Blindingly hard to say no, we succumb to willful ignorance. We recorded this song in Los Angeles with Sonny Diperri producing, and it’s the first song we incorporated different instrumental elements, and it's a glimpse into our evolution.”
LISTEN TO “UNWIND”
This week, NME profiled Glixen for their ‘Radar’ feature, proclaiming the four-piece to be “noise-rock giants in the making.” Of today’s single, Rhys Buchanan writes “Glixen’s new single “Unwind” channels the kind of brooding angst that defined a whole generation of alt-rock superstars. Sludgy guitars wash over the listener before a looming dread cuts through in Aislinn Ritchie’s ghostly vocals as she sings: “I will disappear tomorrow / Feel the rush of you.” It’s a seismic shift from the band’s blissful earlier releases, which shimmered with carefree optimism.”
Heralding a new chapter for Glixen, Quiet Pleasures saw the Phoenix shoegazers combine syrupy vocals, heartfelt lyricism, and humming riffs to deliver an emotional and reverb-drenched EP across five songs. Songs leading up to the EP, such as “foreversoon,” “sick silent,” and “all tied up,” preceded the EP, marking a step forward within their sound; atmospheric and drenched in distortion, continuing a sonic evolution that feels fresh and completely locked in as the quartet continues to cement their place among the new vanguard of modern shoegaze.
Glixen ended last year with “Medicine Bow,” which finds the group diving deeper into their world of hard-hitting sound, as layers of distortion bloom around tender vocals. Introspective lyrics swim beneath a wall of sound, resulting in something raw, vulnerable, and immediate. In December, the band toured throughout the Western U.S. with Glare, Vs Self, and MSPAINT. Last month’s appearance at Something In The Way Festival in Boston kicked off a heavy year of touring.
LISTEN TO “MEDICINE BOW”
LISTEN TO QUIET PLEASURES
WATCH “SICK SILENT”
LISTEN TO “LUST”
WATCH “FOREVERSOON”
Glixen had a massive 2025, from sets at Coachella, Reading, and Leeds to touring with Turnover, Panchiko, and Scowl. The band embarked on their first tour of the UK and EU, supporting Turnover across various countries and selling out headlining shows. The band will hit huge stages in 2026, from their first headline shows in Japan to Outbreak Festival in Manchester, UK. For more information on upcoming performances, see below and follow the band on Instagram at @glixen.
★ GLIXEN LIVE 2026 ★
MARCH
12 – Nagoya, JP – Huck Finn
13 – Osaka, JP – Pangea
14 – Kyoto, JP – Urbanguild
15 – Tokyo, JP – Nine Spices
16 – Tokyo, JP – Fever
APRIL
10 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger *+
11 – Houston, TX – The Secret Group *+
13 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa *+
14 – Orlando, FL – The Social *+
15 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade – Hell *+
16 – Asheville, NC – Eulogy *+
17 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 *+
18 – Washington, DC – Union Stage *+
19 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church *+
21 – Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere Hall *+
22 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair *+
23 – Montreal, QC – Theatre Fairmount *+
24 – Toronto, ON – Hard Luck *+
25 – Ferndale, MI – The Loving Touch *+
26 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop *+
28 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge +#
29 – Minneapolis, MN – Amsterdam Bar & Hall +#
MAY
1 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck #$
2 – Denver, CO – Marquis #$
3 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court #$
4 – Boise, ID – Shrine Basement #$
5 – Seattle, WA – Substation #$
6 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre #$
8 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel #$
9 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom #$
10 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar #$
12 – Phoenix, AZ – Walter Studios #$
13 – Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad #$
15 – Austin, TX – Brushy Street Commons #$
16 – Dallas, TX – Trees #$
JUNE
26-28 - Manchester, UK - Outbreak Festival
* - w/ Her New Knife
+ - w/ Knifeplay
# - w/ Keep
$ - w/ Money
ABOUT GLIXEN:
Arriving as a standout group in the current American shoegaze renaissance, Phoenix four-piece Glixen transcend all expectations of what the genre should currently look and sound like. The band creates a profoundly heavy sonic experience with their music, paying respects to their predecessors but resulting in something completely modern. An amalgamation of influences like Björk, My Bloody Valentine, Godflesh, t.A.T.u, and Hum, their sound crawls with intensity and introspection to contrast lead singer Aislinn Ritchie’s lulling vocals.
Ritchie began the project in 2020 enlisting guitarist Esteban Santana, drummer Keire Johnson, and bassist Sonia Garcia. Their approach to music has landed them on expansive tours and shows with rock music titans and contemporaries alike, supporting acts like Interpol, DIIV, Narrow Head, and Nothing. Glixen has released a steady stream of music since their inception, with one EP and a handful of singles under their belt. She Only Said, was released in 2023 with tastemaking Philly tape label Julia’s War Recordings, bringing them to the attention of the national DIY scene. Working with producers like Jack Endino (Nirvana) and Sonny DiPerri (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV) for following releases, like fan favorite singles “lust” and “foreversoon,” consistent touring and collaboration saw them take their sound to the next level, previewing a continuous sonic evolution.
The band’s second EP, Quiet Pleasures, arrived at the beginning of 2025, kicking off a massive year for the band. Embarking on their first headlining tour of North America, playing festivals like Coachella and Reading & Leeds, and bringing their stunning performances to Europe for the very first time. Quiet Pleasures arrived to the acclaim of Stereogum, Alternative Press, Paste, and more, cementing the band as "A crucial contributor to the ongoing American shoegaze renaissance."
CONNECT WITH GLIXEN:
FACEBOOK | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | BANDCAMP | TWITTER
Photo Credit: Yulissa Benitez
