Glixen unveil ‘Unwind’ — A heavy, hazy start to a massive year

Phoenix shoegaze bruisers Glixen are wasting zero time in 2026. The four-piece return with Unwind, a slow-burning, unrelenting new single that feels equal parts crushing and cathartic. Produced by Sonny DiPerri, the track signals a bold next chapter for a band already at the forefront of the modern American shoegaze wave.

From the first note, Unwind pulls you under. Reverb-soaked guitars swell and blur into soft distortion, moving at a deliberate pace that lets every texture breathe, bloom, and eventually dissolve. There are no obvious hooks here — instead, Glixen lean into tension, atmosphere, and emotional gravity. It’s immersive, hypnotic, and quietly overwhelming, like being suspended mid-fall.

Bandleader Aislinn Ritchie describes the track as capturing “that feeling of relief when someone comes back to you after they’ve left,” tapping into the addictive push-and-pull of human connection. Recorded in Los Angeles, Unwind also marks a sonic turning point for the band, incorporating new instrumental elements and offering a clear glimpse at Glixen’s evolving sound — heavier, darker, and more nuanced than ever.

That evolution hasn’t gone unnoticed. Over the past year, Glixen have been hailed as “a crucial contributor to the ongoing American shoegaze renaissance” (Stereogum), praised for their “towering, sensual shoegaze” (Alternative Press), and applauded for exploding any notion that the genre has hit its ceiling (NME). NME recently spotlighted the band in their Radar feature, calling them “noise-rock giants in the making,” while highlighting how “Unwind” channels the brooding angst of alt-rock’s most defining eras.

The single arrives on the heels of ‘Quiet Pleasures,’ the band’s reverb-drenched EP that blended syrupy vocals, heartfelt lyricism, and humming riffs into one emotionally heavy package. Tracks like foreversoon, sick silent, and all tied up laid the groundwork for Glixen’s current momentum, while late-2025 closer Medicine Bow pushed their sound even further into raw, vulnerable territory.

And this is just the beginning. Glixen kick off their first-ever headline tour of Japan, starting March 12 in Nagoya. April sees the band co-headlining a massive North American run with Trauma Ray, joined by Her New Knife, Knifeplay, and more. By June, they’ll cross the Atlantic again for a highly anticipated appearance at Outbreak Festival in Manchester.

After a whirlwind 2025 that included sets at Coachella and Reading and Leeds Festival, plus tours alongside Turnover, Panchiko, and Scowl, Glixen are stepping into 2026 louder, heavier, and more locked in than ever.

Unwind isn’t just a new single — it’s a statement. Glixen aren’t slowing down, and they’re definitely not easing up.

Listen to Unwind now, and catch Glixen on tour throughout 2026.