If an artist tells you “We usually like to let the listener decide”, when quizzed on how they would describe their sound, you may think they are trying to swerve the question at hand. That couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to Sheer – a band so rich in musical layers, you can hear multiple elements when listening to them. “We have such a mixed array of musical influences that go into our sound and song writing process that it is hard to pinpoint just one” explains vocalist/guitarist Gina Almaguer . “We all come from different musical backgrounds. Doom metal, sludge, indie, pop, shoegaze, and so on... It sort of all forms into one, and that's what we end up with”.

Forming only 18 months ago in May of 2014, the LA quartet began life as a doom influenced band, with Gina and fellow guitarist Sean jamming out ideas before heading down a more shoegaze route. It was then that Sheer truly started to take shape – adding bassist Anthony, and drummer Jules into the mix. With Gina going on to humbly confess “Our jam sessions sort of transformed into regularly scheduled practices, and here we are now”.

When you dig a little deeper into Sheer’s glorious sound, you begin to understand the place from which their penchant for combining pop-driven melody, and razor-sharp riffs began. Naturally, a certain band from Seattle had a big impact. “One of our favourites from the 90’s would be the most notable – Nirvana” Gina continues, “Along side them, there’s also Dinosaur Jr., Slowdive, Weezer, Harvey Milk, Of Montreal, and Hum”. All of which are bands that utilise the quiet/loud dynamic in various ways, and something that is present in Sheer’s perfectly constructed songs.

That brings us to November 2015, and Sheer are about to release their debut album ‘Uneasy’, via New York based label, The Native Sound. Rather than take the usual route of release a demo, maybe an EP or two, then a full length – Gina tells us that aside from a few digital tracks sporadically released, Sheer decided to go right in at the deep end. “We essentially collected and organized all of the songs we wrote during practices and decided to save them for a bulk release. Eventually we had enough songs to call it an album” she says when asked how ‘Uneasy’ came together. This also stems from the bands D.I.Y ethos, giving them complete control over making their ideal album. “Our drummer Jules is actually a producer/sound engineer, and owns the studio where we practice. We were fortunate enough to produce and record everything ourselves. It feels very rewarding knowing that we had such a hands on experience with recording” she continues, fondly looking back on the process. She also admits that the band were adamant on not releasing anything until they agreed that it was perfect, but went on to say “Despite a few bumps in the road, everything came out exactly how we wanted it”. It shows as well. For a band not even two years into their career, it almost sounds as if they have been doing it their whole lives.

Of course, when you start hearing the word “shoegaze”, you instantly recall rows of effects pedals, and walls of speaker cabinets. “We do love gear, but I wouldn’t say we have an unreasonable amount” laughs Gina, before providing a list of their equipment, which is fair to say, quite modest. It is put to good use, though; explaining that “Having the right gear to create certain sounds, and atmosphere at live shows certainly helps”.

“We have more pop oriented songs, more traditional shoegaze styles, and even more heavy, riff-driven material” she continues, when asked the general theme of the album. However, will profess that this is why it’s difficult to answer earlier questions of how to describe Sheer’s sound. Underneath the beautiful noise, some of the songs on ‘Uneasy’ – including the title track – started life as acoustic numbers. Another track composed this way is the fragile, and honest ‘Skin’, and it’s one that is particularly close to the vocalists heart. “I wrote it about losing my mom to cancer when I was 16. I’m not typically open about the specifics or my feelings while it was happening because it tends to be very difficult for me” Gina says of the tracks tragic narrative. With that, she finds performing the song somewhat cathartic, adding that “Being able to sing this song is sort of my outlet to release the emotions I felt during that time. I always end feeling a little relieved afterwards”.

Elaborating on the bands live performance, both Gina and Sean prefer the intimacy of it to the recording process, and enjoy being able to interact more with their listeners. “It’s a first hand experience, where I feel the emotion of the songs can truly be expressed” continues Gina, with Sean adding “I love playing shows. I love recording as well, but It can be very stressful”. At this stage, the band are still juggling their day jobs, as well as keeping the band a full time deal. Most of their shows at this point have been around their home state, but Sean is eager for Sheer to take the next step. “Once the album is out we plan on making some weekend trips and some small tours” and are even setting their sights across the Atlantic, saying “We would love to come through the UK at some point! We have big plans for the future, so you never know”.

After ‘Uneasy’ has graced the world’s ears, it will be time for Sheer to push the band to the next level. Both Gina and Sean are already looking at the bands future, but are still keeping their aspirations fairly modest. “We are just very eager to travel and play the most places we can. Hopefully we can make a bunch of new friends along the way” says Gina, before Sean concludes “I just want our music to reach out to a broad audience, and hopefully people enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoy playing it”.

Sheer’s excellent debut album ‘Uneasy’ is available now, both digitally and on cassette via The Native Sound.