Doused on their new EP "SCKRPNCH" and being a Philly shoegaze band

It’s been five years since Doused first surfaced with Murmur, a debut that established them as one of the key voices in Philadelphia’s burgeoning shoegaze landscape. In the time since, the “Philly shoegaze” scene has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon, and the band itself—Emma Hansson (Guitar/Vocals), Josh O'Hara (Bass), Mike Wolfe (Guitar/Vocals), and Vincent Duong (Drums)—has evolved from college graduates into a more focused and intentional unit.

Today—Friday, March 13—that evolution arrives in full with their new EP, SCKRPNCH, out via The Funeral Party.  Mastered by Zac Montez (known for his work with Whirr, Cloakroom, and Narrow Head), the release finds the band leaning into a sharper, more deliberate sound that balances their signature hazy melodies with a raw, abrasive edge.

Tape Wounds sat down with guitarist and vocalist Mike Wolfe to discuss the new EP, the weight of the “Philly shoegaze” label, and how the genre has increasingly started to feel like a “four-letter word.” From their self-described “wannabe” beginnings to their intentionally “ambition-less” approach, we explore why Doused are more interested in creating art they can be proud of with friends than fitting into the stagnant boxes of an increasingly saturated scene.

Let’s go back to the very beginning. Do you remember the moment when Doused first started to feel like a real band? How did four you originally cross paths? 

In the early days, the band went through many permutations. It started to feel like a real band around 2019, and coincidentally turned into a dormant one not long after. Me (Mike) & Vince met in college around 2017; Emma joined the band in early 2018—this was more or less the Murmur crew. We'd known Josh from his band Pale Shade; he'd filled in on bass for us in a pinch right before we left for a short east coast tour in 2022, and we never let him go. It's been this way ever since; this is what has felt like quintessential Doused.

On your Bandcamp page, you playfully call yourselves "wannabe shoegazers." What’s the story behind that self-description? 

It's our way of not really taking ourselves too seriously. It's easy for imposter syndrome to set in, especially with the immediacy and virality of our social media dominated civilization. Sometimes, it's good to remind ourselves that at the end of the day, we're just some wannabes.

There's certainly a lot of pressure around being a "philly shoegaze" band.

You cite your inspiration as a mix of shoegaze acts from the last few decades, the 80s new wave/post-punk scene, and everything in between. If you had to build a "DNA map" of Doused, which 3 to 5 bands would be the primary ancestors of your sound? 

The obvious one is My Bloody Valentine; this band simply doesn't exist without them. Another big influence would be Yo La Tengo and Ink & Dagger—both wildly different bands, both not afraid to draw outside the lines. The last piece is the rest of the Creation (and associated) catalog: The Pastels, JAMC, Sugar, Primal Scream, Medicine, Teenage Fanclub, Rocketship, etc.

Philadelphia has evolved into a global epicenter for shoegaze, and the music world has its eyes fixed on your scene right now. Does being a "Philly band" bring a sense of pressure to live up to the city's heavy reputation, or is it more a feeling of pride to be part of such a dominant community? 

There's certainly a lot of pressure around being a "philly shoegaze" band. I think, rightfully so, the band's from this post-pandemic scene are getting their do, and they've moved onto bigger and better things. The Philly scene was always incredibly diverse; rarely did any 2 bands sound the same, even with members sharing an affinity for the same artists. I think "shoegaze" as a whole, as its popularity has re-emerged, has become more homogenous and Philly wasn't immune to that; there's a lot more influence to fit within the lens of what everyone has done before.

Five years is a long time to go between records. How has your relationship with noise and melody changed since your debut? Do you see this EP as a continuation of the “Murmur” you introduced in 2021, or does it mark a shift in your sound? 

It's changed drastically. The last time around, I was a 23 year old fresh college graduate, spending quarantined days on end writing and recording. Now, I'm inching towards 30, getting married, working corporate; all of this has made my songwriting, my recording and my energy way more intentional. I've also become more sure of what it is I want to be doing, even if it's by knowing 100% what it is I don't want to be doing.

SCKRPNCH, our next release, is definitely a departure from Murmur; I'm sure most people will probably hate it. At the end of the day, it feels like what we wanted to make, and how we wanted to make it. I've always struggled with insecurity and it was very important to me not to make a record people thought we should make and to just make it exactly what it needed to be.

Tell us about the new EP. What was the recording environment like this time around, and what lyrical or atmospheric themes were you navigating while putting these tracks together? 

Everything was different this time around. With Murmur, songs were written over the course of a 3 year period, recorded at our university and then eventually completely remote from our respected homes and mixed haphazardly in my living room. This time, we worked on these songs altogether in one room. It made it feel much more like a communal effort, which I feel really shows.

Lyrically, these songs deal with a lot of the same things theme's as Murmur did, but much more thoughtful. They deal with love, control and insecurity. Sonically, they're more aggressive, they're drier, more immediate. It was very important to me that these songs translate how they feel live: fast, loose, loud, abrasive but still catchy.

If you had to pick one track from the new EP that best represents where Doused is right now, which would it be and why? 

"Slug"—In my opinion, that track perfectly blends twee-pop hooks, thick guitars and dynamic structure. It felt like the first song we wrote, in a long time, that just clicked. Everytime I hear it I get excited. That's where I want Doused to keep going.

 I've seen shoegaze become a four letter word and I can't blame people for thinking that.

What is the main message or "feeling" you hope both long-time listeners and new fans take away from this new body of work? 

Do whatever it is that makes you happy, don't get painted into a box.

The modern shoegaze revival has exploded globally over the past few years. From your perspective as a band in the middle of it, how do you see the genre evolving right now? Are there directions you’re excited—or maybe even skeptical—about? 

As an eternal pessimist, I'm always skeptical of change. I've seen shoegaze become a four letter word and I can't blame people for thinking that, I believe that too. I adore bands like Luster who aren't afraid to simultaneously live in this world and point out its flaws, as the runout etching for Dopamine Loop says "Shoegaze is dead... and you're next!" I've made allusions throughout this interview, but I think this genre has become oversaturated and frankly dull. The influences are becoming increasingly less fresh and innovation appears to be stagnant. Admittedly, we're not reinventing the wheel, but I still felt the compulsion to do something different then we or our contemporaries had done before.

If Doused could collaborate with any artist outside the shoegaze world—someone from a completely different genre or discipline—who would it be and why? 

I'd love to collaborate with more electronic/pop leaning artists: James K, After, Fcukers, Crushed, 16 Underground. Really for no other reason than I just love their music and I feel they tend to complement each other really well, the noise and abrasion with atmosphere and rhythm; Like Bowery Electric, Guitar, Sweet Trip, Full Body 2, etc.

Now that the new EP is about to enter the world, what does the rest of 2026 look like for Doused? Can we expect a run of shows to bring these songs to life—and looking a bit further ahead, where do you hope the band will be heading next? 

We're working on playing some new cities this summer, which I'm very excited about. Truthfully, we've always been an ambitious-less band, Doused has never really come first. All I want to do is play music with my friends and create art worth feeling proud of, if we can maintain the ability to do that, I'll be happy.