The year 2020 sure wasn’t the most ideal time to form a band, especially for a group of musicians who never played together before. Indeed, frontman TJ Freda assembled New York rock quintet GIFT by cherry-picking members of some of his favorite other bands, crossing his fingers and hoping for the best.

Having assembled on a lark in the Big Apple from roots as diverse as Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Brazil and Boston, the musicians leaned on their collective deep experiences in numerous non-performing aspects of the biz as part of settling on a bold new sound - a dizzying blend of early shoegaze, classic '90s alternative rock and even modern pop.

Indeed, that GIFT which emerged somewhat fully formed on their 2022 debut album, Momentary Presence, was a testament to the untapped creative potential laying deep within, and it wasn't long before the band was pricking up the ears of adventurous listeners both at home and across the Atlantic.

Since then, GIFT have continued to expand on their ever-growing musical and human chemistry, most recently with their sophomore album, Illuminator. And while nods to Captured Tracks labelmates such as Beach Fossils, DIIV and Wild Nothing are apparent, GIFT shepherd those elements into wondrous new vessels for the present moment, sleek, often danceable and frequently mesmerizing.

Check out the Greenway 7" below and their latest album via Captured Tracks