Female Gaze Photo credit: FG
I hear it’s hot in Tuscon, Arizona. I’ve never lived in the desert, but I imagine that the constant, agonizing heat becomes a way of life. Maybe, people begin to see the world as a mirage – barely discernible through the dust and haze. For Arizona natives Female Gaze, the rising temperatures have pushed them to new sonic heights. Their newest single “What Remains,” tackles the visceral feelings of new motherhood through a dripping, sweaty haze of psychedelia-infused rock
Female Gaze are no strangers to experimentation. Since songwriter Nelene DeGuzman and bassist Kevin Conklin joined forces with drummer Nicky David Cobham-Morgese, the band has tested the limits of rock and roll. In 2024, they released Tender Futures, an album that works as a loop starting from any song. For their forthcoming album, linea nigra, DeGuzman wrote about her experience of becoming a mother. She describes this new collection of songs as a “a hormonal feverdream of sorting through fears of labor and birth while staring down the seemingly impossible task of mothering while the world is on fire.” While bringing a child into this world seems inherently optimistic, DeGuzman’s work explores the psychic cost of new life.
Starting off with a flurry of power chords, “What Remains” eventually distills into a haunting, mesmerizing ballad (of sorts). DeGuzman’s harmonies are almost frightening, and the minor scales explored in the guitar work reinforce the feelings of terror. Conklin and Corbham-Morgese are a powerful rhythm section, crashing and receding perfectly with the song’s emotional spikes. “What Remains” sounds like a visual representation of the harsh desert sun, it’s warmth becoming increasingly unbearable. There’s tension that feels ready to burst into a frenzy at any moment. And yet, Female Gaze manage to keep the song under their control.
The world feels as though it’s spiraling right now. And while DeGuzman’s lyrics and songs are intensely personal, the sounds that Female Gaze conjures up matches the freefall of these modern times. Enlightened fear, engaged terror – all of us paying attention will find truth in these songs. DeGuzman recalls, “The experience of becoming a mother was staggering, beautiful and connected me to my most elemental experience of existing.” It’s clear from hearing “What Remains” that this is a band that wants to remove the veneer of circumstance and reach for the very heartbeat of life.
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