Behind the sound with dustdust

Since its origins in the early to mid-1980s, indie rock has given way to a variety of subtypes, each with its own unique spin on an already diverse genre. Some of the most popular include shoegaze and slowcore — two subgenres which are the bread and butter for local indie rock band dustdust.

“Nicole and I are partners who have been playing music together for a while, and we were working on another project when we had the idea for dustdust,” said Miles Folsom, who does vocals and plays guitar for the band. 

“The name comes from scripture: ‘For you are dust, and to dust you shall return,’” said Nicole Steinicke, who provides vocals and synth.

Dustdust began with Folsom and Steinicke, but the duo soon realized the band needed something more to capture their sound. Now the band comprises four members, adding Misael Villanueva on bass and Alex Schneider on drums. 

“We started writing music together — wrote a song or two — then it became pretty clear that we did want a rhythm section, a drummer and a bass player,” Folsom said. “So, I rounded up Misael and Alex, who are really amazing at what they do.” 

While sub-genres of indie rock can include a variety of instruments from the synth to the violin, most include a guitar, vocals, drum and bass. 

“I started to play guitar when I was 12, and after a year, I decided I wanted something more loud — something more groovy,” Villanueva said. “I started to play bass, and I got really into it because I saw parts of myself that I didn’t see before.”

According to Villanueva, the bass is an important element of any rock-derived song, acting as the rhythmic foundation for the other instruments.

“Misael is a great bass player for the band because he’s got that aggressive, punchy kind of bass sound, and he’s good at locking in with Alex on that tight, punchy rhythm section,” Folsom said. 

Vocals are another key aspect, giving voice to the song’s inherent message and tone. 

“More than any of us, I think Nicole gives an identity to the band,” Schneider said. “I really think people have shaped the identity of the band around Nicole’s voice.” 

The band hopes to characterize Logan’s indie music scene with the lesser-known stylings of rock. 

“We wanted dustdust to be a little bit darker, a little more heavier,” Folsom said. “We wanted to incorporate some post-rock, shoegaze and slowcore and just do something that I don’t think is being done around here.” 

Post-rock is an offshoot of rock music that places greater emphasis on the texture and atmosphere of a song while still utilizing the powerful sound of traditional rock instruments like guitar, bass and drums. The core principle behind indie rock and its subgenres is creative freedom and the ability to manipulate the elements of traditional rock.

“I like shoegaze because of the textures,” Folsom said. “It’s fun to incorporate noise in pretty ways. I like slowcore because slower music just speaks to my soul, and then post-rock is just a cool genre because you can do whatever you want as far as structures go.” 

Shoegaze and slowcore take a more melancholy, dream-like approach to the overall feel of the song, emphasizing droning riffs, blurry vocals and guitar distortion. 

“It’s pretty common for slowcore artists to open for metal artists because it’s an extremity,” Steinicke said. “Slowcore demands more of yourself because of how slow you’re playing, the repetitiveness and being willing to sit with something for a long time.” 

Shoegaze emerged in the late 1980s among Irish and British neo-psychedelic groups, deriving its name from performers who were often “shoegazing” because of heavy effects pedal usage. By the ‘90s, the genre was in its heyday with defining bands like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive.

“A lot of what drew me to shoegaze has to do with having an older brother who grew up in the ‘90s, and he was into a lot of metal and post-metal music,” Schneider said. “I sense a lot of that in what we’re doing, so for me, it feels like it connects me back to my brother when we’re working on this music.” 

On Aug. 23, the band released its first single: “Vision.” The song pays homage to its shoegaze roots in soft vocals that fade into the steady beat of drums and guitar melodies, interspersed by overwhelming choruses of sound. 

“All of our stuff is fully recorded and produced ourselves. I mix and master it,” Folsom said. “It’s our own labor of love. The whole EP was recorded in one 15-hour day.” 

The band has performed at several venues around Utah, including Logan’s WhySound and The Boiler Room in Ogden. The opportunity to share different styles of music and drive home a message is a key motivator for the band.