9Million is the creative vehicle for Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Matthew Tomasi. Emerging in 2021, the project quickly established a signature sound that bridges the gap between traditional shoegaze and modern 'indie-sleaze' revivalism.
Tomasi handles the bulk of the production, resulting in a cohesive aesthetic defined by high-gain guitar washes, heavy reverb, and a melodic core influenced by 80s synth-pop and 90s alternative. Culturally, 9Million sits at the center of a new wave of 'heavy' dream pop, sharing DNA with artists like Wednesday and Hotline TNT but maintaining a smoother, more electronic-adjacent finish. Critically, the project is noted for its high productivity and consistent evolution from the lo-fi origins of 'Shiver' to the more expansive, hi-fi arrangements found on the 2025 self-titled LP. The music functions as a soundtrack for the 'sad girl/boy' aesthetic, prioritizing mood and texture over technical display, and has earned a dedicated following within the global shoegaze community for its emotional sincerity and atmospheric depth.
Shares shoegaze, dream pop, indie rock (subgenres); melancholic, nostalgic, dreamy (moods)
Shares melancholic, nostalgic, dreamy (moods); shoegaze, indie rock, dream pop (subgenres)
Shares melancholic, nostalgic, dreamy (moods); urban_night, rainy_day, dusk (atmosphere)
Shares shoegaze, indie rock, dream pop (subgenres); reverb_heavy, layered_dense, noise_textured (production style)
Shares shoegaze, dream pop, noise rock (subgenres); melancholic, dreamy, bittersweet (moods)
Shares shoegaze, indie rock, dream pop (subgenres); urban_night, rainy_day, dusk (atmosphere)
Shares shoegaze, dream pop, indie rock (subgenres); melancholic, nostalgic, dreamy (moods)
Shares shoegaze, indie rock, dream pop (subgenres); reverb_heavy, layered_dense, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares shoegaze, dream pop, indie rock (subgenres); melancholic, nostalgic, dreamy (moods)
Shares dream pop, shoegaze, indie rock (subgenres); reverb_heavy, layered_dense, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares shoegaze, buried_in_mix, noise rock, dream pop (signature)
Shares shoegaze, buried_in_mix, noise rock, dream pop (signature)
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