GIFT

GIFT, a psychedelic rock outfit hailing from Brooklyn, weaves shoegaze textures through its sound while evoking the U.K. scene of the 1990s. The group came together in 2019, mere months before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. Although the members had performed live just twice prior to the ensuing lockdowns, frontman TJ Freda pressed ahead alone, devoting months to writing and recording in his bedroom; the effort yielded the band’s debut album, 2022’s Momentary Prescence. Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Jessica Gurewitz supplied key contributions during this period, co-writing the lyrics. Once restrictions eased, the musicians pooled resources to purchase a shared apartment, enabling them to develop material collectively; the lineup also featured bassist Kallan Campbell, drummer Gabe Camarano, and multi-instrumentalist Justin Hrabovsky. Working side by side, they completed their follow-up, 2024’s Illuminator, which leaned more explicitly on 1990s reference points, naming Primal Scream’s Screamadelica, Massive Attack, and Spiritualized among its touchstones.