Trauma Ray‘s Carnival is 23 minutes of pure Texas-style shoegaze with a dark, doomy edge. They are leading the pack with fuzzy, hazed out melodies and riffs for days.
Release date: February 20, 2026 | DAIS Records | Bandcamp | Instagram
I’ve been closely following Trauma Ray since their 2022 breakout Transmissions. Since then, they have become highly respected and seen as most as the leaders of the Texas shoegaze scene with their heavy, melodic grace that few of their peers can replicate. Following a stellar split with Downward and their first full release, Chameleon, it felt as though the band had reached a creative ceiling. However, with this EP, Carnival, they show they want to push the boundaries even further. Across a lean yet dense 23-minute runtime, Carnival proves that Trauma Ray is not content with being just another ‘loud band’ from the South. They are actively evolving, injecting a dark slash of doom into their wall-of-sound aesthetic that keeps them miles ahead of the pack.
The EP opens with “Carousel”, a brief but vital atmospheric lead-in that bleeds directly into the crushing weight of “Hannibal”. This track highlights the band’s greatest strength: the contrast of darkness and light. The riffs are undeniably dirty and fuzzy, yet they are anchored by a beautiful vocal melody so crystalline it feels like it is floating above the clouds. The band’s ability to write hooks as well as creating a simply monstrous guitar tone reminds me at times of one of my favourite bands of all time: Deftones.
The band’s willingness to experiment with tempo and tension is very well displayed on “Méliès.” Curiously named after the pioneering French filmmaker, magician, and toymaker Georges Méliès. The track serves as Trauma Ray’s venture into doom territory. It is dark, brooding, and dripping with a cinematic tension. This is immediately followed by “Funhouse” which captures the intense precision of a band like DIIV. It provides a necessary moment of movement and energy without ever feeling like a ripoff, showing a band comfortable enough in their own skin to wear their influences on their sleeves.
If there is one track that defines the current trajectory of the band, however, it is “Clown”. Drawing inspiration from the space-rock mastery of Failure, “Clown” is expansive, haunting, and undeniably earwormy. To me, the clear standout. Blending a spacey atmosphere with a melody that lingers long after the feedback fades. Honestly I can’t get this song out of my head and I’m sure it will get endless replays this year.
What makes Carnival so satisfying is this sense of cohesion. It flows so well and with an intent that makes it feel much larger than its 23-minute running time. Trauma Ray has always had surprises up their sleeve, but here they reveal a band truly coming into its own, bridging the gap between the gritty shoegaze / grunge blend and a more polished, grander vision. If their previous work put them on the map, Carnival ensures they are the ones leading the way.
