About Ambient Airwaves
A Musical Journey 15 Years in the Making
In 2009, Vince F. (aka V) founded Ambient Airwaves, a passion project driven by his unwavering love for the shoegaze genre. Working late one night, Vince realized he had lost touch with the music that had once filled abandoned apartment parties and iconic Chicago venues like Metro, Exit, Neo, and Club 950. Recognizing that others might share this sense of disconnect in the wake of vanishing record stores and corporatized radio, he saw an opportunity to revitalize the scene.
Leveraging the early potential of Facebook, Vince reached out to beloved shoegaze bands like loveliescrushing, The High Violets, Nightmare Air, Bliss City East, Lightfoils, and Air Formation. Their enthusiastic support laid the foundation for what Ambient Airwaves would become – a comprehensive, curated source for mind-swirling music across multiple genres, including Shoegaze, Post-Punk, Darkwave, Psychedelic Rock, and Post-Rock. However, the focus has always been on the bands and music, not the Ambient Airwaves contributors, we’ve stayed anonymous to the general public.
Over the past 15 years, Ambient Airwaves has evolved into a singular destination for fans to discover, communicate with artists, and share music across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook. Despite the challenges of balancing family life and work, Vince’s vision for Ambient Airwaves never faded.
Now, as shoegaze experiences a resurgence through social media, Ambient Airwaves is ready to fully realize that vision. With new technology and live events, we aim to provide deserving artists in our genre the platform they need to reach new audiences and achieve the recognition they deserve.
Join us in supporting and celebrating the music that makes our minds swirl – whether it’s a cherished classic or the next big sound waiting to be discovered. Experience the culmination of 15 years of passion and dedication at our upcoming “Lake Effects: Drown in Sound Festival.”
Our Vision
We strive to be the leading platform celebrating and promoting alternative music genres including Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Psych-Gaze, Psychedelic Rock, Post-Punk, Dark Wave, Cold Wave, and Post-Rock. Through innovative promotion, community building, and curated festival experiences, we aim to create lasting connections between artists and audiences while elevating these genres to new heights.
Our Mission
Ambient Airwaves exists to amplify alternative music by creating meaningful partnerships between artists and audiences. We build genuine connections within the music community through:
- Strategic artist promotion across our growing digital platforms.
- A state-of-the-art website featuring immersive content, artist spotlights, and seamless user experience.
- Carefully curated festivals and events that showcase emerging and established talent.
- An active Music Advisory Board that ensures artists' voices guide our direction.
- Collaborative opportunities that help musicians expand their reach and creative potential.
- Professional support that helps artists thrive in today's music landscape.
- A commitment to running a profitable business while maintaining the highest standards of honesty and ethics in all our dealings with musicians and industry professionals.
By keeping musicians at the center of everything we do, we create authentic experiences that serve our artists, delight our audiences, and advance the alternative music scene. Our success is measured by the strength of our community, the growth of the artists we support, and our ability to create sustainable value while upholding the highest ethical standards in the music industry.