Andy Bell - pinball wanderer

Shoegaze Legend Andy Bell Takes a Left Turn. Is his latest album hypnotic and immersive or just a collection of sketches? Let’s discuss.

From the moment Nowhere dropped in 1990, Bell’s guitar work in Ride helped define shoegaze’s signature mix of beauty and noise. Those soaring melodies, that wall of distortion was music you could get lost in. Then came the curveballs: a Britpop detour with Hurricane #1, a stint as Oasis’ bassist, and eventually, Ride’s triumphant reunion. And through it all, you got the sense that Bell wasn’t done exploring.

Now, with pinball wanderer, his third solo album, he’s taking yet another unexpected path—this time, through a landscape of krautrock grooves, Madchester rhythms, and ambient textures. It’s a loose, playful record, brimming with movement and momentum. But does it all hold together? Let’s see what the critics, and you, think.

What Works

A Playful, Genre-Blurring Adventure

Bell isn’t chasing trends here. Instead, he’s following instinct, pulling from a wide palette of sounds: the motorik pulse of krautrock, the shimmer of 90s electronica, the psychedelia-tinged grooves of early Stereolab. It’s a journey, and one that The Quietus calls “an album of movement and momentum.”

It’s the kind of record that doesn’t beg for attention it’s just waiting for you to step into its world.

Standout Collaborations

A familiar melody floats in, but something’s different. The Passions’ “I’m In Love With A German Film Star”—only this time, it’s weightless, dreamy, suspended in space. Bell’s version, featuring Dot Allison and Michael Rother, strips the song down to its essence, turning it into a slow-motion fever dream.

Tinnitist calls it a “lush, spaced-out take on a cult classic.” It’s one of those covers that doesn’t just pay tribute, it finds something new in the old.

Groove-Centric Tracks

Some albums demand your attention. This one hypnotizes.

Tracks like “panic attack” and “apple green ufo” ride pulsing rhythms that never quite peak, never quite resolve, they just move. Clash Music praises Bell’s ability to craft “elongated, hypnotic jams that feel loose yet purposeful.” These aren’t songs in the traditional sense. They’re spaces, built to be inhabited rather than consumed.

A Joyous Sense of Exploration

There’s something freeing about an album that doesn’t try too hard. You can hear it in the way these tracks unfold patiently, almost accidentally. AllMusic describes pinball wanderer as “playful and unburdened,” the work of an artist following his curiosity wherever it leads.

The beauty is you never quite know what’s coming next.

---

👉 Is pinball wanderer just unfinished sketches? Does mood matter more than melody? Is 30 minutes too short or just right? Unlock the full review to see where the album stumbles—and whether it’s worth adding to your collection.