TAGABOW(They Are Gutting a Body of Water)

Philadelphia's They Are Gutting a Body of Water (TAGABOW), the lowercase-loving shoegaze outfit, has evolved from the solo project of songwriter and guitarist Douglas Dulgarian into a fully formed band. Initially a solo endeavor crafting the atmospheric tapes They Are Gutting a Body of Water and Sweater Curse, Dulgarian, born circa 1990-91, brought TAGABOW to life after relocating from his New York roots (Middletown and later Albany, where he fronted the band Jouska, releasing the album topiary in 2016). Teaming up with drummer Ben Opatut, TAGABOW solidified its sound, releasing its debut album, gestures been, in 2018.

The band's evolution continued with the release of 2019's Destiny XL, a cyberpunk-tinged effort recorded in a repurposed West Philadelphia house show venue and heavily influenced by William Gibson's Neuromancer. Re-released in 2021 by Citrus City Records, Destiny XL cemented TAGABOW's place in the shoegaze scene. 2022 marked another significant milestone: the signing to California's Smoking Room Records and the release of both the An Insult to the Sport split EP and the full-length album lucky styles. The current lineup includes bassist Emily Lofing and guitarist PJ Carroll, completing the sonic tapestry that defines TAGABOW's unique brand of atmospheric rock.