"Nowhere" is the debut album by British shoegaze band Ride, released on October 15, 1990. The album garnered critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone calling it "a masterpiece" and Pitchfork highlighting it as "one of shoegazing's enduring moments."
Before Nowhere, Ride released three EPs: Ride, Play, and Fall. The album was recorded live in the studio with producer Marc Waterman, who experienced a mental breakdown during the process, leading to Alan Moulder mixing the final recordings. The band members were quite young, aged 18 to 20, and the late-night studio sessions contributed to a feeling of isolation, which permeated the album's sound.
Mark Gardener described the record as a "nighttime sort of record," emphasizing its dark and alienated vibe. The band utilized the Roland GP-16 multi-effects unit to achieve distinctive tones, contributing to the album's signature "jangly cloud" sound.
The cover features a photograph of an uncrested wave by Warren Bolster. The original LP had embossed text for the band name and album title, while the cassette and CD releases initially featured no identifying text. Subsequent reissues have included variations of the cover art.
Nowhere was released by Creation Records in the UK on October 15, 1990, and by Sire Records in the US in December. A 2001 reissue added bonus tracks from the Today Forever EP. The 20th anniversary edition in 2011 featured remastered audio, bonus tracks, and a live performance from 1991. In 2015, a 25th anniversary edition included a CD/DVD set and a double LP with expanded track listings and additional live content.
Most recently, Nowhere was re-released in November 2022, featuring refined audio on both vinyl and CD formats, and it charted at number 62 on the UK Albums Chart.
