While not Shoegaze, the first time I realized my inner dialogue had stopped completely for a few seconds was after the first time I listened to Washing Machine (the song, not the album, though I was listening to the album in full) by Sonic Youth. Up until then I had never though that'd be possible: I always assumed we all had an inner dialogue going on all the time (I later learned some people don't have this at all, which I find intriguing, probably as intriguing as they find that some people always have one!).
To this day, I don't know how to stop the dialog reliably, but I know some activities and some music that help me do that (Metal Machine Music from Lou Reed works great for me, for example).
I'm more into post-rock (gy!be <3) but I totally relate to your feeling. This massive/overload wall of sound blanketing your brain.
Even if there's nearly no lyrics in post-rock, it is strictly impossible for me to work while listening to it.
And shoegaze/postrock are something you have to enjoy with headphones. The work on stereo is always phenomenal. (I wonder if some bands used binaural beats to go further this way. kinda reminds me I-doser ;) )
This is one of the main reasons for my love of extreme metal and other abrasive, noisy or drone genres. There are even shoegaze black metal bands (blackgaze) such as Andavald. The cacophony of the music drowns out the mental noise and I can focus on what I'm doing. Happy, up beat stuff, or clear vocals, seal focus and becomes an annoying distraction. Though classical music or certain instrumental music is soothing to me as well.
I remember reading that von Neumann was a fan of turning on the TV or radio to very loud volumes when he was working at home. Likely to achieve the same effect.
There is a whole genre of YouTube videos that is just somebody walking in the rain in a cityscape for 3+ hours. I put the video on on my TV, to get both a sense of calm and also a sense of exploration/movement. Something about the coffee shop ambience videos just no longer tickles my mind. It’s best to pair with reeally slow, long music, such as Subaeris - The City in Rain (56 minute long ambient “dreampunk” song). There’s typically a moment in this process that I feel my mind de-tense.. allowing the real work to begin
Later, djent style metal did the trick (preferably with the least amount of "troll" vocals). - such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyBrxxUWO28
Or maybe it's me. I fell asleep for a minute or two in a stadium while Rush was playing Time Stand Still as a college student (so age wasn't a factor ;) ).
curious if more progressive metal works the same for you? (e.g. Dream Theater) rhythms are less regular, although kinda mathematical in some sense so I could see it still applying
The three classic albums of the genre
Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
Souvlaki - Slowdive
Nowhere - Ride
Cocteau Twins
Talk Talk (Laughing Stock and Spirit of Eden, post-synthwave)
This all falls under dream pop and while I don't think it has much in common with noise's effect on the brain, it can be a little disorienting due to the depth and variance in sound.
If you're asking for my recommendations though, when I'm anxious this song is probably my favourite, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ4Mn2X-Wm4
Put some good earphones on, turn it up, and just let your mind shut off as the fuzz and noise slowly builds. The part around ~3.45 is almost orgasmic to my ear, but I'm on the spectrum and I'm quite sensitive to audible sounds so perhaps others don't hear it quite like I do.
The combination of the music and the jellyfish floating by in that video.
Seems like that particular YouTube link is unavailable (maybe just in the UK?), but I believe this is another copy of the same track, The Radio Dept. - The City Limit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNOjIJN5u7E
There are a lot of different directions you could go from there, but personally, one of my favorite releases is Guilty of Everything by Nothing as a more modern take on shoegaze. (mid 2010's vs 90's)
Additionally, there are some critically acclaimed releases in extensions of the genre like post-metal with Deafheaven's album Sunbather being a great entry into that particular sub-genre.
Hope that gives you a bit of a starting off point!
Paul’s Boutique represent.
Is a top choice and rare enough - you can find it on spotify now though !
The live version serves well to show you why it's called Shoegaze :)
My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyYMzEplnfU
Quintessential shoegaze song
Ringo Deathstarr - Sweet Girl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0Mgv2mn-Lg
One of my personal favorites
A more recent version of this kind of noise rock is The Raveonettes [2].
(Though it's just an algorithm and sometimes can have opinions on what constitutes a genre that active listeners of the genre might disagree with.)
If I'm out in public and I'm feeling anxious there's really nothing that makes me feel at ease quicker. My mind kind of melts away with the music. I guess it sounds like how putting a blanket over my brain might feel.