Sunday Morning Playlist: Dream Pop

 

Dream Pop is another one of those genres that doesn't derive from a particular musical discipline, such as country-rock, blues-rock, jazz-rock, etc. Nor does it describe a new musical hybrid, in the sense of funk, or heavy metal. It's not about an attitude like punk, or noise pop, or lo-fi, although it may include trace elements of each. Artists that have been pigeonholed as dream pop are spread far and wide, and encompass many different and unrelated styles.

Yet dream pop is also one of those genres, like emo, that can be identified in an instant. It's the kind of music that's hard to put a finger on, but you know it when you hear it.

It is, however, a term in widespread use, so it is referring to a certain common and crucial element that can be found in all bands classifiable as dream pop. Sonically, its touchstones are breathy, airy vocals, usually sung by a woman, or a male/female harmonic duo atop heavily processed guitars and synthesizers, given production that lends a shimmer and a sheen to the sound, creating an ethereal otherworldliness to the recording.

It also shares much with shoegaze, space rock, twee pop, but is distinct from each in that it avoids overly abrasive textures for the most part, relying instead in establishing a general ambience of languid disassociation. It's escapist and pretty, but sometimes ominous.

The landmark band generally given credit for inventing the form are the Cocteau Twins in the mid-80's, who relied on lush soundscapes and glistening female vocals with cryptic, dreamy lyrics. This sound came to define their record label, London-based 4AD, which became specialists in the dream pop genre. The guitar rock and gentle sad ambience of Galaxie 500 gave additional shape to the form in the late 80's; also a major influence were the subgenre crossing shoegaze/noise pop pioneers, My Bloody Valentine.

In the 1990's these influences and others were absorbed and reinterpreted by a second wave of bands on both sides of the Atlantic, and within continental Europe. By the late 1990's the style peaked, although it remains popluar to this day. Most dream pop has been recorded for independent labels, although more and more of it appears on major label releases, too.

Some important/influential dream-pop artists/songs include:

1. Cocteau Twins: Lorelei

The Cocteau Twins were formed in Grangemouth, Scotland, in 1979. "Lorelei" comes from their third album, Treasure, released in 1984. It's as good a marker as the starting point for dream pop as anything, and it established the band's trademark sound: Elizabeth Fraser's high register, honeyed vocals, steady percussion fills, big guitar, echo, and incomprehensible lyrics. The band released nine albums during a 1982-1996 recording career; they're all pretty-good to pretty-great, and represent one aspect of dream pop better than anyone else. Their name was taken from a song by fellow Scots, Simple Minds.

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