#10 GHOST DAYS Cemetery Rose
I love the grungy, shoegazy riffs that juxtapose the clean melodies on GHOST DAYS’ record Cemetery Rose. The vocals lift me out of my reality like good dream pop should, while the riffs ripple through my body, reminding me that I’m still grounded in this reality. This is dream pop that gives you space to dream!
#9 FAZERDAZE Soft Power
FAZERDAZE has put together a collection of perfect dream pop anthems on Soft Power, and I’m floating on blue, ethereal clouds from the second the title track starts. It’s a record full of sonic textures: spongy beats with sharp edges, fluffy synths, smooth melodies, and fuzzy vocals. If you’re looking for a dream pop that will help you rise above the world’s shit this is it!
#8 MOUNT KIMBIE The Sunset Violent
Twinkling melodies travel down my spine, basslines warm up my skin, vocals lift my spirits, percussion pushes me forward…all of this has me climbing to the pinnacle of dream pop that rests atop MOUNT KIMBIE’s record The Sunset Violent. Their songs are just slightly off kilter, stripped down but also layered with sound and feeling, the soundtrack to a glorious ride through a dream pop landscape. Mount Kimbie have a dream pop sound that’s unexpected and sometimes dissonant but ultimately beautiful.
#7 MINT FIELD Aprender A Ser: Extended
I’m struck by the crispness of MINT FIELD’s sound juxtaposed with a fuzzy, foggy ether floating throughout the song. With influences ranging from trip hop to electronic to the aforementioned dream pop, Mint Field are coming from a direction of their own. The drums create a psychedelic atmosphere as do the echoing riffs, and the lilting vocals invite me into an altered state of mind. Their sound is more on the melancholy side, but not every dream is a happy one.
#6 ALOVESOPURE You’ll Be A Memory
This human has taken me back to 1995 while pushing my love for Jungle into the future. I have been a fan of this genre since day one. I remember when I heard the first big tunes coming out of the UK during the 90s. My homies in Oakland or Flatbush did not understand my love for this new art form, they were fine with just listening to regular dancehall. I’m beyond happy that a new generation is tapping into their rich history when it comes to dance music. From the moment I heard alovesopure, I was a fan instantly!
#5 ALUMINUM Fully Beat
Big facts — if I heard ALUMINUM’s song “Behind My Mouth” in 1989, my crew of Bay Area hip hop heads would have been bumping them all day long the same way we did with The Sone Roses. I’m just saying that this band has the groove in their heart and I’m a fan!
#4 UNTITLED (HALO) headbanger
UNTITLED (HALO)’s record headbanger is smooth, with beats I want to dance to and vocals that trade places at just the right moment. I would describe their sound as cool, sleek, and groovy, and each song flows into the next like honey. They sprinkle in a little 90s indie rock here and there and some of it gives soft riot grrrl vibes. Still waiting for that genre to come back! But untitled (halo) is definitely opening the door with headbanger…
#3 SUNDER Heaven Can Decide
Listening to this EP makes me feel like I’m running across beautiful new wave-tinged clouds. The vocalist sounds like an angel. The electronics sparkle like a dream unfolding all around me, shoegaze tones warm and fuzzy on my skin, post punk rhythms uplifting my energy and sending my mind floating away on a buoyant heartbeat. Heaven Can Decide has got hints of the 80s nostalgia that reminds me of my first explorations into music as a kid, but it’s completely modern at the same time.
#2 JASPER BYRNE + SONIC Mirrors
I am calling all Junglists and all people who love insanely good music! This album slaps so hard that it’s hard for me not to have it on repeat all day long. These collections of songs take me back to 1996 when I heard jungle for the first time while at the same time pushing me past my unknown future! Jasper has found a way to perfectly balance Jungle with Superb UK Indie plus Sublime Trip Hop. Honestly, that description does not do this record justice because it’s not about how this album sounds it’s about how it makes me feel. Real talk, big tunes like “Frozen Lake” gives me full-body chills every time I play it. As it plays in my headphones I remember my time walking the London streets feeling defeated by life not knowing better days were on the horizon! Mirrors is an album full of creative confidence and Jasper Byrne and Sonic’s passion bleeds through on every track! The audio textures you will experience on this record are otherworldly, plus his voice floats above his powerful soundscapes! Ok, imagine The Beta Band, The Verve, Goldie, Fresh Four, South and the spirit of Jah Shaka came together — Mirrors would be the outcome.
#1 ANIMAL GHOSTS Swell
As soon as the sparkling masterpiece that is “Wonder” entered my ears, ANIMAL GHOSTS had me absolutely captivated with their dreamy, jungle-infused sound. The way they mix infectious, sultry beats with a hazy wall of sound is immaculate, and Swell had to be number one on our 2024 list. The vocals sound like they’re from a universe that’s infinitely cooler than our own, and the guitars are crashing into me on all sides in the most perfect way, sweeping me into the air like a swarm of melodic bees.
