Dream pop was evolving in the 2010s, with several stylistic directions to go in at that point. Synth-based beats, or indie rock-influenced dreamy jams, or, later, the integration of lo-fi hip-hop. Genres crossed over, subgenres emerged, and elements of the shoegaze and dream pop of the 90s started popping up again.
For a bit in the early 2000s, dream pop was overshadowed by the mainstream pop explosion. There wasn’t much room at the table anymore. But the 2010s brought a lot of that back to the forefront. Only this time with more room to stretch out. These three albums showcase the innovative styles that evolved with 2010s dream pop.
‘Wild Heart’ by Current Joys
Current Joys, aka Nick Rattigan, released Wild Heart in 2013. While it does the album a disservice to label it exclusively dream pop, it still possesses a certain sound of its time. This stretch of years saw several releases from Beach House, Japanese Breakfast, Melody’s Echo Chamber, and Daughter. A potent blend of dream pop, shoegaze, and jangly indie rock.
In a sense, Wild Heart is like a time capsule. Its mesh of style and sound captures a specific atmosphere of youthful ambition of the time. Listening to it much later, it becomes bittersweet, like the way time seems to stop when you find a box of old photos in the attic. In the same way, this album is easy to get lost in.
‘Kill For Love’ by Chromatics
Kill for Love was released in 2012, opening with an evocative cover of Neil Young’s “Into the Black”. The rest of the album is similarly atmospheric in Chromatics’ particular style. Kill for Love earned high praise from critics for its engrossing composition, pushing the band’s sound beyond the usual synth-pop fare.
Chromatics were skilled at creating a sense of foreboding that didn’t feel threatening. It was futuristic night-city dream pop, but with a knife’s edge of danger. Kill for Love is a solid example of this talent that still holds up.
‘Angel Youth’ by Vansire
For something on the more modern end of dream pop, there’s Angel Youth by the duo Vansire, released in 2018. This album is almost an outlier of dream pop, as it leans way into lo-fi and hip-hop. But there’s still so much about Angel Youth that feels like drifting through a pleasant memory.
This is an album that conjures up specific emotions or experiences at first listen. Some music isn’t made for reminiscing, contemplating, or simply sitting quietly and noticing things around you. Angel Youth is, though. Just like Wild Heart, this is an album to get lost in.
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