dream pop
Say Psych: Video: The Dead Zoo – Mother
London’s The Dead Zoo have recently release their debut single ‘Mother’ on Rock Noir Recordings along with a fantastic video that captures the creativity coming out of the times we are living in. Recorded and mixed from the bandmembers’ homes under COVID-19 separation, ‘Mother’ became a favourite from their live set and is sung by …
Track: Secret Shine – Ember
It is really delightful to see Secret Shine back again with a thrilling single, ‘Ember’. Secret Shine were, of course an indelible part of the Sarah Records/C86 era and made a welcome return in 2017 album with the album ‘There Is Only Now’ – remind yourself with my review of the single ‘For You’. ‘Ember’ …
News: Blonde Redhead Reissuing Fifth Album
Veteran New York City alternative rockers Blonde Redhead are releasing a 20th anniversary deluxe vinyl edition of their fifth album, ‘Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons’, on September 4th via legendary Chicago noise rock label Touch and Go. Copies of the release will be limited to 2000 and pressed on 180-gram opaque magenta pink vinyl. The …
Album Review: Kidsmoke – A Vision in the Dark
There is an ethereal majestic sheen that permeates the new album from Kidsmoke. It may well stem from the wild and beautiful landscapes of northern Wales, where the band comes from, but nonetheless sparkles and glitters like a golden thread throughout ‘A Vision in the Dark’. Every track on this vital album is imbued with …
Track: Hey Elbow – Nurture/Aptitude
Swedish dream-pop outfit Hey Elbow are back once again to share another wonderfully broad and ethereal offering, “Nurture/Aptitude”, lifted from their forthcoming full-length “We Three” due 18th September via Adrian Recordings. With an almost 2 minute intro of floaty choral voices looped together. The tracks kicks into life with rapid drums and dreamy synths interwoven with the …
Track: Song Sung – The Mind’s Eye
Hazy waves of reverb and chorus soak through the new song from twin sister duo Song Sung to create a dream pop epic that is quite mesmerising. There are Beach Boy harmonies, layers of instrumentation that are sunny and bright despite the achingly melancholic tone and distant, haunting vocals. Of the themes of the song, …
Track: The Ghost of Helags – Chemistry
Ghosts of Helag have released an absolutely gorgeous slice of sweet synth pop in their new track ‘Chemistry’. Layers of bubbling synth stream under melancholic, mesmerising vocals, evoking a sense of a dreamy dark landscape and endless, restless movement. Indeed, according to singer Teresa Woischiski, the track was born out of a night time journey: …
See: Mermaidens – Bastards
New Zealand’s fabulous Mermaidens have just release a video for the song ‘Bastards’ off their album ‘Look Me In The Eye’, out now through Flying Nun Records. ‘Bastards’ is a dark brooding sleek song immeshed in melancholia and regre,t with a serpentine bass and a haunting refrain: I’ve got bruises from being too close. Mermaidens …
EP: The Know – wearetheknow
The Know consist of husband and wife duo Daniel Knowles and Jennifer Farmer. Knowles had previously worked as a producer and guitarist for UK shoegaze band Amusement Parks on Fire. This pedigree shows. Their new EP, ‘wearetheknow’, out now through those purveyors of extremely high quality music, Shore Dive Records is an indelible, sparkling release that …
Premiere: Garsa – The Devil’s Own
After releasing a stunning debut earlier this year, (‘Jimmy sour highs‘) solo artist Martin Garside, operating under the name Garsa, is back with another perfect slice of dream pop/ shoegaze in ‘The Devil’s Own’, which Backseat Mafia is proud to premiere. This is a beautiful release, infused with an air of wistfulness and yearning and …