Dream State - ‘Still Dreaming’ review
Dream State
Dream State had a white-hot 2023. Following some extensive touring. The group played Radar Festival, Burn it Down, and 2000trees, as well as toured with As December Falls. In that time, the group has been slowly integrating new music into the set. The hype and mystery of this new music has taken full shape in their new EP Still Dreaming. The new EP drops on 26 January, here's what we thought:
Opening track 'Still Dreaming' will be the song fans are most familiar with. This has been in rotation at live shows through late 2023. Add to that the band released a music video for it in October, we have the anchor of the EP, and it's a banger. For purposes of the EP, it's listed the intro from the music video and then 'Still Dreaming'. Personally, it works better with the intro, as a rightful build to a star-making track for the Welsh band. The band had stated ahead of time that this was their 'most emotive and personal song' to date, and that shows. The instrumental side of this is as Dream State ever was, but the highlight of the opener is Jessie Powell. Powell does a lot through cadence and stylistic changes where a vocalist's intensity comes through, even on the recording. Expect that to be a continuing theme through this EP. In a similar vein, 'Chin Up Princess' dropped in June and has been getting regular play since 2000trees. Powell is two for two on faultless showings on Still Dreaming. This track loses none of its lustre live, as evidenced by the Live One Take Performance by Powell on YouTube. That said, 'Chin Up Princess' adds a lot in terms of atmosphere to the music. It shows in the efforts of Tom Connolly (who provided drums on Night Thieves Polarity EP). Dream State said a lot of time went into enhancing the structure of songs, it's 'Chin Up Princess' that's likely the best example of that.
'Calling Out' is a much different track than the previous two. It begins with a lot more clean vocals and sampling. That said, when featured, the guitar tone from Aled Evans is perfect, and chugs along without overtaking the rest of the track. Dream State reaches the peaks and troughs of emotion in their music just right. Nothing overstays its welcome. Jessie's vocals layer between the harsh and softer sung lyrics "I've been waiting so long" playing over one another. It's a real lesson in atmosphere, one extra recording can make a difference, as it helps 'Calling Out' stand out. The midpoint of Still Dreaming brings us another familiar track. 'Anxious State of Mind' dropped as a single and a lyric video in early December. Connolly is again a rhythm machine, but the rumbling bassline from Jake Bowen added a lot to the finish of the song. In promotion for the album, the group said "has been another way for Jessie to express her pent-up emotions". One can't help but feel that efforts from Powell on vocals in this track may have been what they were alluding to. A Hall of Fame candidate as far as powerful and emotional screams go.
'Set Free' felt like the anomaly of the EP. That's not a bad thing, just that the band takes a much different approach on this track. It's shorter than other tracks on the release, made up of acoustic guitars, bass, and sampling. It's more of an interlude, and yet still feels like a Dream State track. Still Dreaming was promoted as music that's both cathartic and empowering. That's what 'Set Free' ends up being, and they didn't need vocals or a breakdown to do it. It also feeds very well into the final track 'Day Seeker' (Not that one). As a way to end the EP, this track has a lot of rhythm and bounce. It will be interesting to see live. Singing about being "stronger and wiser" may reflect how important this release is for the journey of the band. They spoke about how "there was a period where the band was so close to stopping altogether". This made for an emotional listening process once they had finished the EP. As pacing goes, ' Day Seeker' feels like an appropriate end to this era of that journey. The lineup we have now has got their feet under the table and then some. The fan reception of the band, as well as their own ethos, has been overwhelmingly positive. Still Dreaming feels like a very appropriate vessel for that form to continue. "Day Seeker" provides a fitting conclusion, emphasising the light at the end of the tunnel.
With Still Dreaming, Dream State has produced something really potent. For an EP it has a lot of depth and emotional investment from the four involved. That seems to be the important message of Still Dreaming, it's four people just like any of us. For one of the most sincere bands on the scene to be baring their souls, trying to make relatable music for everyone, there's very little fault to find. It's a great start to 2024 for the band.
Still Dreaming from Dream State is out 26 January and available on all good streaming platforms. You can catch them on a plethora of dates throughout March and April this year.
