Dream pop
 | This article possibly contains original research. (November 2007) |
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| Dream pop | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Post-punk, Ethereal Wave, Ambient music, Space rock, Psychedelic rock |
| Cultural origins | Mid-1980s, Scotland, England |
| Typical instruments | Guitar, female vocals, synthesizers; heavy use of delay, reverb and chorus effects |
| Derivative forms | Shoegazing, Ambient pop |
| Other topics | |
| Notable artists | |
Dream pop is a type of alternative rock that originated in Britain in the mid-1980s, when bands like Cocteau Twins (Victorialand), The Chameleons, The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane (to whom the term has been attributed) began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into sensual, sonically ambitious soundscapes. The term was almost exclusively used in the United States, although frequently used, and allegedly coined, by Melody Maker journalists Simon Reynolds and Chris Roberts. An "all-star" dream pop collective named This Mortal Coil were known for covering obscure pop songs of the 1960s to '80s.
The essence of the music is a focus on ethereal textures and moods, rather than on propulsive rock riffs. Breathy, high-register female vocals or almost whispered male vocals are usually the means of lyrical delivery; lyrics are generally introspective and existential in nature. Cover art tends to consist of blurry pastel imagery and/or stark minimalist designs. Overall, the 4AD record label is the one most associated with dream pop, though others such as Creation, Projekt, Fontana, Bedazzled, Vernon Yard and Slumberland also released significant records in the genre.
History and artists
Early songs that influenced the genre include "Sunday Morning" by The Velvet Underground, which contained all the elements of dream pop such as breathy vocals and atmospheric soundscapes.
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, bands such as Slowdive, Lush, Pale Saints, Spoonfed Hybrid, Spirea X, early-period Seefeel, early-period Verve, Kitchens of Distinction, The Sundays, The Ocean Blue, Galaxie 500, Bel Canto, Hum, Cranes, Failure, Frazier Chorus, late-period Talk Talk, Strange Boutique, Curve, The Dream Academy, and No-Man were representatives of the genre.
Concurrently, a number of more predominantly guitar-driven dream pop bands emerged in the United States, including For Against, Alison's Halo, Low, Mazzy Star, Velour 100, Love Spirals Downwards, Ars Poetica, Duster and Frownland. In Europe, some dream pop bands emerged also mixing more folk or electronic components, such as The Legendary Pink Dots.
Influence over other styles
Shoegazing
A louder, more aggressive strain of dream pop came to be known as shoegazing; key bands of this style were Lush, Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine, Alison's Halo, Chapterhouse, Curve, Ride and Levitation. These bands kept the atmospheric qualities of dream pop, but added the intensity of post-punk-influenced bands such as The Chameleons and Sonic Youth. Shoegazing arose out of a love for dream pop's textures and moods, at the same time rejecting its more passive tendencies.
Further development
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, bands like Sigur Rós, Mercury Rev, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Dubstar, Laika, Asobi Seksu, Broken Social Scene, Readymade, Bethany Curve, The FLIR, Halou, Windy & Carl, Trespassers William, Southpacific, Mira, Yume Bitsu, Devics, Xinlisupreme, Highspire, Mew, Air Formation, Psychic Ills and Auburn Lull have had the dream pop/ shoegazing labels attributed to them. Groups like these are sometimes (dismissively) called "new-gaze" or "nu-gaze" bands. The term "Ambient Pop" is applied as a genre to some of these artists as well. The Smashing Pumpkins' single "Rhinoceros" from the album Gish (1991) is considered to be a combination of psychedelia and dream pop. In another genre combination, Deftones combined elements of dream pop with alternative metal.
Dream pop is often credited with providing the creative "anti-rock" catalyst for textural-based musical styles such as trip hop, slowcore and post-rock.
2008 in particular experienced a resurgence of dream pop in the independent music scene, with the relatively successful indie acts of The Hush Sound, Beach House, High Places, Lykke Li, Chairlift, Anomie Belle and School of Seven Bells.
