Dreampop Fever

My sophomore year of high school was comprised of tears and late-night study sessions for tests that do not prepare for the real world. There were many nights where I would listen to playlists that I made to get through the endless night, and that is when I started to shift my focus on alternative music from the nineties. I had previously shown an interest in pop and R&B music in the nineties, but I never really broadened my options to other genres back then. So, my next thought was indie or alternative, and I listened to both because I am not selective about any kind of music except for heavy metal. That’s just not my cup of tea.

After searching for the right song, I stumbled upon Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,” which has appeared in several tv shows and films. From what I remember, the song was featured in Gilmore Girls and one of my favorite British shows, My Mad Fat Diary.

When I pressed play for the very first time, I had no idea how much my life had changed in a second. The song was so soothing and made me feel like I was floating on a pink cloud. I felt like a cherub soaring high in my own skies of wonder and imagination.

There were no words to describe what I was feeling when I was lying in my bed, one foot off and the other crossed like half of a pretzel while sheets of loose-leaf and highlighters were scattered everywhere.

I felt like time stopped and everything in my stressful life lingered. The repetitive pattern of the tambourine, guitar, and drums put me in a trance, one that I did not want to escape. This sense of being in another realm brings great bliss to me and made me feel like I had sunk into my bed slowly. Almost like the Sunken Place from Get Out, but not so much terrifying. It was more relaxing. I promise I was not under the influence of any substance, I was just enjoying life in a way that I never thought that I could.

I had no idea the song that I was jamming to was apart of a subgenre called Dreampop. That’s when I realize that I had just experienced dream-pop fever. It’s not a real term, not that I know of, but the genre is designed to make listeners feel like they are in a dream or an ambiance-like state.

The term was coined by Alex Ayuli of A.R. Kane, a British duo in the 1980s. Ayuli describes the genre as a transcendent experience. Simon Reynolds, a music critic, adopted the word to describe the shoegazing scene in the UK. Dream pop didn’t reach the U.S. until the nineties. Nowadays, the word, in general, is called chillwave.

Although the two genres are universally compared, they are vague from each other. Dream pop is more focused on the clear vocals, and it is less conceptual. The band M83 would be an example of the genre. Shoegaze stresses on heavily distorted guitars. I guess there is no official way to describe the pair. In my opinion, if you know how to differentiate the two, you’re good.

Anyway, I have no idea how to conclude this article, but I would like to say that listening to dream pop was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. I think that it’s healthy for individuals to open their minds and ears to other musical genres. Three years ago, I found myself, listening to K-pop and my first choice was Blackpink because I had heard very great things about them, and they were the most talked about. Now, I can proudly call myself a Blink. Overall, don’t be so closeminded; listen to other genres of music. You never know, you just might find the perfect soundtrack to your crazy, beautiful life.