Rather than attempt to reinvent the wheel, dreamscent leans into the nostalgia of 90s shoegaze and alternative that inspired them—balancing atmospheric-like distortion with hazy, reverb-soaked guitar and emotion-fueled prose.
Hailing from the thriving indie rock music scene in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, dreamscent pools its inspiration from early pioneers of the subgenre, including My Bloody Valentine, Lush, and Mazzy Star, along with some local favorites from the mid-Atlantic state like Superchunk and Wednesday.
Shoegaze has never been quite as popular, experiencing a significant resurgence thanks to a growing interest from black metal, soft grunge, emo, post-punk, and post-hardcore bands trying to drown their music in a flood of warm, fuzzy effects pedals.
It’s become so vast that regional subcultures have started to differentiate with artists like nothing, They Are Gutting A Body of Water, Bleary Eyed, and Her New Knife, laying the foundation for the new Philly sound.
Raleigh is not far behind. More than just the state capital, it is one of three big cities that, along with Durham and Chapel Hill, make up what is locally known as “The Triangle.” Home to three of the most renowned research universities and more than a dozen concert venues, it is well-known as a “hotbed” of the mid-Atlantic indie scene.
dreamscent looks inward and explores more introspective themes on their full-length studio debut, Burning Days, sharing a personal journey of self-discovery and reflection.
Buried beneath the warm, buzzing instrumentals is something raw and vulnerable, and perhaps, at times, even a little cathartic.
The album opens things by taking them in a somewhat different direction, drifting through a blanket of warm, fuzzy effects with a more effervescent mid-2000s power-pop aesthetic.
“Don’t Mind” is an airy melody with a bouncier feel that leans more towards The New Pornographers than it does Beach House.
For listeners, it is their first formal introduction to dreamscent. So, quite understandably, the song might feel a little out of place since it really tries to embrace the 90s aesthetic.
Jack Pederson quickly elevates the mood with some bright, hooky guitars and soft vibrato. “Burn Through Me” juxtaposes pleasant jams with poetic lyrics. It’s also the inspiration for the album title, referring to “Burning Days” as an allegory for wasting time.
“Wish I knew how to put it out / Or learn to take the heat. But either way, I’m burning days / So let it burn through me.”
The heartfelt words feel like they come from a deeply personal place. It reads like a veiled metaphor for battling addiction, going from having a wonderful time unwinding from the stress of everyday life to becoming a tiresome burden, causing him to miss out on opportunities.
Glo Hwang’s vocals really burst out with a quiet intensity on the lead single, “Red String,” a vivid portrait of a couple on the outs, trying to grasp onto whatever thread is left holding them together.
It’s reminiscent of 90s grunge acts like Garbage or Hole—loud, angsty, and perhaps even a little bitter—all the things that embodied music at the time.
“Photograph” takes things in a noticeably different direction. Lyrically, the song is more whimsical and care-free, reflecting back on a beautiful day and a brief moment caught on film.
There is a high-end sensitivity in the arrangements, giving the reverb the ability to act more like a narrative tool, mimicking the overlapping and intrusive thoughts and ideas that find their way to disrupt us when we are at our most introspective. Ironically, the song gets progressively heavier and more aggressive.
“Wrinkle” takes another, albeit different, page from the 90s alternative playbook, with a more jangly pop feel, similar to peak R.E.M. or Dinosaur Jr.
The aptly named “Lost in a Dream” adds some real depth to the project. The arpeggiated wails and echoes give the track a more conventional alt-rock feel, bringing the album back around, full circle.
Heavy reverb washes over the final track, “Moving Forward,” an emotionally-sparked inner monologue reflecting on past heartbreaks from a place of maturity and growth.
Hwang layers her hauntingly soft-spoken voice with another vivacious spark of energy and enthusiasm, really capturing the whole “I’m over you” spirit of the track.
As far as a debut album goes, this is a promising start for a group destined to grow more polished.
Written by Daniel Offner
