I’m pretty damn excited about Dream Attics.
Dream Attics, the dreamy electronic pop project of Nick Tovarek and Shane English, combines each’s talents from their main projects into one hell of a side-project. Unbend opens with delicate electronic marimba and quickly explodes into the dreamy ambiance of “Somebody Loved Me”. English’s vocals are fresh and comforting, and definitely pleasing to listen to, calling to mind artists such as Passion Pit.
“You Will Never Be Alone for Long” follows with a more melancholy tone. Backing vocals seem almost desolate in the same environment as the reverb-doused guitar solo and synth. The song ends with long, drawn out synth, and as it comes to a close, I’m slightly at a loss for emotions – contemplative and heavy-hearted, but definitely not sad. Changing gears once again is their previously released single, “Like a Pretty Song”. This song is a direct contrast, at least aurally, from the previous track, and the epitome of mellow summer listening – bouncy, light, and breezy. Here, accompanied by electronic marimba and synth, the backing vocals feel much more hopeful. With “That’s the Secret, That’s the Key”, the album comes to an end in the atmospheric way it started.
Unbend is unique in that it is a consistent set of songs, each catchy and interesting in its own right, but each with a very different and specific tone. I can’t quite pin down the overall feel of the album, but the duo plays with composing both playful and desolate tones without losing that ethereal quality that holds the EP together.
My original comparisons to the likes of Dave Croll and Discovery (ala Give it a Spin) still hold, and they’re both excellent artists to be compared with. Dream Attics’ debut EP is well-produced and well-composed. It’s surprising to me that music this polished and catchy isn’t so much bigger than it is, but there’s plenty of time.
The light and dreamy electronic soundscapes of Unbend were released on April 7th of this year. If you enjoy this Wisconsin outfit’s introduction to the music community, keep up with them below. Since we’re having a hard time deciding, what’s your favorite song off the EP? Let us know in the comments section.