Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife andA.R. Kane (to whom the term has been attributed) began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost exclusively used in the United States. An "all-star" dream pop collective named This Mortal Coil were known for covering obscure songs mainly from the 1960s and 1970s.
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 or stark minimalist designs, or a combination of these two styles. 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. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_pop
Dream pop has been around for decades but I think now in 2012 we are all starting to appreciate the soft cords and sweet melodies of artists such as Bjork (photo above, right), R.E.M, Verve, Ladyhawke, Röyksopp, Sigur Rós and The Smashing Pumpkins just to name a few greats who have been around for years. Dream pop is my favourite music of the moment, I have been discovering some great new artists such as Grimes (Photo above, left), First Aid Kit, Bat of Lashes, Atlas Sound and Little Dragon with their bouncy, happy beats which can send you into a little jig around the house or out to greater things. It's feel good and uplifting songs are sweet to the ears, and I am seeing lots of new girl bands and female artists shining through Dream Pop. So you go girls, and check some of these lovely artists out before the Summer Festivals begin.
The xx
Goldfrapp
Little Dragon
A song for April:
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