Labels: Self-Released
Formats: Vinyl/Digital
Release Date: 10 Sep 2021
Tracklist:
1. Loser
2. We Will Go Down
3. Livestream My Suicide
4. Unpure Thoughts
5. Come Apathy
6. You're Sleeping Alone Tonight
7. Come And Sit With Us
8. If I Were To Disappear
9. Growing Pains
10. Reckless Demon Youth
11. Winter Star
12. I Can't Remember
The roots of this post go back to September 2021. I was contacted by my friend Jesper about Swedish band Dream Drop, who released their debut album at that exact time and he asked if I wanted to interview them for the blog. Anyway, six months on (everyone's been busy dodging a pandemic while keeping everyday lives going) I've received the completed interview. For those wondering, Dream Drop are a band that have embraced nu-metal/alternative music, in a similar vein as bands like Tetrarch and Code Orange.
It’s surprising when musical influences and sounds come back round after being saturated or forgotten, though it really shouldn’t be given the cyclical nature of music in general. Dream Drop are a band that fuses nu-metal into their own sound, influenced by pop-sensibilities and chunkier riffs, while having a broader palette as well. Album opener ‘Loser’ is a prelude of sorts and one that’s melodic and clean, both in instrumentation and vocals. It’s use of electronics give you a clue about what’s coming, but it’s subtle.
‘We Will Go Down’ is minimal at first, reminding me of the album I recently reviewed by Formants. It’s not long though before Dream Drop hit their stride and deliver a varied collage of technical nu-metal, rap-like vocals and emo. Obviously, this is just what comes to my ears so make your own judgements. ‘Livestream My Suicide’ is a harrowing song-title that might be a nod to a real life example, where somebody actually did just that on a popular social media platform (if the Internet is to be believed that it!). The music is mid-paced and angsty with plenty of clean vocals and modern pop-sensibilities, though a heavier section later on gives the song a menacing edge.
One thing that’s certainly true of this band is their groove-laden approach to songwriting and ‘Unpure Thoughts’ will be welcomed by plenty of ears, especially those who’re familiar with Twenty One Pilots. It has the same catchiness. I was nervous about making this comparison, but it fits in places I think. Moving on from that though, there’s a lot more to this album than meets the eye (or ear). ‘Come Apathy’ provides a place for the band to experiment further with electronics and harsher elements, though the latter are sparingly used. Not sure if I’m doing this album justice but I’m gonna keep going.
None of Dream Drop’s songs here are overly long, meaning that they keep their catchy appeal and momentum. ‘You’re Sleeping Alone Tonight’ is really upbeat. Again, it’s pop influences come to the fore but the added bite of metal isn’t too far away. Dream Drop hold up well alongside bands like Sleep Token. This is a side of the Swedish music scene that I didn’t think I’d be writing about but I have no complaints at all, as I can really get behind songs like ‘Come And Sit With Us’. After all, we need a break from extreme music once in a while. Right on cue as I say that though, things get heavier!
This review’s gonna stretch on a bit, sorry. The songs and overall message delivered on You’re Gonna Feel Like A Loser But That’s Alright are very relatable given what we’ve all been living through of late but songs like ‘If I Were To Disappear’ provide hope and solace, in their own way. Proving that even in the darkest of times we can still pull through. Listening to ‘Growing Pains’ gives you a new perspective on the album and merely saying that the music here is a modern take on nu-metal is wrong. Dream Drop are much more than that.
High-octane tempos and energy make up ‘Reckless Demon Youth’, which may aptly describe the members of the band themselves. What it does do for certain is propel the album forwards, before giving way to the powerfully emotive penultimate song ‘Winter Star’, with it’s self-deprecating lyrics that we can all relate to. Album closer ‘I Can’t Remember’ with it’s clean and clinical (programmed?) beats, help to create one final memorable song that allows Dream Drop’s lyrical and vocal style to flourish.
Concluding a review like this is always difficult because I already feel like I’ve said too much. Revisiting this album after a couple of months has given me a new appreciation for it. It’s an album that might divide people but that’s fine because the best album do that anyway. Not so long ago, Dream Drop lost a lot of records due to a break-in at their storage facility. Please help them out if you enjoy what you hear below. It would be appreciated for sure.
1. I first heard about Dream Drop through a good friend on mine. I listened to your 2016 EP and it floored me. Can you give us a bit of background into the band and how you formed?
Zorro, Joar and Olle met in highschool and Fredrik came in contact with us later through a friend. Martin joined us last year but he and Joar have known each other for a long time.
2. As well as the obvious heaviness on that EP, the turntable scratches are a retro nu-metal addition to your sound. How much is nu-metal an influence on Dream Drop and if you had to stick your necks out, who are your favourite bands from that sub-genre/era?
Nu-Metal isn’t so much of an influence anymore as it was during the time we wrote the ep. But at the time Deftones and Linkin Park were our biggest influences.
3. Five years on from the release of your debut EP, you’ve just announced your debut album Sometimes You’re Gonna Feel Like A Loser, But That’s Alright. Can you tell us about the writing process for the album? Was there a reason for the big gap between releases?
We did release singles and a second EP between those two releases. We just took the best songs/ideas we wrote during this time and finished them.
4. Your album launch was very different to that of other bands because it took place on Discord. What was it like and why did you decide to use that platform to showcase your new album?
To get close to the fans.
5. Following that question, I’m really interested in hearing what bands think of the state of the modern music industry. What is your impression of it and do you see the way bands publicise themsevles changing? If so, how do you think that will change?
The music industry as it is now is very difficult to make it. There are so many bands now that want to make it big so you have to really stand out.
6. Moving back to the present; now that you’ve released the album and with restrictions easing in some countries, do you plan to tour and do you have any plans in the works for 2022?
We have had a lot of plans but everything so far has been postponed or canceled so as soon the restrictions ease off we will tour as soon as possible. We have our biggest hometown headline show on the 12/3 and it's going to be amazing. We're gonna play the new album and maybe a few new songs together with Sweden's rising stars Envyyou, Those Without and Set To Wake.
You can stream the album on Souncloud below:-
Dream Drop - https://www.facebook.com/dreamxdrop
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