There isn’t a specific right or wrong way to create a full length album. Some artists will compile a few years worth of singles to create a collection of music while others might surprise-release an album without sharing a single song ahead of time. Some albums find artists exploring an array of new sounds while others provide a thematic story from start to finish. The later is exactly what Dead Lakes have done with their highly anticipated debut album, daydreamer and they executed it perfectly.
daydreamer was to be consumed front-to-back on a solo nighttime drive, and it’s safe to say that Dead Lakes have effortlessly accomplished their goal with these twelve songs. Incredibly cohesive, daydreamer flows with ease, but never feels repetitive or stale. Instead, the album finds the band easily blending hip-hop, pop and elements of electronic music with a post-hardcore edge. All of this is tied together with incredibly vulnerable lyrics, which find the band touching on subjects such as depression, suicide, self-doubt, relationships and euphoria.
Setting the mood for the rest of the album are the first few songs, the tile track, “strange juice” and “tongue planet”. Carried by heavy guitars and Sumy’s soothing, soaring vocals. One of the album’s strongest tracks emotionally is “wrong way”, which finds Sumy contemplating his life choices. Meanwhile, tracks like “stamina” and “believer” break the mold, with the later carried by dreamy beats, plucked guitar and distorted vocals. Then there’s the upbeat, uplifting, “hold back”, which encourages listeners to keep pushing and as the title suggests, not to hold back. The final track, “deceiver” is the perfect cumulation of the themes and sounds on the album, finding the band really flexing their songwriting abilities and showing plenty of promise for the future.
Just as the album’s suggests, daydreamer is a dreamy, surreal listen from start to finish. As the band intended, it’s perfect for late night drives and contemplating life, winding down and relaxing. It’s a powerful yet very digestible and relaxing listen that’ll have you signing along in no time and is bound to change your mood in just a few listens. daydreamer is a home-run of a debut for Dead Lakes.