Happyness – Write In

Dream Pop | psychedelic Rock

71%

Following on from their acclaimed debut Weird Little Birthday, London’s dream pop power trio are back with a new album. Write In marries the trippy soundscapes of Sonic Youth, the inescapable pop melodies of the Beach Boys and the airy, dreamlike vibes of Nick Drake. As the old saying goes; “time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time”, and listening to this record is just such an experience. It’s laidback and carefree atmosphere, and it’s many more intricate finer points, make this the perfect soundtrack to escape the world for a while. Whether you do so by zoning in on its little nuances, or by letting your mind drift and allowing the album to wash over you is entirely your choice.

Album opener ‘Falling Down’ is like a slow ascent from a deep sleep, with the fog clearing to reveal all the vibrant thoughts cascading beneath. The hypnotic, winding rhythms of ‘Uptrend’, the jangly guitar and bright harmonies of ‘Anna, Lisa Calls’, reminiscent of The Byrds, and the fuzzy slacker rock of ‘Anytime’ all add up to create a mesmerising record. With an album so perfectly suited to just chilling out and watching the world go by, it is naturally lacking when it comes to grabbing your attention. It’s not the kind of music that will draw in many new listeners, but those that do listen are bound to enjoy their stay. Consider this, then, a dark horse in a race of albums all vying for your affection. It’s the slow burning love affairs that grow over several years of interaction, like the kind that this charming album sparks, that end up burning the brightest.