As you know, I love all kinds of music, in fact, there aren’t many styles that I’m not fond of, but loads that I appreciate tremendously. One style I really love, especially when I’m in JUST the right mood, is dreampop (the more gentle and swirly cousin of shoegaze). There’s a gentleness to the sound despite the distortion, and the melodies tend to move over you like ocean waves. When it’s done right, it’s sublime. There are a lot of bands out there that just make artless noise, and I usually dismiss these as pleasant but irrelevant. Whimsical is a wonderful exception, which is why I felt it important to introduce them to you.
Hailing from Griffith, Indiana, Krissy Vanderwoude and Neil Burkdoll’s Whimsical crafts dreams. They sound at once fresh and familiar. One thing I particularly love is that the vocals sit forward in the mix rather than being buried under layers of guitars, as is so often the case in the genre. And I love her voice!
I bought their 2017 release “Sleep to Dream” when it first came out and really, really enjoy it, so I was thrilled to see they’d finally finished a new album. They certainly took their time (17 years since their first release in 2000!) but it shows. Each track is meticulously crafted and has just the right vibe. I’d recommend them to fans of Ride, Slowdive, and Chapterhouse.
Obviously I bought the vinyl, and couldn’t wait for it to arrive! I wasn’t disappointed. To get this album released on vinyl, they ran a crowdfunding campaign , and very much in the DIY spirit, their goal was just 200 copies pressed on beautiful transparent sunshine yellow vinyl. Mine arrived safe and sound and it sounds AMAZING.
I highly recommend it if you can find one for yourself!
My favourite tracks from the album are “This is Goodbye”, “Last Dance”, and “Trust.”
Their music is available directly from the band via Bandcamp, and also on Spotify.
#MusicBoxTW
