Glass Animals' 'Dreamland' is an Auditory Dream Come True
By Zoë Brian
It’s been four years since indie four-piece Glass Animals released an album. In that time, the election of Donald Trump, Brexit, and a global pandemic have shaken the world in ways that no one could have predicted. But, for this Oxford band, no event could compare to the tragedy that struck in 2018. While biking in Dublin, Joe Seward (drums) was struck by a truck and suffered a fractured skull and broken femur. The traumatic accident left Seward with considerable brain damage, a lack of short-term memory, and the inability to speak, walk, or drum. The drummer received two life-threatening surgeries and two years of rehabilitation to regain his abilities. At the same time, his band underwent a massive transformation that resulted in Dreamland.
PC: Ollie Trenchard
Dreamland is beyond what any fan could have hoped for. A perfect melding of the psychedelic and moody vibes of Zaba (2014) and the story-telling pop beats of How to Be a Human Being (2016), it exists in a realm that is neither and both. It is simultaneously unique and unexpected, yet somehow familiar.
With a mixture of hip-hop, pop, and classic rock influences, Dreamland transports the listener to those moments in childhood that we all share: first loves, broken friendships, and loss of innocence. Throughout, lead singer and main writer Dave Bayley masterfully combines ‘90s nostalgia—via lyrical references to Pokemon and Dunkaroo’s and the use of sound effects from classic video games—with modern-day anxiety to create lyrics that verge on nonsense, but feel universal in their meaning. Using his own childhood experiences, we are taken on a journey through a highlight reel of Bayley’s formative moments.
Unlike Zaba and How to Be a Human Being, Dreamland is the first autobiographical piece in the band’s discography: for the first time ever, the band shares personal stories of breakups (both platonic and romantic), anxiety, and childhood trauma. Therefore, the album is utterly intimate. For example, between tracks, we hear home movie audio of Bayley and his mother; the clips remind the listener of the deeply personal nature of the album and allow them a peek into Bayley’s childhood. Scored with sweeping string crescendos, the interspersed half-minute clips provide transitions throughout the album, while also grounding the listener in the reality of Bayley’s past.
Musically, the album cheekily references Glass Animals’ history. From “Tangerine”—which sounds as if it would fit perfectly on How to Be a Human Being—to the sexy Zaba vibes of “Hot Sugar,” Dreamland manages to not only explore Bayley’s history, but also the history of the band, too. In addition to these melodic nods, Dreamland is full of fruit references, possibly referencing the fact that venues have had to explicitly ban pineapples after fans adopted the symbol and began bringing them to the band’s concerts. Dreamland also mentions raspberries, tangerines, watermelon, coconuts, melons, and apricots, almost as if the band is daring fans to bring a whole fruit salad to their next show.
Dreamland's titular track opens the album and serves as a table of contents of what’s to come; each refrain prefaces a song or subject matter that will be later examined. The piano notes echo dreamily as chords we will soon become familiar with bounce off of Bayley’s warm vocals. The album flows like a sine wave, climaxing with high tempo pop beats, only to descend into profoundly reflective slow numbers before rising again.
The whimsy of Dreamland’s higher moments sits in stark contrast to some of the heavy subject matter. While many of the songs seem playful and fun upon first listen, they reveal much darker stories when lyrically examined, as, throughout, Bayley explores the moments in his childhood where he was faced with reality. “Space Ghost Coast to Coast,” for example, deals with a friend who planned a school shooting while “Domestic Bliss” is about an abusive parent. In a time where we must all be physically distant, Bayley crosses the divide between him and his audience with this record by being his most vulnerable and sharing his personal stories.
With “It’s All So Incredibly Loud,” the band manages to sonically capture the aftermath of saying something that can never be taken back. The chorus overtakes the song in the same way that one would fixate on a phrase, the cacophony growing louder with each repetition. “Oh, I’m breaking down, whispers would deafen me now...it’s all so incredibly loud,” Bayley sings, unable to escape the loop and playing that moment over and over in his head.
“Tangerine” is Glass Animals at their pop best. With its dancy vibe reminiscent of “Why Can’t We Live Together'' by Timmy Thomas (famously sampled in Drake’s “Hotline Bling”), the upbeat tune confronts the feeling of watching a friend change into someone you no longer connect with. It’s the best kind of earworm, nestling it’s irresistible beat deep in your brain and forcing you to move to the rhythm.
It is a musical tragedy that Dreamland, an album, begging to be performed live, with thousands of screaming fans singing along, would be released during a worldwide concert moratorium. The record follows in the lyrical footsteps of its predecessors by delivering memorable lines that crowds are bound to sing at the top of their lungs. Much like “peanut butter vibes” of “Gooey” and “she said I look fat, but I look fantastic” of “Life Itself,” “Deja Vu (Your Love)” and “Waterfalls Coming Out Your Mouth” respectively provide the lyrics “I want you to eat me alive” and “you’re a clever, clever cookie now,” each measure demanding to be wildly sung along to.
At its core, Dreamland is an album about loss of innocence and nostalgia, of the realities of growing up, and the pain and heartaches that come with life. The songs reflect the way that negative events can shape a person and often have more impact than the joyous moments in one’s history. Though hidden in upbeat tempos and dance hits, Dreamland is, in the end, a sad album, reflecting on heartbreak, loss of friendships, habits you can’t break, guilt, and anxiety. It’s about growing up, growing apart, and growing as a person.
After 4 years of waiting, hype, worry, and hope, Glass Animals have done the impossible and produced an album that surpassed all expectations. Departing from their pattern of impersonal lyrics, Dreamland is a meditation on childhood and naïvety, friendship and love, and what makes a man.
Listen to Dreamland on any of your favorite streaming platforms when it comes out August 7th! In the meantime, keep up to date with Glass Animals via their socials.
Additionally, read a piece about Glass Animals’ quarantine music videos in Issue 17!