Dream Pop

Dream pop on vinyl: pop as if half asleep

In short: Dream pop developed in Britain during the eighties: dreamy guitar pop with lots of reverb, soft layers of sound and hazy vocals. Cocteau Twins are regarded as defining it, and shoegaze is a close relative – from the 2000s the sound flourished again with bands such as Beach House. The Vinyl Room currently has 13 dream pop records.

What is dream pop?

Melodies as if through a veil: Baltimore’s Beach House are represented with “Beach House”, “Devotion” and “Once Twice Melody”, Mazzy Star with “So Tonight That I Might See”.

Plus Slowdive with “Slowdive”, Lana Del Rey with “Honeymoon” and the Danish project Choir Of Young Believers with “Holy Smoke”.

What to look for

Many dream pop albums come out in several editions; label, catalogue number and year of release help you tell which edition you have – it’s noted with each copy.

From our stock

First pressings

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→ Beach House · Shoegaze · Indie pop · Rock on vinyl · How to spot a first pressing · Grading explained

FAQ

What is dream pop? Dreamy guitar pop with lots of reverb and hazy vocals, developed in the eighties.

What is the difference from shoegaze? The boundaries are fluid; shoegaze is usually louder and more guitar-heavy.

Which artists are associated with dream pop? Here, among others, Beach House, Mazzy Star and Slowdive.

Is there dream pop from Denmark? Yes – for example Choir Of Young Believers.