On their earliest releases, the melodic synth pop duo Still Dreams presented could be strikingly familiar. The chunky synth bass progressions and twinkling arpeggios on their 2018 debut Theories were sometimes approximated fairly closely from more recognizable moments from New Order or Human League. Still Dreams' creative voice was still the driving force of the songwriting, but it could be outshined at times by the more glaringly obvious reference points. That creative voice comes to the forefront on Make Believe, as the duo weaves their influences into more intricate compositions and rich, dreamy atmospheres. Album opener "Ultra Doomed" sets a foundation of complex drum programming and layers it with reverb-heavy synths and vocal melodies that recall the mysterious outer limits pop of the Cocteau Twins. Still Dreams' sound always incorporated strains of shoegaze noise among the more straightforward synth pop elements, but that winning combination reaches new depths here on songs like the jauntily warped pop of "Live With Excuse," or the gently hazy title track. Their love of '80s synth pop heroes like New Order, Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, and Pet Shop Boys still comes through loud and clear (especially on tracks like "Last True Love," which has a few instances that directly reference "Bizarre Love Triangle") but they tie in the cinematic grandeur of M83, the infectious weirdness of Grimes, and a skewed take on melodic delivery and composition that's all their own. As much as Make Believe can be a treasure trove of reference points, the details gel together into something larger and more interesting. Clearly scholars of music and arrangement, Still Dreams place every cloudy vocal, wistful synth melody, and reverb-saturated drum hit with intention and precision. The eight songs of Make Believe are easily the brightest and most versatile of the group's discography up until this point, neatly reflecting the band's tastes and using their most beloved influences as jumping off points to create their own uniquely strange and beautiful world of sound.
© Fred Thomas /TiVo