Review Summary: contemplative and soothing enough to forget about
The Dream feels like a journey through the depths of the ocean; while inviting, the album's landscape resembles the vast emptiness that stretches throughout the sea floor. Although you may pass a few creatures and plant life, the majority of the plunge feels a lot like waiting for something a bit more exciting. For those of you that have been scuba diving, you'll likely recognize the strange hum that presses against your ears throughout alt-j's fourth LP. Unfortunately, this brooding low-end pressure does little to help the already slow natured record. Single "U&ME" is a perfect example of this oceanic muck as the unassuming, repetitive groove slowly lulls you to sleep and before you know it the memory of the song is completely lost. On the other end of the spectrum, "Hard Drive Gold" flips the switch in tempo and energy, yet is still somehow derivative of many other post-2010 indie bands. It falls flat on its face as it tries to emulate a quirky melody reminiscent of their earlier tracks yet it is not nearly as exciting or sticky. The album as a whole swells and breathes with a sigh of passivity but yet some songs scattered across the track list still retain some of your attention.
A brilliant light that shines through the dim waters is found within "Happier When You're Gone", as its pulse from the start gently rocks your head much like the swelling currents of saltwater. Unlike its counterpart, this song excels in recalling their previous indietronica based elements and their simple yet blissful chorus melodies found in "Nara" and "Taro". Contrasting this is "Chicago", a brooding and chill-inducing track that utilizes a dissonant guitar riff to help propel the track through to the bottom of the ocean where the light is absent. The experience is much like the part of the dive where your brain starts to panic as if your tank was running low on air, but instead of a catastrophe the song ends with a sigh of relief. While the opera sample found within "Philadelphia" is very off-putting, if you can make it through the rest of the track, the payoff is actually better than you might expect. At last, the final few tracks (barring the excessive length of "Walk a Mile") are a welcome closure to this dreamy yet confusing record. It's a dull and contemplative journey that's capped off with a slow, wistful goodbye as a sample of an innocuous shopping experience plays the band out until singer Joe Newman simply repeats "I'm your man". He might not be the man for a scuba diving tour, but it's clear him and the rest of the band have replicated an imaginary exploration of an ocean, failing and succeeding yet keeping a consistent, effervescent vibe. It's a skilled effort, yet there's not a sense of inspiration that's captivating enough for the listener.
