Dreamscape - La-Di-Da Recordings (Kranky)

Dreamscape was a short-lived band from the early 1990s, who released but one single and one EP. Their sound is pure 1990s shoegaze, the most obvious comparison being to Lush. The band’s output may have been limited to a seven inch and an EP, but it’s most definitely not due to a lack of quality; the cooing vocals of Rebecca Rawlings falling directly into the sound that was the bliss-pop scene. Their first EP, entitled Cradle, was released in 1992, the highlight of which is the epic “Dreamsleep Eternal,” a lulling, seven minute epic, full of cool singing and heavenly, shimmering guitar. A second EP entitled Greater than God was recorded, but not released, and it’s hard to understand why, as it’s a high-quality release. The sound is more compact and pop-oriented than its predecessor, but the title track and “Separate Sense” are two songs that deserved to be heard. (The other two members of the trio would use this title for their other band, Secret Shine.)The late 80s/early 90s British underground scene had a lot of talented artists, many of which are forgotten, left to bloggers dedicated to the scene. It’s a great service Kranky has undertaken, rescuing Dreamscape from the dustbin.