Dreamwave – Moon Dogs // Drifter (2026)
It was an interesting one when Bristol post-punk act Dreamwaves’ new record dropped in my inbox. Following last year’s Moon Dogs EP with their new EP Drifter, and choosing to combine them into a 12-track compilation was a stroke of genius. Giving the old guard of fans who enjoyed Moon Dogs the follow-up it deserved, and for newbies like me, a dozen tracks to get stuck straight into covers all bases.
Straight into things with the opening track, ‘Polystyrene Irene’ is full of attitude and the scuzzy garage guitar band vibe which, growing up in the early 2000’s, I am only too familiar with. They sound fresh but nostalgic in the same breath. It had the perfect foot-tapping rhythm and catchy vocal you want in any opening track to hook the listener straight away, which it definitely did with me. Without letting up, next came ‘Seeking to Remain’ which was much of the same but with more oomph, the layered vocals had me singing along straight away. Sounding like it came straight out of the mind of David Byrne with a more punk aesthetic than I ever got with Talking Heads, ‘Wide Sorrow’ crashes in! Such a change in direction was a bold move, but it made me love this band even more, so absolutely well played.
With Moon Dogs, half of this record, I could not believe how many boxes Dreamwaves ticked for me. I heard so many of my favourite bands and styles throughout it, I was only sad that I’d only just discovered them!
Rattling through the second half of Moon Dogs, ‘Dragging The Rain Down’ stood out for me as a song I’d revisit again and again. The chilled, almost ethereal vibe makes it the perfect track to just sit back and appreciate. The contrast between the calm vocals and the funky drumbeat works to perfection! It works both as a line in the sand between Moon Dogs and Drifter, whilst still acting perfectly as a closing track for a record.
Then comes Drifter, and it kicks off with ‘Moon Buggy’. Again, the same but different, which is something I love; how all the tracks have their core DNA running through them, but are unique in their own way! My favourite song on this half of the record comes in the form of ‘Space Debris’. I couldn’t help drawing comparisons with another favourite of mine, The Beta Band; its hazy tone slows the record down perfectly. But not for long, as following this is ‘Murmurs On The Dunes’. Arguably the most authentically post-punk track on the record, it really shows that this act is true post-punks at heart. Bringing the album to a close with ‘Weeping Walk’ shows great creative intelligence and brings the record to a calm, thoughtful close.
The final word from me on this is simply a great record from a great band. I hope to hear more from them and maybe catch them on tour this month!
Find out more about Dreamwave on their Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Bandcamp, and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by No Exit PR.
