“Dreamways” by The Pattern Forms

The psychedelic pop group returns with a dreamy new single.

The Pattern Forms’ Peel Away the Ivy was one of my favorite albums of 2016, a delightfully seamless blend of pop and psychedelia, and one of the more accessible titles in the Ghost Box catalog. Ever since, I’ve been eagerly awaiting any new music from the group, so imagine my delight when I saw their recent announcement of a new album titled The Scenic Route.

The band describes The Scenic Route as a departure from their previous album and instead, influenced more heavily by library and production music from the ’70s and ’80s. “Dreamways” is the album’s first single, and it definitely lives up to that title, thanks in large part to blissed out synths and the delicate melodies of harpist Tom Moth, who joined the band for the album.

I can definitely hear “Dreamways” being used as the score for, say, a documentary about hidden tropical vacation spots, accompanying sweeping shots of pristine beaches and sapphire oceans, and the perfectly tanned bodies inhabiting them. Suffice to say, I’m curious to hear more of The Pattern Forms’ new direction.

The Scenic Route is currently a digital-only release, and can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp. The album will be officially released on May 16, 2021.

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