Emerging from the City of Angels’ neo-psychedelic rock scene in 2017, Dream Phases reflects California’s natural splendor and adventuresome inner spirit in its music. The earthy-yet-exalted sounds of the Byrds, the Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – as well as latter-day artists like the Rain Parade, Elliott Smith and Autolux – figure into the band’s family tree. While this lineage is worth noting, what comes through in the band’s latest work is an individual approach that translates the experiences of its members into something undeniably compelling.Â
Dream Phases’ initial flowering was as a solo project by Brandon Graham. After gaining a wealth of experience working with such notable L.A.-area combos as Blank Tapes, the Relationship, Levitation Room and Nacosta, he decided to fully develop the songwriting side of his talents on his own. What began as a homebrewed project quickly turned into a collaborative stew as brother Shane and compadre Keveen helped him develop his compositions into a full-blown sound. The newly launched band’s 2017 debut EP Maybe Tomorrow was quickly followed by So Long, Yesterday, a full-length release awash with shimmering tunes and hallucinatory imagery.
As with artists as diverse as the Kinks, Sparks and Oasis, the sibling bond shared by Brandon and Shane lies at the heart of Dream Phases. "There is a special synergy between us that wouldn’t be there if we weren’t brothers," Shane says. "We share many of the same influences, but we also have some different ones as well that help make the band unique. We don’t always see eye-to-eye creatively, but then we work it out and end up with something we are both excited about."
The band recently shared "Speed of Light", the first single off their upcoming LP, Phantom Idol. The album is due July 12 and is set to continue the shoegaze, psychedelic, indie rock sound that Dream Phases has continually grown and mastered over the course of their two former albums. The single is being released alongside a dreamy music video that's sure to send your consciousness into the ethos.
"'Speed of Light' is a full on collaboration between bandmates, as each member contributed to the final piece. The song is unique because there are many tempo changes throughout, and it doesn't follow a typical structure. Shane wrote most of the instrumental to the song and Keveen was influenced by just finishing Einsteins' Relatively. I helped with some of the vocal melodies and guitar parts. The song then came together completely in the studio with the help of producer Matt Schuessler. It feels like one of our more unique songs, and is quite a challenge to pull off live". - Brandon Graham, Dream Phases
DREAM PHASES
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