Teen Idle - "Insomniac Dreams" EP
Look At My Records! is excited to premiere Insomniac Dreams, the ambitious debut EP from Asbury Park’s Teen Idle. The project, which was formed by songwriter Sara Barry in the summer of 2018, explores the sonic expanse of shoegaze, dream-pop, and enchanting psychedelic textures, mixing contemporary influences like Beach House and the guitar pop-sensibilities of Alvvays with standard-bearing acts like Cocteau Twins and Slowdive.
The first collection of tracks from Teen Idle makes a statement with its depth, luscious experimentation, and risk-taking. Barry eschews the confines of traditional boundaries and instead allows her instincts to guide her songwriting - at times sending the guitars into overdrive, and when the moment requires it, scaling things back to let her tranquil voice take the reins. There’s a lot of both, and more, as five of the six tracks clock in at over five minutes, so there’s plenty of space available to spread things out.
The EP starts off subtly with the previously released single “In The Morning,” which begins with a muffled riff that slowly transforms into a translucent, glistening glow of ambient instrumentation that’s present across the record. With its lush, organ-sounding synths and fluffy drum beat, “The Haze” would fit right in on Teen Dream or Bloom, while Barry showcases her razor-sharp guitar pop chops on “Love Is A Matchstick,” a song that starts out simply, but eventually careens into a sweeping swirl of harmonies and buoyant guitars. Both “Dreaming,” the EP’s lead single, and “Sometimes” are swooning and dense with layers of sounds. In particular, “Sometimes” utilizes effects that replicate the sound of a twilight wind before reaching a gorgeous apex of dueling guitars and soft, angelic vocals. The EP closes with the hazy nostalgia of “Memories,” a perfect unison of sonics and lyrics that showcases Barry’s skillful mood-setting, as it aptly captures the warm feeling of combing over memories inside your own mind.
Insomniac Dreams officially drops this Thursday via New York City’s Greenwitch Recordings, but you can stream the entire EP two days early right here! Cassettes are forthcoming.
Check out Teen Idle on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Spotify. Barry also recently put together and released Songs from Quarantine: A Compilation, which you can purchase via Bandcamp. All proceeds from sales of the compilation benefit the Black Voters Matter Fund.
