Rating: ****
I'm usually pretty into shoegaze-type stuff so when the new single "Ballad of a Boy" by shoegaze/dreampop collective, That Gum U Like ended up in my inbox, I was more excited than usual to check it out.
That Gum U Like is also a Twin Peaks reference for my David Lynch-heads out there. I mean, as a fan of surrealist cinema, that's pretty tight right? I love stuff like that.
I'm gonna throw this on while I run (walk fast...) and report back after. You can check the track out below also. See ya right after that.
Listen to "Ballad of a Boy" on Youtube below:
Ok, so this is super surreal-sounding. Like listening to a dream unfold in slow motion. The electronic backdrop still has some feeling, which is good because so often shoegaze with electronic music can sound so sterile. This doesn't at all. That's a relief. Vocally it sounds cool and is used as an instrument to accompany the synth. A delightful track that will satisfy almost any fan of the dream-pop genre.
Regardless of whether you're super into shoegaze or dream-pop, I think That Gum U Like's new single is going to make you smile. It's so well-played, and so well-sung, and so well-composed that I think almost everyone will benefit from giving it a spin or two...or three. I highly recommend it.