The War On Drugs have made quite the name for themselves recently. When I discovered that their new album, Lost In The Dream, was available to stream through NPR’s First Listen, well, I had to see what all the fuss was about. I can be skeptical about popular music sometimes, but, this is a band that can walk the walk.

The War On Drugs have been working together for nearly a decade, though with various personnel changes in their early years. The band initially stemmed from a collaboration between Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile, but, after their 2008 debut album, Vile left to focus on his solo career. In 2011, The War On Drugs found commercial success with their sophomore release, Slave Ambient. Since then, the band has been touring extensively.

So how does Lost In The Dream sound? Well, the title says it all. Very dreamy, yet never dragging, Lost In The Dream is a peaceful, majestic sonic exploration. Instrumental dreamscape sounds allow this album to flow from song to song, with a sense of comfort and tranquility.

The album opens with the 10-minute song, “Under The Pressure,” a 80’s-synth-heavy musical interlude that builds into a whirlwind. Bordering on classical, the eloquent synthesizer medley is enticing and uplifting. The long-duration and slow-building approach from The War On Drugs allows for a thorough embracing of the music at hand, until you’re fully enraptured in the sound. Enticing, indeed.

The ambient themes are certainly relaxing, but it’s a grasp of complex rhythm changes that makes Lost In The Dream a successful album. A tune like “Burning,” for example, opens to a minute of lulling synthesizers, until a pulsing rhythm emerges, crescendos, and blossoms into a full-fledged groove. With Dylan-esque vocals, acoustic guitar backings, and synth melodies, The War On Drugs breathes a sense of excitement and passion with each note.

Not to mention the title track, which opens onto a lush acoustic guitar melody and down-home Americana vocals. This is a ballad, and a beautiful one at that.

If you’re looking for some relaxing music, then I highly recommend Lost In The Dream by The War On Drugs. This album is quite articulate, slow-building but never lost or lingering. With well-placed instrumentation (harmonica, saxophone, etc.), 80’s-influenced ambient synthesizer melodies, and strong, earnest vocals, this third album is sure to garner The War On Drugs some new fans… like me, for instance!

The album will be officially released on March 19th, but you can stream it until then, for free, through the NPR link above. Enjoy!

-David Melamed (@DMelamz)

Lost In The Dreams:

Under the Pressure
Red Eyes
Suffering
An Ocean In Between The Waves
Disappearing
Eyes To the Wind
The Haunting Idle
Burning
Lost in the Dream
In Reverse