Album Review: Dayglow - 'Dayglow'
Multi-Platinum artist Dayglow releases his fourth studio album - packed full of indie twang and soft pop, it’s not one to miss!
One-man-show Dayglow (Sloan Struble) has mastered the true sound of indie pop. Since his first album release of ‘Fuzzybrain’ back in 2019, he has been a huge part of the alternative music scene – with songs such as ‘Can I Call You Tonight?’ and ‘Hot Rod’ amounting to over 900 million combined streams on Spotify alone, it’s no wonder the new self-titled album is in high demand.
Speaking on the prospect of releasing a new project, Struble says “I still feel like I haven’t properly introduced myself. So with this new album, I view it as a debut. Self titled, big shabang.”
Introducing us to this new era is a track called ‘Mindless Creatures’ with a dance-worthy tempo, playful punchy rhythms and a nod towards his younger self with the lyric ‘I could see myself / Like it was yesterday / Yeah I was just eighteen / With a fuzzy brain’.
If you’re familiar with Dayglow’s signature sound, ‘Mindless Creatures’ fits right in. It’s a promising start to a fun filled album and it truly feels as though Sloan Struble has stepped into this new chapter of his music career with utter confidence.
Previously mentioning that his past releases were more so born from just enjoying making music in his own bedroom, he talks on how this feels like the first ‘real’ release, “The past three records have shown who I was growing up, who my influences were, who I was when I was a kid, so they felt more like mixtapes. Dayglow is finally entering the world in its purest form with clarity and confidence. I want this album to define exactly what Dayglow looks like, sounds like, and feels like.”
In early May, Dayglow released his first single from the LP, ‘Every Little Thing I Say I Do’, featuring as the second track on the album. It has been warmly received by fans, new and old, and has got followers jumping for joy in anticipation for the full-length album. Effortlessly continuing the catchy rhythms from the previous track ‘Mindless Creatures’, it just keeps getting better and better.
Next up is another single release, ‘Cocoon’. Gliding across smooth guitar riffs and a nostalgic vibe, Dayglow explores themes of self-reflection while still wrapping it up in a warm, positive light. Although the colder weather is upon us as we venture into Autumn, the groovy melodies make for a reminiscent care-free summer anthem.
Following on from the bright nostalgic sounds of a xylophone in ‘Old Friend, New Face’, the half-way song ‘What Real People Do’ offers a powerful stomping tempo with distinct riffs and even treating us to an electric guitar solo, bringing a raw twang to the track and a modern 70s take on the album – which if you’re a fan of Dayglow, it’s a welcomed return of inspiration.
Perfectly continuing the fun and experimental feelings is ‘Nothing Ever Does’. Dayglow never fail to slip in a cool, out of the ordinary twist into a track, and this one is no different. Around the 1:50 mark Struble begins to manically stumble over his words, repeatedly singing the title of the track in a conversation-like manner as if we’re witnessing the emotional break down of this song in real time. Busy with shallow breathing taking over as the rhythm speeds up, this stands out as one that will be a crazy enjoyable watch at a live show.
The lack of drifting synths and whining guitars in ‘This Feeling’ make for a more crisp, sober sound as the drumbeats are sudden and decay quickly. Sandwiched between ‘Nothing Ever Does’ and ‘Weatherman’ which both showcase a variety of roaming synths and melodic tones, it appears the most punctuated out of all the tracks on the album.
‘Weatherman’ sets us up for the perfectly paired title ‘Silver Lining’, the love anthem of the album. It oozes adoration for a special someone with the lyrics ‘I never wanna wake up / Never wanna wake up without you’. It’s difficult to ignore that Sloan Struble’s love extends far and beyond, finishing up with the unanswered question of ‘How can somebody be somebody like you?’, implying he’s in complete awe that someone that good could possibly exist. ‘Silver Lining’ rolls the well-deserving red carpet out for the final song, ‘Broken Bone’.
Travelling along galloping guitar riffs and wailing synths, ‘Broken Bone’ is the perfect cinematic backing track for an indie coming of age film; filled of the trials and tribulations of growing up whilst still acknowledging growth and not to take life too seriously. It wonderfully finishes off the 10-track album with an emotional depth in a dreamy, hopeful sense. It showcases the light-hearted and layed-back essence of Dayglow and his outlook on music, and is definitely the one to have the whole crowd crying as the final song on the setlist comes to a close.
With the fresh release of his self-titled album on September 13th and plans to embark on his extensive North American tour this Autumn, Dayglow has once again nailed another LP and is well and truly smooth sailing on the waters of the indie pop world.
Words by Cameron Cookson
