My mum was a dance teacher, and I used to do contemporary dance when I was younger,” says Doran Edwards, the vocalist of London four-piece Weird Dreams with a fine line in letterman jackets. “I wanted to call our album ‘Choreography’ because I like the idea of lyrics being like dance - just purely creative and not having to have a meaning. I like it when they leave you guessing.”
Weird Dreams make sweetly melodic guitar-pop with a gritty aftertaste. After meeting at work in 2010 among the Hawaiian shirts and kitchy curios of a vintage store, Doran and drummer Craig instantly bonded over a love for ’60s girl groups, David Lynch and The Beach Boys. A few months and one warped pop song about “a happy little masochist” later, and Weird Dreams had been startled into life.
“That song ‘Hurts So Bad’ was really where I found my feet,” says Doran. “I grew up listening to The Beatles and Bowie, and I’ve always loved really well-written pop. Writing that music just fit with me.” Friends Hugo and James were recruited to play bass and guitar (and to up the harmonies to a three-part swoon), and Weird Dreams’ Phil Spector-influenced signature sound came together faster than you can say ‘Déjà vu’.
Recent 7” ‘Holding Nails’ is a lilting off-kilter slice of Twin Peaks pop, which owes as much to the gloomy guitar jerk of Dinosaur Jr. as the psych and soul-tinged ’60s pop of The Tammys and The Cookies.
“I guess I am a nostalgic person,” admits Doran. “We released our first EP on cassette because I’ve always loved the warmth of tapes.” “But it’s more of a kick against homogenisation,” adds James. “A lot of people have self-consciously latched onto the lo-fi sound, but Weird Dreams is refreshing for being unashamedly pop music. It’s progressive nostalgia!”
Words by Owen Myers
Photo by Samuel John Butt
Where: London
What: Skewed Spector-influenced guitar pop
Get 3 songs: ‘Holding Nails’, ‘Hurts So Bad’, ‘Little Girl’
Unique Fact: Doran's prized possession is his VHS collection of ’80s horror films.