Released: 3rd April 2020
Rating: ★★★★
Anna Burch’s second album, ‘If You’re Dreaming’ feels and sounds like the first rays of sunshine after a long icy winter. While her debut was jam-packed with strong indie-pop, fuzzy guitars and alt-rock influences, here intricate guitars and carefully crafted melodies give the record a warm, dreamy folk feel.
On tracks like ‘So I Can See’ and ‘Tell Me What’s True’, Anna’s crisp vocals take the shape of fresh morning dew, and her striking songwriting makes for a transcending listening experience: “When I used to hate myself I saw things so clearly, now I can only see when the lights shine on me.”
Lyrically, the album seems to be divided into two phases. While the first half is interwoven with the anxieties of forming meaningful relationships – “It’s all around me, don’t know what’s true. We can’t depend on what they might do.” – ‘Go It Alone’ introduces a new-found air of acceptance and finding comfort in the unknown: “Don’t try to make sense of this, it’s in your best interest”.
Calm and comforting, ‘If You’re Dreaming’ feels like a mini-vacation for your brain; the perfect soundtrack to recharge your battery.
Laura Freyaldenhoven
