Crocodiles - Dreamless

Rating:

‘Dreamless’ is every bit a product of its own fantasy.

Born out of troubled relationships, financial worries, career crises, and health strains, and driven by insomnia, Crocodiles’ sixth record occupies the sometimes delirious space between wake and slumber. Opening with the same sample the duo used on their first 7”, ‘Dreamless’ is rooted in the band’s long-established history of psychedelic refrains and hooky choruses. Side-lining the guitar (for the most part) in favour of synth driven melodies, what they present here is a step away from anything they’ve done before.

The first half of the record is mired in its own hypnosis. Opening track ‘Telepathic Lover’ sways with its own romance through desensitised emotions. ‘Maximum Penetration’ is a step further into the trance, a mix of hazily twinkling melodies and strident resolve. ‘I’m Sick’ spits and snarls with its vehement self-criticism. Much like a dream, these songs’ impact only seems to linger as long as the tracks themselves.

It’s with the second side of the record that things start to get really interesting. ‘Alita’ spirals along fairground-esque rhythms and topsy-turvy melodies creating a keenly felt air of displacement. “I ain’t got no control” the lyrics echo – and there’s a true sense of giving in to lost direction.

‘Jumping On Angels’ echoes that turbulence with intersecting pianos and synth lines, whilst weighted bass grooves drive through the tracks core as the one hammering constant. From here on the record just gets darker. ‘Time To Kill’ is as sinister as the latter part of the title leads it to suggest, and ‘Jailbird’ even incorporates ghostly screams into the mix.

Sometimes lost in its own illusion, but always a vibrant ride, ‘Dreamless’ is every bit a product of its own fantasy. Jess Goodman