Image via Wikipedia
So, I’ve had this sort of thing happen before. And, as I expected, in that case, writing about it made it go away — which was kinda bittersweet in that case. In this case, however, I’m kinda hoping it works, as it’s just a bit maddening. That and maybe I can actually get some good recommendations out of it, too, why not?
SO ANYWAY, it’s another dream that just keeps showing up — at least once a week, probably more like about every three days. This one takes place in a record store — which makes sense, as I probably spend a fair chunk of my life either sleeping or in record stores, so to combine the two just seems efficient. But in the dream, I’m looking for a particular band in a particular genre. The band name starts with “S”, and it might be a side-project of another act. Sometimes the act is a real-life act, and other times it’s an act that I like in the dream-world, but doesn‘t exist in the real world. But otherwise, it’s always the same.
Sometimes the dream involves going to a store based on Bop Street Records (in Ballard, WA — one of the best record stores in the city, and I’ve heard the country even) — though CD based, rather than vinyl based like the real store. Also, unlike the real store, the genre designations are really, really precise. Oddly, Dave, the owner of the real Bop Street, is there, but he’s usually too busy to ask about, as he would know — but of course, if I could ask him, that’d render the whole dream moot, wouldn’t it.
The S band is part of a genre that I’m really interested in exploring but don’t know the name of. The genre is often described in the dream as being sorta like Garbage (the band), but synth-heavier, sleazier and less slick. But not Electroclash — a bit more punkier? And defintely fuller-sounding. Less Chicks On Speed, more Ladytron in the full-versus-sparse department. (Also in the quality department, Chicks on Speed have never done nothin’ for me.) In the dream, too, the Whatever-Genre-It’s-Called is based out of the NYC club scene (which, yeah, really narrows it down, huh), and has… not really a low-fi aesthetic, but an indie-one. Very not slick, very not in the mainstream but has potential to break and have a good-sized subculture.
I think a decent way to describe the sound is like Manda Rin‘s solo album My DNA, only with an added layer or two of grime and sleaze. But not in a Peaches sort of way — not really an EXPLICIT sleaze. Just like… I don’t know, implied sleaze? That kinda thing where nothing’s necessarily put in black-and-white, but there’s a definite, almost palpable feeling of it. It’s very much a pop-based genre with a heavy dance music influence — most of the songs would be in the 3-4 minute range; nothing really that extended, blowout jam type of thing and not really that experimental (at least in the terms of, say, the Residents). I think the closest real world equivalent, other than the ones I’ve mentioned, might be Does It Offend You, Yeah — but they aren’t quite right either. (Though a quite good band — I recommend checking ’em out if you’ve not already.)
Also — the main thing, too — it’s mostly a female-fronted genre; most of the bands are all women, or at least mostly women. In the first dream, I remember seeing a sleeve of one of the spinoff bands, and it was kind of a Donnas looking thing, image-wise, but not quite as… obviously punk? (Or, rather pop-punk, if you want to get pedantic.) It’s very hard to explain, but I think I’ve probably done it as best I can.
And the thing is, too — I would actually probably REALLY DIG this sorta thing if it exists. Which I don’t know if it does. But I think it might? I don’t know. If you think you might know, leave some comments. And I can maybe help narrow it down.