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10.0
128387
10.0 |
Dork
In what is already an exciting time for fans of music that can’t be easily defined genre-wise, alt-J have pushed themselves back to the front here
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10.0
128441
10.0 |
The Arts Desk
Distinctively idiosyncratic, this isn’t just more of the same. It’s Alt-J max
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9.0
128383
9.0 |
Loud And Quiet
Singer and lyricist Joe Newman’s fascination with our dark world has persisted, and on The Dream – the band’s forth album, following 2017’s extra short but impressively strange Relaxer – he doubles down, having spent lockdown obsessing over true crime podcasts
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8.5
128537
8.5 |
Spectrum Culture
The Dream is a remarkable comeback for Alt-J, one that finds catharsis in both the turmoil of life and in the quiet moments
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8.0
128545
8.0 |
Vinyl Chapters
The sounds are sparser, the pace slowed, and each of the songs feels more tender, as if they have been nurtured
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8.0
128531
8.0 |
The Observer
The ambitious British indie crooners embrace an American sound while confronting crypto and Covid on their enjoyable fourth album
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8.0
128869
8.0 |
Record Collector
They build their own world. Eventually you grasp its shrewdly filtered emotion and want to live there, too
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8.0
128400
8.0 |
DIY
Its strength is in packing not just alt-J’s usual futuristic twist, but a heavy side serving of nostalgia too
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8.0
128402
8.0 |
NME
For album four, the London-based trio break out of their comfort zone with a rich collection of lush and uncharacteristically reflective songs
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8.0
128433
8.0 |
All Music
Their best since 2014's This Is All Yours, The Dream finds Alt-J in top form. Despite being so lyrically death-obsessed, the beauty and warmth coursing through the album make it full of life and absolutely human
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8.0
128437
8.0 |
musicOMH
With The Dream, we see a maturing band dip deep into their emotions, immersing us not only in art and culture but in their dreams, and it is utterly brilliant
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8.0
128390
8.0 |
The Independent
The Dream sees the band moving briskly through sensations, their heads stuck out the window of a speeding car, tongues wagging, sticking to whatever comes their way
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8.0
128359
8.0 |
PopMatters
Alt-J may have tempered their eccentricities on The Dream but there’s still plenty of death and genre-bending to satisfy veteran votaries
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8.0
128360
8.0 |
XS Noize
The experimentation and exploration have flourishingly continued on The Dream. Whether it is up-tempo pop numbers or moving acoustic ballads, the record offers something for everyone
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8.0
128376
8.0 |
Gigwise
An outpouring of instinctual, had-to-happen musical moments
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8.0
128381
8.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
The album is - as expected - a well-crafted, sonically flawless work. What it lacks in heart (as with all of their albums, there's very little humanity in the sound or the lyrics) it more than makes up for in style and finesse, and it continues the band's run of producing quality records
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7.0
128473
7.0 |
God Is In The TV
Although not the most musically interesting, the simplistic folk song ‘Get Better’ is perhaps the most powerful track lyrically on The Dream
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7.0
128505
7.0 |
The Music
This collection of songs feels like a dream
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7.0
128412
7.0 |
Clash
A work of assured yet subtle transition, it re-engages with some of alt-J’s core tenets, while not being afraid to engage emotionally
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7.0
128399
7.0 |
Northern Transmissions
It’s an album that’s rich in narrative, emotion and a body of work not afraid to tackle some uncomfortable themes
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7.0
128732
7.0 |
Under The Radar
With The Dream, we see a band dig deep into themselves and mature as artists. It’s exciting to see where they go from here
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6.0
128393
6.0 |
Evening Standard
The Mercury winners remain easy to admire but harder to fall in love with
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6.0
128389
6.0 |
The Irish Times
Alt-J continue to assert their slightly batty sonic vision in the mainstream
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