Even though Dreamscapes is only their second full-length album, Eli & Fur are electronic music veterans. The British duo, consisting of Eliza Noble and Jennifer Skillman, have been releasing EPs and singles since 2003. Dreamscapes is the follow-up to their debut album, Found in the Wild (2021), with various singles, remixes, and collaborations filling up the interim.
It makes sense that these 15 songs should be collected as a single batch. Dreamscapes is based on a loose concept. According to Eli & Fur, it is meant to recall “the introspective yet transformative spaces that come alive between the hours of dusk and dawn”. So, in other words, night, and Dreamscapes is a nocturnal album, no doubt. Built on pulsating beats, minimalist synth touches, and immaculate sound design, at its best, it casts a low-lit, wee-hours spell. This feeling is enhanced by Noble and Skillman’s vocals, which are soft and sultry and often harmonizing.
Of course, when one thinks of electronic music and nighttime, clublife inevitably comes to mind. Sure enough, Dreamscapes has several tracks that could qualify as dancefloor bangers. “Heart Made of Glass” uses soft-loud dynamics and nifty vocal editing to get bodies moving. Likewise, “Cold Confetti” employs the same techniques to create a more ethereal effect. Eli & Fur’s knack for catchy melodies doesn’t hurt, either.
As satisfying as these tracks are on an aesthetic level, they also highlight what is ultimately Dreamscapes’ biggest weakness, one that has hampered a thousand other mood-heavy electronic albums: There is a lot of atmosphere, a lot of vibe, but not much to connect with below the surface. Everything is so carefully controlled, so calculatedly sensual, that an antiseptic, even numb, feeling settles in.
Many of these songs seem to be about feelings and relationships. Again, though, Noble and Skillman’s singing and lyrics don’t give much away. The most memorable lines are also the most clichéd, sounding like they would be just as at home in a Twilight novel as in their respective songs. “I’ve got a heart made of glass / And I want you to break it” is the tagline for “Heart Made of Glass”. “Monsters” features a chorus of “I can’t fight these monsters alone”, and the implied vulnerability almost comes through but is blunted by the flat, sampled-sounding delivery and uncharacteristically busy production effects.
Nearly every track on Dreamscapes follows the same basic pattern. A quiet, often beat-free intro leads to a slow build and a surging drop. You could argue that most EDM is built from this template, but Eli & Fur clearly endeavor to create something beyond a series of floor-fillers. When they break the pattern, though, the result is the bland, straightforward ballad “Oceanside”.
Still, if an album is going to settle into a single, homogenous groove, it might as well be a pleasing one. Noble and Skillman’s skintight production and way with a hook make Dreamscapes worthwhile. Think of the album like a nice hot bath or shower. When you sink in and immerse yourself, it feels fabulous, simultaneously relaxing and evocative. After a while, though, you may either get restless or fall asleep.