Back in 2012, I was studying psychology in Wisconsin for one academic year , which means that I was separated from my friend and family by a Atlantic ocean. My transatlantic nostalgia was sort of cured with Real Estate and their album Days. The sentiment I have attached to the band is so strong that I was not even aware how excited I was for their new material.
On the previous three releases, the members of Real Estate have showed that they are champions of adapting dream pop to psychedelic and surf rock. Their fourth full length studio album titled In Mind is following the same walked path, guided by prominent guitars.
Boys from New Jersey have once again delivered set of relaxing, summer and dreamy midtempo numbers that recall sunsets on the beach. There is no way you can listen to the album and not feel the summer breeze invading your nostrils. Eleven songs are characterized by mellow melodies, soft vocals and attractive tones, while the arrangements are additionally refreshed thanks to the LA producer Cole M.G.N. This is the guy who is famous for his collaboration with the likes of Ariel Pink, Beck, The Vaccines, Julia Holter, Nite Jewel and many others. So, once you have him in the house, of course your record is going to blow the roof.
There has been some personal changes as well. The band was left without one of its founders, a guitarist Matt Mondaline who decided to dedicate his full attention to the project Ducktails. He was replaced by Julian Lynch, the guy who is responsible for ‘wah’ effects in the retrospective Serve The Song, one of the biggest assets on this album. Other standouts include hypnotic and repetitive outro on Two Arrows, folk acoustic guitar on Diamond Eyes, beautiful chorus on Stained Glass, spacious synth sound of Holding Pattern and piano introduction on the closing track Saturday.
Without a single doubt, the new album by Real Estate is going to be a part of the spring-summer soundtrack. It is the type of soundtrack that brings dreams to your sleeps and smile to your face.
