Torrey – S/T [OAT MILK WHITE VINYL] – New LP

SF Bay Area textural pop group Torrey delve deep into a translucent dreamworld on their self-titled sophomore album. Bending classic shoegaze, rainy day indie rock sounds, and 90s alt rock flair into more intricate forms, the band uses these guitar-forward songs to shape-shift between gentle drifting and noisy breakthroughs. Some touchstones might include Lush, Drop Nineteens, Cocteau Twins and The Breeders, but Torrey have a deft grasp of their craft and a forward-thinking studio approach that places them very much in the NOW. Singles like "No Matter How," "Bounce" and "Moving" are pure 2024 and place Torrey firmly alongside like-minded groups like Seablite, Mo Dotti, Winter and Alvvays who are enlivening a similar set of inspirations.

It's fitting that Torrey's most masterfully crafted album is also their first for Slumberland. As the album plays out, it perfectly arranges contradictory expressions of angst and tenderness, exaltation and melancholy, restlessness and acceptance. These songs are obsession-worthy for any dream pop enthusiast, with Torrey managing to call on some familiar spirits for guidance while sounding more like themselves than ever before.