In Dream
by Editors
  • Record Label: PIAS
  • Release Date: Oct 2, 2015
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. New Musical Express (NME)
    Oct 5, 2015
    60
    For now, Editors sound like a band in need of precisely what their name advertises.
  2. DIY Magazine
    Oct 2, 2015
    60
    Accordingly, In Dream is an uneven affair; fabulously ambitious in places, and weirdly subdued in others.
  3. Sputnikmusic
    Oct 7, 2015
    58
    Unfortunately, it’s an LP which simply lacks reward... Both for listeners and, ultimately, the band.
  5. Uncut
    Oct 1, 2015
    50
    Hard, and not necessarily rewarding, work. [Nov 2015, p.75]
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  6. Q Magazine
    Oct 1, 2015
    40
    The result is confusion, of what the band really wishes to be. [Nov 2015, p.109]
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Most Discussed Album of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 43
  3. Negative: 6 out of 43
  1. Noiseblock
    Dec 6, 2015
    9
    This is maybe the most fully realized body of work the Editors have put out since their debut "The Backroom". The question is, however, if itThis is maybe the most fully realized body of work the Editors have put out since their debut "The Backroom". The question is, however, if it can mark the transition from a former alt-rock band to a new, synth-coldwave-pop band. Many fans will without a doubt miss the Backroom-editors on this record with their direct and fast-forward style, but "In Dream" neither wants to be nor needs to be same Editors from their first record. Simply put: they are gone for the most part.

    The Editors now are a fully fleshed-out synth-pop band that still manages to stay true to the melancholic and oftentimes anthemic sound they established in the course of their career. This transition from a former alt-rock band has been going on for quite some time now, with an atmospheric "ITLAOTE" that fell flat in terms of lyrics and a fairly medicore "The weight of your love" that just couldn´t decide whether it wanted to keep the new style or revive the old Editors. The result was an album that had some massive flaws and felt like every good song was immediately followed by corny and sometimes outright awful Coldplay-esque stadion-pop.

    On In Dream, they have finally decided to BE a synth-pop band and go with their ITLAOTE-approach and it pays off. The songs are oftentimes more reduced and try to create a true atmosphere that carries the whole album instead of going for a few good songs and leaving the rest as filler-material. Almost everything seems to be in the right place with the Editors standing up for their complete change in a confident way. The more subdued songs compared to their former efforts like "No harm", "Our Love" and "Forgiveness" carry the whole album, while bombastic (yet not unintentionally hilarious) coldwave-beasts like "The Law" and "Life is a fear" give the whole album a sense of purpose in form of true climaxes. Meanwhile, "All the Kings" and "Ocean of Night" happily indulge themselves in danceable pop-territory while achieving the unexpected, which is not drifting off into unintentional cheesiness or lyrical nonsense, but instead producing hooking anthems with a tremendous sense for the right timing of the emotional outbursts.

    It´s great that all these songs work. Sadly, not all do that in quite the same extent. "Salvation" repeats the mistake from "TWOYL" and throws a half-balked stadion-anthem with no real variety in your face, wobbling back and forth between coldwave-influences and cheesy stadion-pop, even though the chorus is well arranged and the compelling shifts in the tempo redeem it to some extent. "At all cost", however, simply doesn´t work with its pseudo-ambient sound since it´s blatantly apparent that its real purpose is just filling the niche of a power-ballad that was shoehorned in to provide a song of that sort. While it´s not terribly bad, it doesn´t fit in "In Dream" as a whole, creating an awkward tonal dissonace between the preceding "All the Kings" and the following "Marching Orders", which would have both flown beautifully into each other without this track. "Marching orders" is also quite dividing, since it works well as a reviving pop-song in the beginning, yet for some, it could seem too drawn out as a whole in the end. It´s a pleasantly passionate song that works well in the contex of being an album-finisher with the second part fading out appropiately, but releasing it as a single does not seem a wise choice in retrospective since it feels ripped out of its intended role.

    In the end, however, "In Dream" is a surprsingly interesting, confident and rewarding listen that despite minor missteps marks the beginning for a bright future for the Editors. Their most compelling and fully-realized work since "The Backroom" and definitely a reason to dive into their gloomy world once again. 8,5/10 Stars.

    Tips: "The Law", "Life is a Fear", "Forgiveness", "No Harm", "Our Love"    … Full Review »
  2. Ombudsperson
    Oct 21, 2015
    3
    Boring uninspired lyrics, overly ambitious arena rock with 80's influences. This albums hits are few and far between. The only song which wasBoring uninspired lyrics, overly ambitious arena rock with 80's influences. This albums hits are few and far between. The only song which was above mediocre is Life Is a Fear but even that reaches the bare minimum requirement for a dark wave/ post punk song, which I believe is the genre Editors thrive in, the genre which made them a cult classic with their first album. Go listen to Muse instead of this album, at least they have charisma and character.… Full Review »
  3. reoffender59
    Oct 14, 2015
    9
    I think this is Editors' best album to date: It is instrumentally, lyrically and composition-wise the most complicated and sophisticated one.I think this is Editors' best album to date: It is instrumentally, lyrically and composition-wise the most complicated and sophisticated one. And unlike the other reviewers here, this "sophistication" does not seem forced nor unnecessarily complex to me. I think the band is trying to define itself somewhere between new-wave and post punk and this album is a great combination of both genres. It is definitely a strong 8 to weak 9.… Full Review »
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