[Album Review] DREAMCATCHER “The End of Nightmare”

DREAMCATCHER (드림캐쳐) continues with their concept of “seven nightmares” with their fourth mini album “The End of Nightmare” released on February 13.

The Intro is an instrumental that seems to capture DREAMCATCHER’s sound – that of the seamless and occasionally jarring melding of rock-synths tilted slightly towards dubstep. A little off kilter and maybe unexpected of a girl group, this is one of the things that make this group stand out.

“Although I might still be wandering the road I lost”

PIRI is the title song for this album and starts with what sounds like horns blaring (and reminded me of the beginning of What’s Up Danger from the Into the Spiderverse soundtrack) straight into the sleek vocals and guitar riffs that DREAMCATCHER is so known for. This track also incorporates an ominous whistling that haunts the background before diving into a full band in the chorus. Gahyeon and Dami’s rap adds to that sense of haunting urgency that the lyrics speak of, the feeling of being trapped in a maze, seemingly with no way out. The refrain starts and it is softly haunting, the lone piano in the background and Sihyeon’s whispering vocals, before a violin join in and culminate into the climax. The whistles linger even when the song ends.

“I’m unbreakable, I’m untouchable”

DIAMOND echoes that hauntingness that PIRI carried. The track stands out, though, with its bouncy drums before hitting back with the guitars and SuA’s strong vocals and its sounds taking inspiration from J-rock. These last two songs really capture the ebb and flow between urgency and calm, wavering between running away and standing up to face these “nightmares” head on.

“I think I’m losing my way, every night in the same dream”

그리고 아무도 없었다 (And There Was No One Left) starts of gently, melancholy and almost hesitant and even DREAMCATCHER’s voice loses that edge that they had in the first two songs. This softness is captured in Yoohyeon and JiU’s voices, gentle and almost seductive in their delivery. This is an easy listen, a respite from the rushing urgency at the beginning of the album – yet that sense of foreboding lingers in the background in the relaxed beat and the smooth vocals as if the nightmares as simply bidding their time. And this can be seen in the lyrics when Siyeon sings, almost breathlessly, “My eyes are falling shut, I’m losing my strength”

“However long the night and the promise of tomorrow”

If daydreams were a song, it would be Daydream (백일몽). DREAMCATCHER really showcases the versatility in their voices with this track and there is something with Handong’s echoing, deep voice that captures this feeling – that longing melancholy that almost sounds like the voices are underwater, like you’re dreaming. Veering off from the hard edged voices and rock riffed tracks in the beginning of this album, Daydream (백일몽) is a gentle ballad, melancholy in its sound and longing in its lyrics – like a quiet dream fitting for an album titled “The End of Nightmare”.

Listening to “The End of Nightmare” from the first song to the last is an auditory journey, If this is seemingly the end of DREAMCATCHER’s dreams and nightmares concept, I look forward to seeing where they take their music next.