REVIEW: Forever ☆ - 2nd Gen Dream

Drum 'n' gaze Forever ☆

22:57 // August 29th, 2025 // a La Carte Records

Hello! You’ve heard of shoegaze, you’ve heard of drum ‘n’ bass: two genres that seem almost antithetical, the introvert vs. the extrovert. While you may find them in very different sections of the club - crying in the bathroom stalls vs. coked up on the dancefloor, respectively - you must make no mistake, these two are friends. They don’t meet up often, but when they do, it’s bound to be excellent. If you want to picture them hanging out at a blissful sauna, turn to Dreamweaver. If you prefer hazy encounters in a dimly lit ’90s basement, check the recently released Total Wife album. Up for a party that pits the bliss of the gaze against the intensity of the dnb to craft a mesmerising 22-minute experience? Forever ☆.

“2nd Gen Dream” is the duo’s new project, and it rules. Its blend of shimmery riffs, hazed out vocals and frantically hypnotising rhythms sounds equal parts fresh and nostalgic: like “Doppelganger” transported into the digital age. Above all, Forever ☆ show how texturally compatible shoegaze and choppy, fast paced electronics are: the blistering “Heat Seeking Missile” allows the dreamy vibes to take the helm, and employs driving beats to elevate the song. On the other end of the spectrum, “Blade Silver Metallic” puts a delicious breakbeat front and center, before using dissonant elements to gently shift the atmosphere into something much more unique and engaging. However, the very best moment presents itself as the centerpiece “3 Point Star”, a semi-abstract journey through all the sounds “2nd Gen Dream” masters: it’s as energetic as it is drowsy, and shows how drum ‘n’ gaze might just be the greatest genre of all time. Or perhaps that’s dream ‘n’ bass. Either way, it’s Forever ☆.

8.0/10