REVIEW: Sea Lemon - Diving for a Prize

sparkle into summer

                                      41:02 // May 30th, 2025 // Luminelle Recordings

Here's a lukewarm take: I generally like dream pop best when it's not too interesting. Sure, it's nice when there's some memorable melodies and sweet hooks, but ultimately I tend to find the genre most endearing when it focuses on crafting a vibe rather than a continuously impressive collection of sounds. Sea Lemon's debut album Diving for a Prize does an excellent job at constructing such immersively floaty atmospheres, but also manages to identify an impressive middle ground: it is, oh jeez, interesting too.

In essence, Sea Lemon's sound feels like an updated take on the ethereal wave sound of many decades ago: a dim, synth-infused web of dreamy textures. All of Diving for a Prize layers different shades of fuzz atop blissful pop songs, with Natalie Lew's vocals being equal parts detached and demanding as she navigates hooks of all sizes. The early album highlight “Stay” features a ridiculously huge chorus, while “Blue Moon” builds its way to a shimmery and entirely understated crescendo. Elsewhere, the incredible “Crystals” features Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard and presents the record's most urgent cut: it's the type of song that brims with energy while keeping its feet inexplicably off the ground and its head buried deep in the clouds.

However, the best part about Diving for a Prize is that it can be listened to and vibed to in equal capacity… let me to explain. This album allows for us snobbish Music-capital-M enjoyers to dissect its many layers: songs are adorned with different ambient textures; synths swell in and out of focus; melodies go places you may not expect them to. Simultaneously, it is just as easy to, eh, not focus on that. Every little sound here is entirely warm, entirely soothing, entirely dream pop: you can put it on and simply drift off. Enjoy your sparkly summer, choose your adventure.

8.5/10.