Soak – Before We Forgot How To Dream

The Last Mixed Tape reviews Before We Forgot How To Dream, the much-anticipated debut studio album from Soak. 

Before We Forgot How To Dream is an album whose appeal derives from its stark honesty, reverberating with raw, bare-boned lyricism and sound.

The record is artful in exactly how it draws you in. Moving in tonal peaks and troughs Before We Forgot How To Dream runs from the heart-yearning highs of ‘Blud’ to the gentle repose of ‘a dream to fly’. Twisting and turning with emotion Soak’s songwriting takes centre stage within the echoing, atmospheric production of the album itself, resulting in an engrossing listen that gently but effectively wraps you up in its world.

At its heart Before We Forgot How To Dream is an album about naked emotion and upfront communication. Whether if be the pointedness of ‘B a noBody’ or the romanticism of ‘Garden’ the record is a journey through Soak’s own perspective and experience. All of which is done with youthful honesty, delivering each lyric with the same importance as the one that preceded it.

There was a weight of expectation on Soak in the build up to Before We Forgot How To Dream, and well-meaning or not this same expectation has hampered debuts from similarly hyped artists before. WIth that in mind, it’s truly incredible to see how deftly and bravely the songwriter has seemed to block out such outside interference, and has endeavoured to create a record that is a true indication of who Soak is, was and wants to be.

As debut’s go Before We Forgot How To Dream is a work of quiet genius. Free of pretence and over the top melodrama, the album is an experience in and off itself.

Rating: 10/10

Before We Forgot How To Dream by Soak is out now.