It's fair to say that DMA'S set the bar ridiculously high when The Glow arrived in that accursed summer of 2020; a welcome breath of optimism and dancefloor anthems that has come to be their most established record to date, for me. How Many Dreams? continues this evolutionary direction with a comfort zone that DMA'S fans will enjoy up and down the country, teasing the potential for the trio to make a full-pelt dance record one day in the future.
The Aussie trio, who are now split between the UK and Australia, have been responsible for some of this generation's truly defining indie-rock anthems, with the likes of 'Delete', 'In The Air' and 'Your Low' still the first names on the setlist. On How Many Dreams? we hear tasters of this nostalgic sound on 'Fading Like A Picture' and 'Get Ravey', with the latter showcasing vocalist Tommy O'Dell at the height of his melodies in the chorus - despite the questionable title. O'Dell's vocals have the breathing space they deserve on this record, with the mellow piano in 'Jai Alai' and the cinematic, ambient strings on 'Forever'.
Lead guitarist Matt Mason demonstrates his guitar wizardry on the likes of 'Olympia' with another iconic riff for the ages and some luscious, layered tone on the opener 'How Many Dreams?' The latter is perhaps a track that may have been better placed as a single, carrying an intensity that perhaps feels more fluid than the jangly 'I Don't Need To Hide'.
Yet, this album closes with a hint of where DMA'S surely need to go next. 'De Carle' begs for a fully-fledged dance album from the trio, who have evolved towards that direction with single 'Everybody's Saying Thursday's The Weekend' bringing the party to the record in a similar way to 'Life Is A Game Of Changing' did on The Glow. 'De Carle' takes you to a mysterious cesspit in the rave with a throbbing break that perfectly combines Tommy's vocal style with a track that could easily have been written by The Chemical Brothers. It's the clear high point on the album, and leaves you wondering if they could have explored this direction a tad further, rather than produce a range of indie-rock tracks that ultimately don't carry the same strength as their first three albums.
Essentially, it's a testament to their earlier songwriting on how high DMA'S have set the bar. Their loyal fanbase in the UK continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and tracks like 'De Carle' lift the potential of just where DMA'S can take their sound. It's a clean, fulfilled listen that eases us into their next cycle, after the phenomenal success of The Glow - which has had its run.
You can order How Many Dreams? here, or from your local record store.
DMA'S tour the UK in April 2023, with tickets on sale now including an enormous date at Wembley Arena. You can view the full list of tour dates below:
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