The 1980s had their share of darkness, but there was light, too. The two styles intertwine in the genre of dream pop, which arose in the United Kingdom during this time. As the genre which Space Team Electra is most commonly included, dream pop holds an undeniable fascination for the group’s fans.Dream pop had its origins in other musical genres of the era, most notably post-punk and ethereal wave. Many early practitioners of the form made music that crossed all of these boundaries. The Cocteau Twins, who formed in 1979, are an archetypal band of the genre. Singer Elizabeth Fraser, in particular, was a notable influence. Her vocals were often undecipherable, and delivered in the soprano vocal range. Many listeners found that the emotion of the lyrics came directly through her voice, rather than through any understandable lines. Guitarist Robin Guthrie and bassist Will Heggie (later replaced by Simon Raymonde) provided a rhythmic and shimmering backdrop to Fraser’s vocals, punctuated by Guthrie’s fascination with guitar effects. 1983′s Head Over Heels and 1984′s Treasure best showcase the band’s style.Although the majority of early artists were British (The Chameleons, The Passions, Dif Juz, and A.R. Kane), the term was primarily used in the United States. Nevertheless, UK journalists Simon Reynolds and Chris Roberts are said to be the developers of the term, writing for the UK music magazine Melody Maker. Early listeners could detect other influences in these artists’ music in addition to contemporary bands: there were strains of The Velvet Underground and John Lennon as well, to name just a few.The United States did contribute a number of artists to the genre, including Alison’s Halo, For Against, Frownland, Love Spirals Downward, Low, Mazzy Star, and Velour 100. Some of these bands also practiced the off-shoot genre of shoegazea faster, more rocking variation of dream pop that still maintained its own mysterious allure. The term comes from the detached personalities of the musicians that made up the movementduring live performances, they often seemed hardly aware that they were up on stage and rarely even looked at the audience, instead looking out in the distance or down at their shoes.The long-lived group The Flaming Lips (formed in 1983) is another example of a variation of the dream pop aesthetic, capturing the genre’s ethereal properties while combining them with a warped sense of humor. The Lips are a common reference point for listeners trying to describe Space Team Electra’s sound, but if there’s anything music history has shown us, it’s that comparisons and labels can only take you so far. If you’re intrigued by what you’ve read above, check out Space Team Electra for yourself and experience a one-of-a-kind journey that only they can provide.