Making a wholesome comeback to the music industry after three years of silence, Melbourne-based indie-pop duo Dreaming Soda unveils today a stunningly vibrant and tongue-in-cheek effort, ‘Kissing Stacey’. Supported by an extensive Kickstarter campaign, the single feels as bubbly and uplifting as we would expect from such a colourful and kaleidoscopic project. You see, Dreaming Soda have always championed a visually appealing ethos, often very attuned towards youth culture through playful and catchy lyricism.
‘Kissing Stacey’ follows up from their 2022 EP ‘Just Before The Internet’, but it doesn’t exactly pick up where they left off. Ella Sterland and Renee Stein have certainly evolved, particularly in terms of their sonic approach. Leaving behind their weightless bedroom pop sound, Dreaming Soda embrace a more grounded, guitar-driven imprint, yet still blessed by uplifting sound design and energetic beats. We love that; it feels like an electrifying blend of pop-rock charisma and lush indie pop elegance.
Delving deeper into the lyricism behind ‘Kissing Stacey’, Sterland explains: “In 2022, I stumbled across one of the greatest YouTube videos of all time, Overanalysing the Barbie Movies with Queer Marxist Theory by Alexander Avila. Alexander’s video essay is about how this iconic plastic doll could both represent the peak of consumerism and heterosexual values, but still exist as a tool for queer exploration for young people, and has been a video I have frequently re-visited. It inspired me to write a tongue-in-cheek pop track that tries to capture this essence.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Kissing Stacey’ on Spotify:
