REVIEW: Dream Nails - You Wish

You Wish is DREAM NAILS’ striking return to centre stage after developing a new dynamic as a trio, following the retirement of previous lead singer JANEY STARLING. This time around the band have announced they are “asking different questions” as a “tighter-knit unit”. And they certainly are asking different questions.

The album starts with The Only Way Out Is Through. An intro comprised mainly of its title, along with an incredibly repetitive sound that reminds you of the times you've tried to sleep through an alarm, and a twangy instrumental that starts to set the tone and build anticipation. As an introduction, it doesn’t really capture the variety of sound across the album. Its repetitive nature carries on just slightly too long to be enjoyable. But, in the spirit of The Only Way Out Is Through, the listen does only get better as we continue. The next track, This Is Water, is immediately a more enjoyable experience, and one that would have possibly been a stronger opener to the project as a whole. The chorus builds in a way that feels almost wavelike, while the repetition of “This is water, this is water. / This is water", alongside a sort of stream of consciousness about mysticism, self-esteem and nature gives it a sort of existential but personable feeling. As well as this, the instrumental taking control about two minutes in feels like being pulled into the currents.

The confessional nature of This Is Water is immediately juxtaposed by Organoid. The track Organoid opens with “I guess I won’t say anything / I guess I won’t say anything / Cut my lips off and snip out my tongue / But where’s all I’ve got meant to go if I swallow it up?”. It’s a definite favourite from the album. It’s funky and punky. Sounding both timeless and cuttingly modern in its vitriol towards data processing centres and technology’s domination of our lives. To top it all off there’s an excellent guitar riff, playful use of voice recordings and several sections that long for the push and pull of a live audience.

As far as experimental tracks go this one itches the brain perfectly, albeit ironically given its subject matter, it’s a topic the band revisit later for The Information. Talking about the themes and topics explored within the album, drummer LUCY KATZ said “The world that we live in is so complicated, and the old ways of trying to challenge it or make art about it aren’t working for us anymore, we wanted to regroup and find a new kind of creative and spiritual response to our times.” The band added that the ‘new’ focus still included political issues, but also personal struggles of strength and resilience, alongside the way everything from animals and elements interact with people trying to stay human in a technological environment. This can also be seen in The Spirit Does Not Burn, a sort of empowering track that's rooted in a sense of primality which then transcends to a dreamlike bubblegum indie as we move into Pack My Wax.  Next in the running order is House of Bones, another strong contribution. This song really emphasises the use of patterns and rhythm to create depth, using both instrumental and vocals, with some sections feeling similar to spoken word poetry, and alternating backing vocals.

This is followed by The Information, which continues to touch on themes of digital dystopia, this time in a way that feels a little less confrontational. There are times in the following track, Can’t Lose, where it feels like the vocals and guitarist are standing on opposite sides of a divide, and others where they seem to blend into one fully submerged sound, which is fitting for a song with lyrics such as“Remember that it’s just a game / A sword for every player/I’m just trying to pass through / And not get lost in the mirror”. It’s another interesting example of the band playing on contrast and similarity to create a sense of concept.

Move Like An Animal is a classic pit song that seems designed to be best played live, particularly with how it relates to horse spirituality. It’s slightly wacky but definitely has the “good energy” it talks about, though if you do start hearing horses talk to you, we recommend consulting a professional.  Zeros is more reflective, feeling softer with a meditative emphasis on melody, whilst A Sign is a strong folky song that reflects a sense of determination to continue on despite the challenges, surreality and community “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah / This message is a dream/This dream is the beginning / Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah/A sign For us there is no ending”

DREAM NAILS have called this era a recalibration. It’s a transitory period both in going from a band of four to three and shifting roles (particularly for bassist turned lead vocalist MIMI JASON), recalibrating sonically and dynamically.  For us, this change does feel evident. There’s a lot of experimentation, and while some lands, a few bits feel rough around the edges, possibly due to the focus on freewriting and a more collaborative creative process. This is likely incredibly beneficial in the long term, but does take some teething. The album is a definite departure from what the band have showcased before, and does pave the way for their future “punk preserved in amber” endeavours.

Score: 6/10

You Wish will be released on 6th February 2026 through Marshall Records.

Words: Q Cummins

Photos: Dream Nails