Diamond Day’s Connect the Dots: Shoegaze Dreams and Glitchy Realities
Nate Kline
Written by Nate Kline in Sonic Journeys Music

Diamond Day’s Connect the Dots: Shoegaze Dreams and Glitchy Realities

You ever hear a band for the first time and immediately know they’re onto something special? That’s exactly how I felt when I stumbled across Connect the Dots, the debut album from Montreal’s Diamond Day. It’s got that rare balance—equal parts nostalgic and forward-thinking—where shoegaze dreaminess meets glitchy, off-kilter electronic flourishes. Think Slowdive crashing headfirst into The Postal Service, but with a distinctly modern twist.

Diamond Day is the brainchild of Béatrix Méthé and Quinn Bachand, two musicians who clearly know their way around both atmosphere and melody. Méthé, steeped in Quebec’s folk traditions, brings a deep, organic warmth to the mix, while Bachand, a multi-instrumentalist with a wildly diverse background, adds a kind of restless experimentation. The result? A sound that floats between worlds—ethereal yet tactile, nostalgic yet fresh.

Take “Noisemaker,” the album’s opening track. It lures you in with hazy, reverb-soaked guitars before a crisp, glitchy beat sneaks in and shakes things up. It’s the kind of song that makes you stop whatever you’re doing and just listen. Then there’s “Fiction Feel,” which feels like it was made to soundtrack a late-night drive through neon-lit streets—hypnotic, immersive, and effortlessly cool.

And here’s where things get even more interesting: Robin Guthrie, the legendary guitarist and producer behind Cocteau Twins, recently gave “Fiction Feel” his own spin. He called the duo “charming” (they won him over with coffee, apparently), and his remix, “Fiction Feel xr,” dials up the dreamy textures while keeping the song’s heartbeat intact. That’s not just a co-sign—that’s a passing of the torch from one generation of sonic architects to another.

What really sticks with me about Connect the Dots is how it manages to feel both deeply personal and universally resonant. Songs like “Tina” dive into heavy themes, yet the music never feels weighed down. There’s always a sense of movement, of exploration, of finding beauty in the fractures.

At the end of the day, that’s what makes Diamond Day such an exciting find. Connect the Dots isn’t just an album—it’s an experience, one that lingers long after the last note fades. If you haven’t given it a spin yet, now’s the time. Trust me, this is one of those bands you’ll want to say you heard first.

There are plenty of other standouts: “How Can I Love Her More?” is a delightful rollercoaster of ’60s pop influences, while “Ember Days” is a beautiful, melancholic ode to nostalgia and change. And of course, the album closes with the raucous “Rock On (Over and Over),” a fitting tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll roots that have always driven the Twigs.

In a way, A Dream Is All We Know is the perfect title. The Lemon Twigs aren’t just making music—they’re crafting dreams. With every song, they transport you to another place, whether it’s a sunlit road trip in a vintage VW bus or a warm, late-night jam session with friends. It’s an album full of lush soundscapes and introspective lyrics, yet still full of that youthful exuberance that made their early work so exciting.

This is an album that demands to be listened to over and over again, each time offering a little more to discover. It’s the sound of two brothers, at the height of their powers, fully in control of their musical destiny. And while they’ve clearly been influenced by the past, they’ve managed to make something timeless. If this is the dream they’re living, it’s one that feels just as real and vibrant as the music itself.

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