“It’s All Good” by Neon Dreams

Right off the top of the track, it’s more than obvious we’re in for something positive and freewheeling in the new single and music video “It’s All Good” by Neon Dreams, and although there’s been a relative lack of upbeat tunes making their way onto the charts lately, that could be what gives this release so much extra oomph than I’m used to as a fan and a critic. Pop music has been overwhelmingly dominated by some pretty dark themes in the past few years, but with “It’s All Good,” Neon Dreams make it clear that catharsis – and not tension – is the centerpiece of their sound.

This bassline is certainly inviting, and although it has a bit more of a swell than I’m used to, it works well to support the buoyancy of the material. There’s no denying that Neon Dreams have a lot of natural rhythm in their sound, but it’s how they’re putting it to work for them in this performance that strikes me as the most intriguing part of their modus operandi as performers. Efficiency can be a difference maker in pop music, it’s certainly being used as such in this specific piece.

The carefree attitude Neon Dreams bring into the studio with them is something to behold for sure, and I would even go so far as to say that it influences the mood of the lyrics significantly. I’m not saying that this wouldn’t be just as provocative a work with a different set of players in the studio, but the narrative would be markedly different for sure. There’s more than one way that this act is telling their story to us, and for their multidimensionality, they’re coupling lyricism with melodicism in a way that feels jointly expressive for listeners who are into pop both seriously and casually the same.

There’s no stopping this hook once it’s in place, and though I don’t think it needed as much of a boost in the chorus as it gets, it makes sense why Neon Dreams would want to go with something a little more abstract for this kind of a performance. One of the most common elements I’ve come across throughout their scene in the past year has been a relative disconnect with the fluidity of a streamlined hook, but that’s not the case in this piece; truth be told, they’re being more aggressive than they have to, and it works well for their sound as a whole.

Pop really needs more feel-good music like that of Neon Dreams, and where others have been embracing the burden of contrast like it’s going out of style lately, this is one unit we can rely on for making something both straightforward and cohesive in the grander scheme of things. Neon Dreams might not have a game-changer in “It’s All Good,” but there’s no arguing against what this track says about their place in the hierarchy of indie music both past and, more importantly, the future still sitting on the horizon.

Mindy McCall