Whilst In Dream is this for around half of the album, the other half sounds more like the dream second album of Smith & Burrows. Piano and strings lead the charge on the dramatic Salvation whilst Ocean of Night sets a foot-tapping pace leading to a superb bridge in the second half of the track.
As mentioned, the other half hearkens back to Editors' foray into electronica and depending on how much you liked it in 2009 will be cemented here. Personally, I loved On This Light... and with No Harm opening the album with simple but effective synth chords or Life is a Fear being a superb dark pop song with a catchy hook for the chorus, it's a welcome return to the change that many thought the band couldn't pull off.
The album's second half is where the only real weak material lies. Whilst there's nothing wrong with The Law and especially Our Love, All the Kings and At All Cost aren't memorable nor interesting, the former being a more spirited but failing remake of the much better The Boxer and the latter a near-five minute intro to the album's excellent closer Marching Orders.
These however are the only low points and I've fount In Dream a far more rewarding and interesting listen then The Weight of Your Love. If you didn't like In This Light... and want more of the simple but effective Radio X choons that filled The Back Room and An End Has a Start, it's probably not for you.
For everyone else, do what I did on first listen and several listens since; give yourself an free hour, step out on a cold, foggy autumn morning and let In Dream envelop you as it's one of the years most rewarding and atmospheric albums.
8/10
H
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