Dreampark have a headline gig for BBC Introducing at The Cavern in Liverpool on 26 January. You could do much worse then be there for their infectious brand of nostalgiac pop. We caught up for a Zoom.

Dreampark’s brand of pop tunes caught us off guard a few weeks ago at Jimmy’s and we thoroughly enjoyed what we saw.

With an EP, Summer Storm, released in 2019 and a follow up nearly ready to drop in a month or so, we decided a chat was in order. And it was a conversation that took a few twists and turns.

We caught up with Daniel and Carmel for some words.

P3dro: Where are you and what are you doing?

Daniel: We’re in London. We had a gig at The Paper Dress. It was sold out and really great. A packed night and fun. Worth getting to London for.

P3dro: Tell us a bit a bit about the band. What’s the idea and how did you get together?

Daniel: Well, it’s a long story. Basically, we were playing together about 14 years ago. Carmel had a progressive rock band and was looking for a guitarist. Me and my brother (on drums) joined and we played for a year or so. We became good friends and then one thing led to another …

Carmel: I wrote a concept album and brought them to play with me, but it didn’t work out.

Daniel: We continued to be friends and then, years later we became a couple and then we got married. We realised what we had been doing back in Israel wasn’t our dream as musicians, so we figured we’d move to London, but without any idea of what we were going to do, but just to be closer to what we thought would be “the music scene”.

So, when we moved here, we were mumbling around and jamming together. And then we came up with this kind of sweet spot of our styles.

P3dro: You’re a million miles away from a prog rock band, now.

Daniel: Yeah, I came with my own background of styles, visions and ideas. Carmel came with her own ideas, but we really wanted to do it together. It took a while to figure out and then just to do it. It’s still something we’re kind of playing with. Sometimes it’s more towards Carmel’s side, sometimes it’s more towards my side.

Eventually, we’re getting closer and closer on being the same style. Whatever Dreampark is, I guess.

P3dro: What is Dreampark? How do you see it?

Daniel: So, the way we would describe it is nostalgic pop. That’s how we describe the motivation we have when writing music.

Carmel: This warm feeling of nostalgia, it doesn’t have to be because you’re familiar with the riffs or the choruses, but just the feeling. Something warm and comforting.

Daniel: Yeah, and we also wanted something of our own. To have a bunch of words that no one uses to describe a band. But it’s a good description of what we’re looking for in music.

P3dro: So, when you talk about nostalgia, where are you going back to? Those 70’s disco bands like Earth Wind and Fire or Abba?

Carmel: Yeah, Earth Wind and Fire is one of our go to Friday music.

Daniel: Yeah and Steely Dan. Even Genesis or Emerson Lake and Palmer.

P3dro: That goes back to your prog rock, though?

Carmel: Yeah. It’s everything. I played jazz for a long time. I’m not looking for any specific sound.

Daniel: For me it’s about visuals and colour and everything that’s 80’s. I always think about video games and the music I used to hear, like old Casio synths. It’s all about the atmosphere – a kind of naïve atmosphere like it was back in the 80’s.

P3dro: That’s an interesting point when you mention video games.

Daniel: Yeah, it kind of takes me to this sort of vibe, but I do take more from the music world.

P3dro: OK, let’s drill down into specifics, then. Where do you think you get your main influences from?

Carmel: Wow! I’m really into prog rock. But, I’m always thinking about Elton John. He’s like a grandfather for me. I feel like I grew up with him. I had a crazy dream about him teaching me piano.

Daniel: He hovers over us! But my influences are more on newer stuff. Such as MGMT and Tame Impala, who take references from older stuff, but it’s kind of random.

Carmel: I think the only way to make music that doesn’t sound like anything else is just to mix a lot of your influences into one thing.

P3dro: You released the Summer Storm EP in 2019. Have you managed to release anything since then?

Daniel: Yeah, there will be a second, EP, called Gold Rush, but we have released [some of the songs as singles].

Carmel: We were lucky enough to record it in Abbey Road Studio, using the same mic that David Bowie used!

Daniel: You could say we felt an improvement from the first EP! It was super fun. You could feel the MOJO in the air. We’re really happy with the results.

P3dro: So, what’s next for Dreampark?

Carmel: We have a lot of new songs. We have to record them and gig a lot. As much as possible. That gives us new energy and motivation.

P3dro: Recommend a band or an album you think we should be listening to right now.

Daniel: 9 by Pond. They’re our new thing. But also MGMT, Little Dark Age and Steely Dan and Earth Wind & Fire!

Lead image credit: Yarden Tamarie