Analog Dream’s new EP titled “The Shape Of Us” takes us on a sonic journey unlike anything the San Francisco band have released so far, but it’s the journey they have taken since their founding in 2012 that I find captivating. As a new listener, I felt their story leading up to “The Shape of Us” needed to be explored first to fully understand the impact of the new EP. To date, this is Analog Dream’s third EP release, and the tale of their progression is remarkable and fascinating. This is a band that has constantly evolved over time, never settling or compromising but always looking to expand their sound. So, with that in mind, let’s get to it.

Analog Dream initially started as a duo, founded by Jorge Sandoval and Rich Cannon in a one-bedroom apartment. Their early work was synth-driven and electronic but the group’s attention to song structure and composition, paired with Sandoval’s knack for melodic vocal deliveries, are all there. The first EP released in 2015 titled “Speaking In Code” is an excellent showcase of their early work. The five tracks are atmospheric and mesmerizing, a core theme the duo would build upon over subsequent releases. 

The second EP “No Boundaries” released in 2018 and is the inflection point where the band expanded from electronic-forward tracks to the beginnings of a fully fleshed out sound that Sandoval and Cannon had envisioned. 2022 saw the release of a few more singles in Around The Bend and Stark Reminder with the latter being a prelude of things to come for the band. With the 2026 release of “The Shape of Us”, the band have produced an EP where the experiences and influences over the past decade come together perfectly to create the soundscapes we now hear. It’s been a long journey, but the result has been worth the wait.

Analog Dream is now quintet of talented musicians with the additions of Caleb Dolister on drums, Sarah Reinke on bass/vocals and Kevin Fayle on synths. The five-piece create layers of textures and sounds where the ear picks up something new with each listen. The vocal harmonies between Sandoval and Reinke are effective and powerful. I can’t imagine these songs without Reinke. The link up between the two has a transformative effect on the songs, reminiscent of John Dwyer and Bridgette Dawson during Thee Oh See’s San Francisco days. 

The tracks are heavy, drenched in shoegaze and post-rock. The lead track, Dystopian is a reflection on the social and political state of the world in the modern era, particularly in the US. I found that the following line “How did we get to be so divided / fight it / a habit not so simply divided / a reason to resist” sums up our current affairs perfectly. The second track, The Shape of Us, ramps up the emotionally charged lyrics to create this heartbreaking song which laments on finding love then losing it all, never to return. Velvet Knives, my personal favorite on the EP, covers the topic of betrayal from someone close. However, it’s the composition that got me hooked, particularly when the chorus kicks in with Sandoval’s masterful delivery. The track is absolute magic. 

To round out the EP, the remaining two songs slow down a bit after the rollercoaster ride from the first three. By A Thread and 8:13 are poetically written, paired with wonderful and vibrant arrangements. In “The Shape Of Us”, Analog Dream have achieved the level of sonic fidelity that Sandoval and Cannon have looked to create since the beginning. The band have steadily added layers of complexity to their music, crafting heavy and rich soundscapes with close attention to every detail we hear.

However, there is more to the EP than the music we’re listening to. Distilled down to its core, the message of this release is hope and I think that is something we’re all looking for in this moment in time. The press release I was given describes the EP as, “Two things can be true at once. We can be realistic about the present and trust that things will turn out well…That duality of cynicism and hope collides in their music”, and it’s that duality I kept reflecting on during my multiple listening sessions.

Words by Robert Khoury