Daydream Plus, the aurally opposite alter ego of lauded death metal band, Tomb Mold, are releasing their debut album, Second Last Day of Summer, this Friday, July 10th via Run For Cover Records.
Today they’re sharing one more early single, “Hard To Destroy.” along with a live performance of all three singles performed in their local gymnasium.
Second Last Day of Summer is a feel-good fusion of math rock, city pop, and ’90s emo instrumentals that captures the bittersweet nostalgic fun of the waning summer months. “Hard To Destroy” follows earlier singles “More Time Alone” and “Speed Limit” (which drew attention from Pitchfork, Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, and more) and offers one more early taste of the sugary sweet musicianship on display throughout Second Last Day of Summer. Shimmering chords, hyperactive riffs, and pummeling blast beats somehow all collide on “Hard To Destroy” making for a surprising confection that’s hard not to enjoy.
Listen to “Hard To Destroy” via YouTube
Stream “Hard To Destroy“
Pre-order Second Last Day of Summer
Led by Tomb Mold shredder Payson Power, along with the band’s drummer Max Klebanoff and bassist Kevin Sia, Daydream Plus formed in 2020 as a way of exploring melodic, catchy compositions well outside of their main band’s hyper-aggressive purview. Over the course of two EPs the group honed their bubbly blend of math rock, jazz, and city pop, along with video game soundtracks and anime scores to create their signature sound. Now with their debut album, the group have proven that the project has legs beyond its initial premise, and they’ve pushed the music and world building to even greater heights.
Recorded by Darren McGill, then mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk, Second Last Day of Summer is full of the kind of truly impressive musicality that Tomb Mold fans have long been familiar with, but here every flurry of notes is devoted to sounding lush and pleasing instead of crushing. A richly detailed video game sensibility informs Power’s approach, with interludes that play like cutscenes and songs that build out an elaborate fantasy world with instrumentals alone. This attention to the most microscopic details is what allows Second Last Day of Summer to feel focused and controlled, bringing that city pop influence to the table in both a sonic and spiritual way. Second Last Day of Summer is also packed with surprising guests, including American Football’s Steve Lamos, Joseph Shabason of Destroyer and The War on Drugs, and Ryo Kishimoto of Fox Capture Plan. “I just wanted the album to feel like opening a can of pop on an above-average day,” says Power, and the resulting record feels like a get together with friends on a carefree day–the fleetingly perfect times that are all the better because they can’t last.
Daydream Plus‘ video game fandom goes beyond just influence: in addition to all the usual listening formats, the band teamed with Batlab Electronics to create an alternative chiptune version of Second Last Day of Summer called Extended Forecast, which is available exclusively via a limited NES compatible cartridge
Second Last Day of Summer tracklist:
1. Tutorial
2. Metropolitan Mirage
3. Speed Limit
4. Lockpick
5. Emergency Exit
6. More Time Alone
7. Stiletto Flourish
8. Nautical Twilight
9. Undertow
10. Hard To Destroy
11. Constellation
12. Wave Goodbye
Upcoming Shows:
07/17 Toronto, ON @ Double Double Convenience (record release show)
07/31 Toronto, ON @ New Friends Fest