Amid the shoegaze revival, Keepsake’s self-titled debut EP doesn’t stand out in terms of genre alone – there are thousands of dreampop/shoegaze outfits currently mining the late 80s to mid 90s for inspiration. Keepsake’s originality comes from their unique blend of familiar dreampop soundscapes and contemporary melodies, lyricism, and sensibility.

The sounds themselves, professionally recorded and nicely produced, are what you’d expect of a dreampop band: lots of chorus on the guitars and bass, reverb-drenched drums and vocals. Despite the washy recipe, the instruments are ideally balanced and the sonic palette of the EP is crisp and immediate. The high degree of compression is a wise choice given the pop-forward impulses of the vocal melodies.

Wordy lyrics overlay generally laconic progressions (more on that later, it’s a good thing) in a refreshing update to the genre. Waltzy opener “Battlebots” conjures Tears for Fears and Cocteau Twins, with a chorus that hints at a radio-friendly femme persona perfected by the likes of Sixpence None the Richer. “Yearning” is more Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me than “Kiss Me,” with a propulsive vocal cadence that drives the song. The heart-on-sleeve, confessional lyricism mixed with the more complex meter of the lyrics is a refreshing twist – a statement of persona within a genre generally geared toward obfuscation.

The vocal melodies are intuitive and creative, and delivered with easy acumen. The singer sounds like they like you, an underappreciated talent. Tasteful harmonies throughout help to emphasize the impact. Across the EP, the interplay between the vocals and instruments sounds carefully crafted. Nothing’s over the top or forced. As with most “dreamy” music, the instrumentation serves the mood. It’s intentionally atmospheric, with the progressions and melodies doing as much but no more than necessary to develop tension and release. Keepsake manages to walk the line of creating movement with unexpected progressions and melodies without upsetting that mood.

One approach is nicely exemplified in “Refinery Sunsets.”  Rather than build tension with dynamics and layering, this song remains relatively steady dynamically, but adds a clever switch in time signature to build tension before dissolving. Decisions like this give Keepsake a sophistication and aura of accomplishment most bands don’t often realize in their debut, if ever.