(K Records)

I am so thrilled dream pop is back that I can barely keep my damn eyes open. I am, in fact, face-down, asleep, and dreaming on my laptop keyboard right now. The reason for all this somnolent bliss is young Olympia band Desolation Wilderness, whose slow-mo jangle, pillow-soft vocals (often understated to the point of indecipherability), and boundless, blurry reverb make Beat Happening sound positively like Black Flag. But while White Light Strobing may be serious nod-fodder, it's far from boring—underneath all the blankets of echo and studio space, bandleader Nicolaas Zwart lays down some pretty catchy pop tunes. Just don't let song titles like "USA Highway," "Road Song," and "Horizon Star" fool you into thinking this will keep you alert for long stretches of night driving.