Dayglow (aka Sloan Struble) has generated a lot of buzz in the indie- and bedroom-pop space with his debut album, Fuzzybrain, and follow-up, Harmony House. Both albums are a self-reflection on Struble’s journey dealing with the changes in his life due to newfound stardom, all wrapped up in feel-good lyrics and upbeat vocals. With his third album, People in Motion, the indie-pop sensation is still bringing the same fun, energetic, and eternally hopeful music, but from a more self-assured place.
These 10 tracks are, once again, written, played, and produced by Struble and designed for maximum escapism. “Dancing, feeling like myself/And now I’m dancing, feeling so unstoppable/I know these things are bound to be surrounded in a moment forever on,” Struble muses on the hyper-melodic synth-pop opener, “Second Nature,” a love letter of sorts about the joys of dancing and making music.
But People in Motion isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There’s still a depth to the lyrics that captures the internal struggles Struble has gone through, from the highs of his relationship (“Like She Does,” “Talking to Light”) to learning how to deal with conflict until it fades away (“Then It All Goes Away,” “Deep End,” “Someone Else”). Personal experiences aside, there are more layers to People in Motion that serve as social commentary. “We’re all just people, people in motion/And we’re always moving,” he sings on “Radio.” “But seems we’re never going/’Cause there’s just too much now out there.”