From Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” in March, to Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” in July, the string of creative culminations by cooped up artists in quarantine has only expanded, with Troye Sivan’s new EP “In A Dream” being the latest addition. 

Released on August 21, the EP is a microcosm of what Sivan was able to create from his bedroom. Documenting the process for his fans on Twitter, Sivan showed the lengths he had to take to create music videos in his bathroom, single covers with his laptop camera, and music without a studio. In less than 24 hours, the EP made its way to the top of the iTunes charts, and for very good reason. 

Apart from the unique nature in which it was made, “In a Dream” is above all a pure pop record filled to the brim with songs that you can both cry and dance to at the same time. The EP is almost like Sivan’s diary as its lyrics are incredibly raw and vulnerable, detailing Sivan’s gradual acceptance of a failed relationship and its pertaining aftermath.  

The EP opens with “Take Yourself Home,” a smooth house track about confronting change, and what Sivan describes as having a “pep talk with yourself” to take a step back and remain grounded in times of adversity. Sivan’s lower vocal register blends in homogeneously with the instrumentals to create an upbeat lullaby that sets the stylistic and thematic tone for the rest of the EP.

After “Take Yourself Home” comes “Easy,” a pop dance track juxtaposed with incredibly vulnerable lyrics. Sivan’s personal experience with heartbreak is accompanied by a retro, upbeat backtrack, as the song’s lyrics carry a weight that is made lighter with its instrumentals. In “Easy,” Sivan gives his listeners the space to resonate, reflect, and release the whirlwind of emotions they may be experiencing, through dancing, singing, and crying their heart out. 

The cathartic experience of “Easy” transitions to a 50-second interlude titled “could cry just thinking about you.” In the shortest song on the EP, Sivan layers his vocals to create a symphony of cloud-like melancholy, that acts as the EP’s larger turning point both musically and thematically. As Sivan sings “I don’t know who I am, with or without you, but I guess I’m ‘bout to find out,” we understand that we’re about to enter the second phase of heartbreak- trying to move on. 

This is where “STUD” comes in, an electric track detailing Sivan’s infatuation towards a muscular stranger. A fast-paced, nightclub anthem, “STUD” is perhaps the first song on the EP that is lyrically positive, with the focus not being on heartbreak itself, but rather on the frivolous excitement towards the first person you find attractive after the heartbreak. 

This excitement continues in “Rager teenager,” a slow yet cheerful tune that oozes nostalgia. The song is essentially about wanting to have reckless fun, and is a breath of fresh air on the EP as its melody and lyrics are blissfully light. “Rager teenager” encapsulates what having a crush in high school feels like, from butterflies all the way to skipping classes to be with that person, the song captures the electric excitement of being a teenager where everything about the night is possible. 

Finally, the EP concludes with “IN A DREAM” the titular track. The first few seconds of the song sound as if they were taken straight out of a video game soundtrack, catapulting you into a fast-paced symphony of rhythm with Sivan’s ethereal-like vocals catching up. “IN A DREAM” paints the image of the trials and tribulations that come with trying to move on from someone. It highlights the setbacks, the progress, and the tenacious urge to want to forget about someone as soon as you can.

The concluding note of “In A Dream” is starkly different to its beginning. The EP ends with an upbeat, fast track as Sivan wraps up his emotional progress thus far. In six songs, Sivan manages to create a series of push and pulls or highs and lows, exacerbated by the constant contrast between quick and slow rhythms. You can even say that these contrasts mirror the actual progress of what it’s like moving on from a breakup. The process is never linear and that is exactly what Sivan emulates in this EP through his lyrics and instrumentals.

“In A Dream” doesn’t end with Sivan finally admitting that he’s okay and healed, but rather that he wants to get to that point. In my opinion, that is what makes this EP so special. Too often the narrative focuses on the final phase of healing where everything is okay, but never on the actual process and how long it takes to get there. “In A Dream” shifts that narrative by providing 19 minutes of raw emotional vulnerability backed by irresistible pop that you can’t help but dance to.