Audiopile Review: Quietly self-released in 2023, Acopia’s self-titled sophomore album could have easily drifted into obscurity—another drop lost in Bandcamp’s endless sea of dream pop. Initially self released, Berlin-based producer Palms Trax and his CWPT have come to the rescue, giving this a deservedly wider reissue. Though each member had roots in various strands of dance music, the Melbourne trio take a slight but logical deviation into an alluring blend of dream pop, post-punk, and trip-hop, nestling comfortably alongside shop favourites like White Flowers, Hysterical Love Project, and Jabu. Acopia treads the delicate line between pained dreariness and detached malaise, evoking a spectral cool that’s been previously chased by fellow Australians a.s.o. and HTRK. Kate Durman’s ethereal vocals drift through a nocturnal haze of jangly guitars, bleary atmospherics, and sedated post-punk basslines. But the sparse, subtle electronic flourishes and blunted drum breaks tip it decidedly towards the sound of trip-hop that’s been lusted after by many as of recently, though Acopia manage to get beyond the forgettable blasé tone countless releases in this vein fall victim to. This one is for those who find solace in the quiet hum of the city at night. Insomniacs and dreamers alike, take note. You’ll be glad you did.

***

Highly recommended for fans of a.s.o., Hysterical Love Project, HTRK, and James K, Acopia is the latest group to emerge from Melbourne/Naarm’s vibrant downtempo / dream pop / trip-hop scene. Compared to their contemporaries Dregs and The Blisks, Acopia seems to function closer to a traditional “band” with guitar, bass, vocals driving most of their songs versus the experimental processing, dubwise effects, sampling, and ambient-leaning sounds of the other groups. Electronics (synthesizers + drum machines) still play a crucial role here though, of course, especially on “This Conversation is Getting Boring,” which sounds like it could’ve been a ’90s chill-out room track if you removed the dreamy vocals. Overall, there’s a bit more “pop” and polish here to the production, which lends well to singer Kate Durman’s breathy vocals and melancholic songwriting.