During the latter half of the 1980s, a wave of alternative artists began to explore a gentler, more ethereal sound, bringing a dream-like aesthetic to the rock and pop idiom. Taking its lead from the UK (and the 4AD label in particular), this refined approach soon spread, particularly to the United States, slowly picking up the moniker “dream pop” – a catch-all term rather than a genre within itself.

Curated by the same team as our successful ‘Still In A Dream’ 2016 shoegaze set, ‘Cherry Stars Collide’ explores that sound as it emerged in the mid-80s and proceeded to define a less grounded, more thoughtful approach to musical expression than was offered elsewhere. Fusing and blending with other genres along the way. - from the guitar driven shoegaze movement and proto-Britpop to the post ‘C-86’ generation and the nascent leftfield clubbing scene – that sound both drew in artists already operating elsewhere and inspired new artists to embark their own journey.

Best listened to in the dark!

DISC ONE DISC THREE
1 AR Kane - Lollita
2 Frazier Chorus - Sloppy Heart
3 Area - With Louise
4 Louis Phillipe - When I'm An Astronaut
5 The Chameleons - I'll Remember
6 Dead Can Dance - In The Kingdom Of The Blind The One-Eyed Are Kings
7 14 Iced Bears - Hay Fever
8 Talk Talk – Eden (Edit)
9 Shelleyan Orphan - Tar Baby
10 Ultra Vivid Scene - A Dream Of Love
11 This Mortal Coil - Drugs
12 David Sylvian - Pop Song
13 Julee Cruise - Falling (Twin Peaks Theme)
14 Cocteau Twins - Iceblink Luck
15 Eternal - Sleep
16 The Dream Academy - Love

DISC TWO
1 Lush - Breeze (Gala version)
2 The Wake - English Rain
3 Blow-Up - Heaven Tonight
4 His Name Is Alive - As We Could Ever
5 Penelope's Web - Lowsun
6 Cranes - Tomorrow's Tears
7 The Heart Throbs - Kiss Me When I'm
Starving
8 Breathless - Over and Over
9 Kitchens Of Distinction - Hypnogogic
10 The Innocence Mission - Evensong
11 The Telescopes - Celeste
12 Secret Shine - Grey Skies
13 The Charlottes - Prayer Song
14 Spirea X - Signed D.C.
15 The Cranberries - Them
16 Drop - Within And Beyond

DISC THREE
1 Spiritualized - Feel So Sad Glides And
Chimes
2 The Ocean Blue - Ballerina Out of Control
3 Lycia - Ionia
4 Chapterhouse - Mesmerise
5 The Sweetest Ache - If I Could Shine
6 Levitation - Rosemary Jones (Coppelia Version)
7 For Against Today Today
8 Red House Painters - Japanese To English
9 Smashing Orange - Strange Young Girls
10 All About Eve - Some Finer Day
11 The Darling Buds - One Thing Leads To Another
12 Sweet Jesus - Your Baby Loves Me (Original Version)
13 The Sundays - God Made Me
14 Love Spirals Downwards - Stir About The Stars
15 Alison's Halo - Sunshy
16 Insides - Yes

DISC FOUR
1 Mazzy Star - She's My Baby
2 Bel Canto - Unicorn
3 Swallow - Cherry Stars Collide
4 The Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa - Fluidum
5 An April March - All The Flowery
6 Slowdive - In Mind
7 Half String - Sun Less Sea
8 Tse Tse Fly - Dog-Eared
9 St Etienne - California Snow Story
10 Blind Mr Jones - Hey
11 Drugstore - Superglider
12 Pale Saints - Fine Friend
13 Low - Stay
14 Dubstar - Just A Girl She Said
15 Mojave 3 - Where Is The Love
16 This Ascension - August Rain
17 The Autumns - Abbey In An Oak Tree