Almost Monday, an indie pop band based in San Diego, California, recently released their new song “Dive,” which is part of their new album, also titled “Dive.” The song officially came out on September 25th and quickly became popular after its release, with over 400 million streams. The band is made up of three members, including Dawson Daugherty who does their vocals, Luke Fabry who specializes in bass, and Cole Clisby, who plays guitar. “Dive” is just over a minute long, earning its spot as one of the shortest of their songs. Almost Monday is known for their soft, laid-back music, perfect for a summer playlist. Some of their other more popular songs include “Sunburn” and “She Likes Sports,” which all have a similar vibe. “Dive” has a nostalgic tone, and sounds like it came straight out of the 1950’s. The lyrics depict a brief and rather mysterious love story, which seems to have just begun.
The song displays themes of longing and questioning, in both a lonely and an optimistic sense, which successfully portrays what loving someone can be like. It is equal parts somber and hopeful, with interesting and unique lyrics. The song begins with the lyrics, “I wanna dive in, To a dream that I want to see, Where all of the colors shine, Can I see you tonight? I hope there’s a chance for me,” which introduces a dreamlike dynamic between the subject and the narrator, as well as a theme of pursuit of love. It’s rather sweet and endearing, and is relevant to the term, “hopeless romantic,” in the sense that the narrator seems to be chasing after her, almost begging for a chance to see her, without knowing whether or not his feelings will be reciprocated.
Some of the most poignant lyrics are, “And I cry, such a beauty for the eye, Hoping you’ll remember me, Hoping it’s not just a dream,” which displays the doubt that tends to come hand in hand with loving someone, as many songs, books, poems, movies and other materials seem to convey. “Dive” can be related to the phase, “Pinch me so I know I’m not dreaming,” in the sense that the narrator talks about wanting to “dive in” to loving the subject of the song, but fearing that she may not remember they’re shared experiences, or that maybe she isn’t real at all.
“Dive” by Almost Monday is short and sweet, with soothing but also slightly startling vocals and instrumentals, and sounds like the feeling of both nostalgia and deja vu. It also brings back some older sounding musical techniques, making it stand out against most modern music.
