Dream pop was evolving in the 2010s, with several stylistic directions to go in at that point. Synth-based beats, or indie rock-influenced dreamy jams, or, later, the integration of lo-fi hip-hop.

Like indie rock and alt-country and innumerable other subgenres, dream pop is a fluid set of sounds. There is no one right way to make a dream pop album, but when you hear a good one, you’ll know. One ...