Ra Ra Riot shared the synthy title track off their upcoming third album, Beta Love (out January 22 via Barsuk) last month, and then debuted a few more new songs at alma mater Syracuse University. Now comes “When I Dream,” a decidely downbeat cut off the follow-up to 2010’s The Orchard, which relies less on dance-pop and more on lead singer Wes Miles’ soulful vocals. “When I dream, it’s not of you,” he reveals with a hint of helium to his voice, letting his lightweight delivery float over an effective combination of precise finger-snaps, numbing bass beat, and weepy strings. He can’t keep up the levitating act for long, though. “I run, yeah, I run but you follow / Drop to my knees but you haunt me more,” Miles sings just before the snaps stop and the strings cease, leaving just a heavy thump. Hear it below.
