Dream State

Dream State, a Welsh rock band, was formed in South Wales in 2014. The initial lineup included CJ Gilpin on vocals, Aled Evans and Sam Harrison-Little on guitars, Danny Rayer on bass, and Jamie Lee on drums. The band quickly established their presence with the release of their first single, “Burn Them Down,” on January 8, 2015, followed by their debut EP, “Consequences,” on November 20, 2015, which was recorded at The Boneyard Studio in South Wales. This early period set the foundation for their distinct post-hardcore and alternative rock sound.

A significant turning point for Dream State occurred in 2017 when they released the single “White Lies” and made their debut festival appearance at Reading and Leeds Festivals. During this festival, they announced their signing with the Australian independent record label UNFD. This year also saw a lineup change with Rhys Wilcox replacing Sam Harrison-Little on guitar. Under UNFD, they released their second EP, “Recovery,” on May 18, 2018. The band’s rise continued with their participation in the 2018 compilation album “Songs That Saved My Life,” for which they recorded a cover of Linkin Park’s “Crawling,” benefiting mental health and suicide prevention charities. In 2018, Dream State received the Kerrang! Award for Best British Breakthrough and in 2019, the Heavy Music Award for Best UK Breakthrough Band.

Dream State released their debut album, “Primrose Path,” on October 18, 2019, produced by Dan Weller. This album reached position 100 on the official UK Albums Chart. Following the album release, the band embarked on a UK headliner tour and supported other bands on European tours. Further lineup changes occurred in 2019 with Danny Rayer’s departure and in 2020 with Jamie Lee’s departure. In 2022, CJ Gilpin and Rhys Wilcox also left, and a new lineup was introduced featuring Jake Bowen on bass, Tom Connolly on drums, and Jessie Powell on lead vocals. This new iteration of Dream State released the EP “Untethered” in February 2023 and the mini-album “Still Dreaming” in January 2024, continuing to explore elements of rock, metal, pop, and EDM.