Truly a dream come true, on Sept. 19, FINNEAS and Ashe released their debut album,“The Dream,” as a band under the name “The Favors.” The first collaboration they released to the public dates back to 2021 with “Till Forever Falls Apart,” a song that brings to life the deep love that comes with friendship. In true friendship, you become so intertwined with each other that there really is “…nothing more romantic than dying with your friends.” Their debut as a band came as a surprise to many fans as the duo kept their project a secret, even from their production teams, to make sure that no other pressures changed their creative flow. The Favors are currently on a short tour, only holding small audiences in casual settings. As it seems right now, “The Dream” is just a one-off production, as they both plan to continue solo projects. However, their undeniable stage chemistry and addictive musical styles might just leave listeners wanting more of The Favors.
The album starts off with a short intro, “Restless Little Heart:” 55 seconds full of Ashe’s classic ascending bassline and slow grooviness that leaves listeners curious about what comes next. The rest of the album flows back and forth between the distinct musical styles of both artists. The title track, “The Dream,” and the final track, “Home Sweet Home,” bring in Ashe’s upbeat, powerful lyrics, very similar to her sophomore album, “Rae.” Written after finding herself post-divorce from a young marriage, “Rae” emphasizes Ashe’s healed energy. Each one of her albums seem to bring a new era; before “Rae” was her first album, “Ashlyn,” written about finding herself and healing from the failed marriage. Her third project, “The Dream,” brings to life falling in love and going through the emotions of love and heartbreak with a sweet tone that portrays that this is the way life is supposed to be.
Other tracks like “The Little Mess You Made,” “David’s Brother” and “Someday I’ll Be Back In Hollywood” highlight FINNEAS’ musical style similar to his most recent album, “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” His artistic style also transforms with each album he releases, with “Blood Harmony” and “Optimist” bringing a gloomy mood with melancholy lyrics to his discography, to “For Cryin’ Out Loud” introducing an upbeat, happier tone to life and love. His classic, synth-y licks paired with a slow yet groovy drum beat are emphasized throughout the album.
The continuous flip-flop in musical style from track to track is like watching your two favorite TV show worlds collide. Their musical styles are similar and yet distinct enough from each other to make it clear which one is shining through in each track. Not only do listeners get the chance to hear new music from them, they also get to travel through each artist’s album eras from their gloomier and more painful days to the brighter and pumped up days of now. Their ability to harmonize and complement each other through each song tickles the brain and leaves listeners intrigued to find out what the next track has to offer.
However, when comparing “The Dream” to their 2021 single “Till Forever Falls Apart,” the album follows the much more basic storyline of romantic relationships. “Till Forever Falls Apart” brings to life the power of friendship and finding love within life as it is, while “The Dream” seems to follow the same formulaic plot as most pop songs do: love and heartbreak. This formula is fool-proof, but also lacks the uniqueness that “Till Forever Falls Apart” brought to the table. The single was a short and sweet showcase of their amazing artistic compatibility, but it also set the bar high for their future works. “The Dream” came across more like a collage of their works than a product of their high potential collaboration.
“The Dream” has yet to live up to the 432 million streams that “Till Forever Falls Apart” has on Spotify, but the album is still a masterpiece that deserves some attention. It brings listeners through the waves of navigating a love life and allows them to feel the heartache of learning to let go in a relationship. Fans of either FINNEAS or Ashe would enjoy picking out the pieces of their own unique additions in each song. Even if “The Dream” may not live up to the duo’s full potential, it is still a worthwhile listen as it encapsulates each artist’s individual musical eras into one neat package.