Album review: Pray for Rain, by Pure Bathing Culture

Pray for Rain is indie dream-pop group Pure Bathing Culture's second LP, following their 2013 debut album, Moon Tides. Pray for Rain is full of danceable beats and shimmering, rythymic guitars, which--combined with lead singer Sarah Versprille's dreamy and lofty vocals--creates a trancelike, even hypnotic sonic atmosphere. The album sounds consistently upbeat and rarely ventures far from its dream-pop structure, but its lyrics on tracks like "The Tower" and "Darling, Save Us" are thematically hefty, contemplating mortality and the fleeting nature of life. Other standout songs include title track "Pray for Rain," probably the most energetic track sung nearly entirely with rhetorical questions, and the thoughtful and laid back "In the Night, In the Peaceful Night," an excellent ending to a fine album. Pray for Rain is perfect for dream-pop fans--it's an enjoyable, relaxing, blissful album that will help you unwind from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.