Poptones "Hypnagogic State"

Sounds from Denmark

15/11/2025 |

Poptones’ “Hypnagogic State” is a hypnotic whirlwind of post-rock intensity and shoegaze dreaminess, locking listeners into a liminal space between chaos and calm. At just under three minutes, the track pulses with explosive dynamics—swelling, dissonant guitars dissolve into tightly wound rhythmic bursts, creating a sonic push-and-pull that mirrors the fleeting, half-dreamed visions of its namesake state. Drawing clear lineage from the textured haze of My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, the Danish trio layers noise not as chaos, but as emotion: each feedback swell feels intentional, each rhythmic collapse a sigh. The interplay between Mads Bertelsen’s anchoring bass, Simon Hiemstra Christoffersen’s swirling guitars, and Anders Dahl Poulsen’s precise, propulsive drums reveals a deep, almost telepathic musical bond forged over years of shared history and mutual influence.

Beyond its 90s shoegaze roots, “Hypnagogic State” pulses with the angular urgency of Black Midi and the emotional rawness of Crack Cloud, marrying experimental grit with an undeniable melodic pull. It’s music that doesn’t ask for permission—it pulls you under, then gently releases you, leaving you breathless but transformed. As the opening track of their acclaimed 2025 album Pure, it sets a bold tone: this isn’t nostalgia rehashed, but a visceral evolution of sound, shaped by decades of listening, living, and playing together. Produced once again by Jens Ramon, the track embodies the band’s signature alchemy—noisy yet intimate, chaotic yet controlled—offering not just a song, but a full sensory experience suspended between wakefulness and dream.