Stars: 4/5
20 months is how long it took for Troye Sivan to feed his fans.
“In a Dream” continues Sivan’s progression of concept albums similar to his debut album “Blue Neighborhood” in 2014. “In a Dream” creates its own distinctive story, different from “Bloom“, Sivan’s second album, while using some of the same themes, such as heartbreak. The EP comes with a more mature, refreshing sound as well.
Revealing to Billboard, Sivan said that it is “…a story that’s still unfolding, this small collection of songs explores an emotional rollercoaster period in my life…” 
“In a Dream” embodies the kind of songs that play during the end credits of an adaptation of a young adult novel. It mixes in with a pinch of ‘80s pop synths, especially with the song “Easy,“ with honesty, vulnerability, and spontaneity. The lyrics sound far from forced and present authentic. Though each song sounds like warmth and blissfulness, there is still some sense of melancholy.  
My favorite song on the album is “Rager Teenager” as it reveals Sivan’s thoughts between this current self and his younger self. It is a song full of internal conflict with references to his hit songs “Wild” and “Youth.” It ripped through so many walls of nostalgia.
“Easy” takes the spot as the strongest song with “STUD” coming in a close second. Sivan’s storytelling shines with narratives between breakup and insecurity. The ‘woos’ in “Easy” are my favorite thing or the precise use of autotune at the beginning of “STUD.” “Could Cry Just Thinkin About You” is 52 seconds of vulnerability and a pure emotional confessional sung in an indie echo chamber.
“Take Yourself Home” creates a beautiful mellow state of mind until the final 50 seconds. Maybe it was the influence of Charli XCX, who had featured Sivan in the futuristic song “2099”, that inspired this out-of-the-blue ending. 
Sadly, the song that shares the name as the EP was the least appealing. It is not a bad song, but compared to the rest of the songs, it’s weak. The beginning sounds weird and the lyrics seem repetitive. My expectations were high for the title track, so I was disappointed.
Overall, I am excited for what is next in Sivan’s discography. I applaud his ability to create a vivid story while maintaining an emotional paradox through production and lyrics. If you want to escape the world for 19 minutes while feeling blue, “In a Dream” will take you through several emotions after one listen.