EXTENDED PLAY 101: G FLIP | DREAM RIDE | ALBUM REVIEW
Words by Brooke Gibbs.
G Flip’s third record, Dream Ride, is a bold leap into neon-lit theatrics, emotional vulnerability, and unapologetic identity. Where About Us introduced the world to their bedroom-pop intimacy and Drummer showcased percussive power and confidence, Dream Ride goes for spectacle; equal parts 80s fantasy, queer defiance, and road-trip catharsis. Each track plays like a different stop along the way, together forming G Flip’s most ambitious work yet.
Disco Cowgirl is the first real burst of energy. Big drums, shimmering synths, and disco-tinged swagger mix with a bittersweet edge about fleeting love. It’s brash but vulnerable, the perfect blend of party anthem and emotional confession that sets the tone for the record’s high-octane heart.
I Don’t Wanna Regret slows things down slightly, pulling us into late-night introspection. The track balances a pulsing pop rhythm with lyrics about choices, chances, and missed opportunities. It feels like the moment in the drive where the lights blur past and your thoughts get heavier.
In Another Life soars as one of the album’s most heartfelt songs. It captures longing and loneliness, pairing anthemic production with the raw ache in G Flip’s voice. The chorus is tailor-made for a stadium sing-along, but at its core is a quiet yearning for a connection that never quite was.
Bed on Fire burns brightest as the album’s emotional centerpiece. Drawing on G Flip’s upbringing, first queer love, and the shame and defiance tied up in it, the track is raw, cathartic, and defiant. It’s both confession and reclamation, turning pain into power with a searing hook that lingers long after.
Cut His Dick Off is provocative before a note even plays, but what makes it compelling is the restraint of the sound itself. Instead of a thrash, it’s slick, steady, and almost understated; creating tension between title and execution. It’s cheeky, unsettling, and political, daring listeners to sit with the dissonance.
Baby, I’m a Winner bounces back with confidence and grit. It’s a self-love anthem, playful and victorious after the vulnerability of earlier tracks. The percussion drives it like a victory lap, radiating pride and swagger without losing warmth.
Big Ol’ Hammer doubles down on the bravado. Loud, punchy, and tongue-in-cheek, it’s one of the most fun moments on the record. It feels like G Flip flexing; a reminder that beneath the emotional depth, they still know how to deliver pure, unfiltered energy.
Exactly What I Like strips things back to intimacy. It’s about desire and simple pleasures, delivered with charm and restraint. After the bombast of the previous two tracks, it works as a breather; a reminder that satisfaction doesn’t always need fireworks.
Lush leans into indulgence. Layered production and sensual tones give the song its name: rich textures that feel tactile and immersive. It’s a track about letting yourself sink into sensation, and it provides one of the record’s most sonically immersive moments.
Let’s Take This Show on the Road is a perfect closer. Optimistic and romantic, it envisions a lifelong ride with a partner; driving, aging, and loving together until the end. It ties the album’s journey together, turning the metaphor of the “dream ride” into something deeply human and hopeful.
As a whole, Dream Ride is G Flip’s most daring and theatrical album to date. Compared to the stripped honesty of About Us and the drum-driven confidence of Drummer, this record is a widescreen production; brash, experimental, sometimes uneven, but always ambitious. Its strongest moments (Bed on Fire, In Another Life, Disco Cowgirl) hit harder than anything they’ve released before, and even when the experiments don’t fully land, they show an artist unafraid of risk. Dream Ride isn’t just a step forward; it’s a full-speed charge into G Flip’s boldest era yet.