I had never heard of this genre either, courtesy of Wikipedia:
The AllMusic Guide to Electronica defines dream pop as "an atmospheric subgenre of alternative rock that relies on sonic textures as much as melody".
[8] Common characteristics are breathy vocals and use of guitar effects, often producing a "wall of noise".
[8][3] Dream pop tends to focus on
textures and moods rather than propulsive rock riffs.
[9] Lyrics are often introspective or
existential in nature.
[9] In the view of music critic
Simon Reynolds, dream pop "celebrates rapturous and transcendent experiences, often using druggy and mystical imagery".
[3] According to Rachel Felder, dream pop artists often resist representations of
social reality in favor of ambiguous or hallucinogenic experiences.
[10]