An easy favourite from the year so far, intricately united layers of retro synth, bass, voice and rhythm softly raining down, as Raephantom delivers the enchanting Dreamer.
Built up of shoegaze layers and a sort of relevantly nostalgic eighties drum beat and bass combo, complete with a subtle yet seductive saxophone solo, Dreamer features triphop-mixed vocals both breathy and melodic, paired across this colourful and melodic arena of instrumentation.
It’s a fine set-up, beautifully familiar yet fresh as each changing stage presents itself. Consider the keys, the humble switches in tune, the poignancy of certain lyrics – the overwhelming emotion of ‘thank you for the suffering’ and the heartbreaking optimism of ‘fight your way back to me’. The voice is cleverly mixed, a secondary aspect to the general mood of the music, but with very particular lines piercing through the fullness to connect and provoke thought.
We’re somewhere between the likes of M83, The xx, classic eighties and modern cinematic pop – traits also present for the prior single Blade Runner. There’s a beautifully crisp production allowing Dreamer to shine with intense brightness. At the same time, this is an original take on the classic songs of heartbreak – ‘the one that got away’ resounds as a relatable and accessible concept, in between these more personal and sometimes scornful reflections on a relationship gone awry.
Quite stunning really, simple but immersive and hypnotic for its looping and professional production – interesting and moving for its clear sense of heart. I look forward to more music from Raephantom.
Find Raephantom’s Dreamer on Apple.
