Exotically Caribbean-flavored and driven by a pulsating percussive force as bold as any lyric ever could be, the beat we encounter in “Dream of Me” is arguably one of the most relaxed singer/songwriter Whitebeard has ever worked with. In this all-new single and music video, Whitebeard experiments with grooves as a means of expression, but rhythm is only one sterling element to behold here. “Dream of Me” is a colorfully melodic slow jam with a subtly evocative harmony that guides its narrative from artist to audience rather seamlessly, and among the releases this musician has shared with us to date, it’s a contender for being my personal favorite. There are a lot of fun indie tracks out right this spring, but for those you need to hear in the week ahead, this tops the list.
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There’s a summery vibe to the main melody in “Dream of Me” that is impossible to escape from beginning to end. Even without taking into consideration the freewheeling visuals that accompany it in the music video, the chorus is a bonfire-starter if I’ve ever heard one before. While our focus is primarily split between the swinging groove and the velvety vocal Whitebeard is laying down at the front of the track, there aren’t any components within the harmony that sound understated in the grander scheme of things. This is a great example of pop songwriting met with a liberal worldbeat aesthetic a lot of artists have been trying to incorporate into their sound lately (though few have found the success Whitebeard does in this single).
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I love the clarity in this master mix. Though the lyrics are heartily communicative and devoid of any annoying enigmas that would have watered-down the emotion here, every instrumental facet in the song sports just as much passion as the verses do. By using the harmonies to amplify the catharsis in his words, Whitebeard produces something far more full-bodied than most anything I’ve listened to on the mainstream side of the dial in “Dream of Me.” There’s a hint of conventional pop conceptualism in the bones of this composition, but at the end of the day, this is about as far away from the mundane major label beats of the FM model as it gets – in a good way, of course.
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Whitebeard delivers another radio-friendly stunner of an indie track in “Dream of Me,” and if you’re looking for a sweet underground melody to usher in the summer, it’s absolutely a solid pick. In the last few years, we’ve collectively seen an uptick in pessimistic narratives across the whole of western pop music, but there isn’t a grey cloud in sight in the video for this song. Similarly, the harmonies it was built upon offer nothing but happiness and clear sunshine, and in times that have felt a little darker than the norm, it couldn’t be arriving at a more pivotal moment this season. I’m excited to see what Whitebeard does next, and once you check this single out, I think you will be as well.
Troy Johnston