Most of the time, achieving one’s dreams doesn’t come easy. Even times of success can be followed by times of doubt, severe writer’s block, and questioning oneself over the meaning of their pursuit.
Such was the case for Matt Martin, the singer-songwriter at the center of indie rock outlet Wanderwild when recording “Dreams”. The Georgian artist has since moved on to greener pastures, announcing the release date of his new album, In Due Time, on 17 November.
Sonically, the track culminates into a vibe similar to output by bands like the War on Drugs and Tame Impala. Although, thematically, the soaring, ethereal, and strummy makeup of Wanderwild‘s “Dreams” reflects on a much different time for Martin.
Martin says, “‘Dreams’ is a song about me trying to convince myself to keep pursuing music. It was written in a time of self-doubt and uncertainty, in the early days of Wanderwild’s existence. I wasn’t on the verge of quitting music necessarily, but I was struggling to find meaning and purpose behind songwriting and creativity. I was tired of placing stock in other people’s validation and needed to find new joy and conviction in my work. “Dreams” came out of admitting the absurdity of it all, so that I could hopefully move forward and make music for myself again.”
“Currents by Tame Impala had just come out when I wrote ‘Dreams’, so that record influenced my production approach. Specifically, the filter in the intro and third verse and the punchy, real-but-sampled-feeling drum sounds. Currents is about as cool as it gets for a pop aesthetic.”
“One cool thing about ‘Dreams’ is that it’s one of those songs that felt like it wrote itself. It was written in one evening, lyrics and all, after having a conversation with one of my roommates (also a musician) about the frustrations that come with trying to make meaningful music to share with others, while also staying grounded in your own purpose and artistry and happiness.”