The LA Dreams Report

One artist in the 80s inspired synth scene produces so much music that it's, quite honestly, very hard to keep up with, this is of course none other than LA Dreams. His production rate is consistently astounding with so much music that it becomes almost impossible to properly digest. Some may say that LA Dreams should produce less and refine more, whereas obviously LA Dreams thinks differently.

I for one am much more a 'make hay while the sun shines' listener and will get whatever I can for tomorrow there may be none. In LA Dreams case, as I've stated previously on here, I believe that he'll be making gorgeous 80s synth music for the duration as it's quite apparent that he loves what he does and he does it simply for his own pleasure which is a combination that makes for maximum rockin in my eyes and ears.

As LA Dreams is so prolific in this regard I plan on doing an LA Dreams Update sporadically to make sure everyone's up with all the rockin music he's released.  With a new album around the corner, as per usual, I thought it best to bring everyone up to speed with all the happenings in the world of LA Dreams over the last month or there abouts.




Towards the end of January LA Dreams released the full length album Dayton Rising, which was a follow up the excellent Stereo Rewind he released on the 1st of January. This record has some of LA Dreams most amazing experiences thus far and his craftsmanship throughout each piece began taking on some more experimental tones. It's these tracks that separate themselves from the others and make the album-experience totally thrilling.

The real magic on this album begins with Penumbra. Out of nowhere the sinister mood and deliberate pace electrify the soundscape. Building like a classic Jan Hammer soundtrack piece Penumbra takes LA Dreams reasonably close to dark synth styles but the absolutely stunning lead synth melody shines brightly over the miasma brought out in the rhythm section. This is easily one of my favourite LA Dreams pieces, purely stunning in it's delivery and execution.

Promises Lies And Audio Cassettes is another standout piece with the darker tones once again delivering tension and drama. In these two tracks especially the LA Dreams sound begins to welcome in the shadowy realms and the darker side of the spectrum. Don't get me wrong, the album is full of the brilliant synth romance and emotionally engaging LA Dreams specific sounds on many of the tracks, but the overall theme of night-danger and the seamy underworld of the darkness are running themes throughout nearly all the compositions. This album really takes the LA Dreams experience we're familiar with and tilts it sideways, with very gratifying results.




LA Dreams released A Teen Romance on February 19 and this served as a return to the light of day from the darkness of Daytona Rising. Right from the outset the glorious melodies and LA Dreams arrangements welcome you in like an old friend, warm and familiar but full of energy and joie de vivre. As A Teen Romance rocks on we find LA Dreams walking into some distinctly new funkier towns. The make up of Games is very intriguing with it's synth funk personality and raucous percussive nature which is marvellously contrasted by the next piece, Hand In Hand which conversely embues a much more intimate sexuality into the emotions and is rather aurally arousing.

A Teen Romance is peppered with nuances that really display in no uncertain terms how much LA Dreams enjoys his music. The arrangements feel loved and nurtured and sounds are dripping with thick layers of gloss. LA Dreams really hits this style out of the ball park on Under The Night Sky and Time In A Bottle, which I find myself repeating the most. The final track, Battle Over You serves as a hugely energetic theme that instantly brings to mind scenes from every classic 80s 'Tit City High' movie and perfectly captures the experience in three minutes and nineteen seconds of totally rad hard rockin gold.

This record is full of moments you'll love, moments that bring the romance of the 80s, teen crushes, unrequited love, classroom politics and growing up all together into an experience that's still as fresh as it was nearly thirty years ago. I always find a new LA Dreams record like discovering a time capsule from the 80s, and it's the authenticity in the music that instantly takes me back and A Teen Romance does this every time I listen to it.




This brings us up to the last track LA Dreams shared with us, Racing The Cube. Although most definitely in the classic LA Dreams mould, this piece feels it's leaning towards a more epic atmosphere with some soundtrack synth elements just being hinted at. Of course this piece just pure LA Dreams magic throughout with his trademark details and ever flawless percussive tracks.

That does us for our first and assuredly not last LA Dreams Report. You can pick up both of his kick arse albums on his Bandcamp page here and as always I'll be sure to share the LA Dreams experience with you on Synthetix.FM again soon.