“The Strangest Dream” by Crystal Cities – A Song Feature

 

     In the universe of Crystal Cities, a recurring dream that nightmarishly progresses toward impending death provides the inspiration for a song with energizing guitar riffs and galloping percussion. It’s a display of the difference between most of us and the creatively artistic few. “The Strangest Dream” is a single from the upcoming LP with the untypically long title “I Should Have Known That This Was War.” In talking about the song, vocalist Geoff Rana said:
   “'The Strangest Dream' is about a recurring dream I was having where I was fighting for my life against some kind of foe. Some nights the dream would become so intense that I felt like there was no escape and that I was looking death right in the eyes. It was always then that I would be awakened.”
 
     The vocal emotion is powerful, as the inflections embrace the darkness and fears during the description of the dream. Still, the instrumental contributions are the highlight. “The Strangest Dream” explodes at 1:20. It is at that point that the skillfulness in the drumming becomes apparent. The members of Crystal Cities are Geoff Rana (lead vocals, guitar, keys), Jared King (bass, backing vocals), and Neel Shukla (drums). We find the following insightful:
  Spacey dreamscape during the verses turn into thundering choruses as the track unfurls. New drummer Neel Shukla makes his presence known as he digs deep into his rolling chorus pattern, gradually building in intensity and complexity. Jared King’s bass also gets a moment to take center stage in verse three as the instrumentation is pared back to just a synth pad, bass and vocals. A beautiful moment ensues as the bass and lead vocal dance around each other before the song explodes once again into an anthemic but ominous chorus that The National would be proud of.
 
     Crystal Cities are based in Sydney, Australia. “I Should Have Known That This Was War” will be their third LP.
 
     “The Strangest Dream” by Crystal Cities

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Website: https://crystalcities.co/
Bandcamp: https://crystalcities.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “The Strangest Dream” by Crystal Cities
The lions on the run, I see
They slowly circle back on me
All these eyes abandon here
As I slowly walk on through the years
 
And if we leave now, we can make it there
I’ve seen a side of you
And all these colors, they don’t care for us
And now my head, it’s in such a rush
 
Turn off the light, turn off the light
I hear your voice, but I can’t make out what you’re trying to say
And I’m slowly walking on fire
Turn off the light so I can be here
I tried to memorize all my fear
But, as far as I know, it’s just a matter of time
 
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night
Yeah, I had the strangest dream
Yeah, the one I’ve had a million times
Yeah, the one where I wake before I die
 
Turn off the light, turn off the light
I hear your voice, but I can’t make out what you’re trying to say
And I’m slowly walking on fire
Turn off the light so I can be here
I tried to memorize all my fear
But, as far as I know, it’s just a matter of time
 
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night (Turn off the lights, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream (Turn off the light, turn off the light, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night (Turn off the lights, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream (Turn off the light, turn off the light, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night (Turn off the lights, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream (Turn off the light, turn off the light, so I can be here)
 
But I wake before I die