Johnny Hunter is back with a new single called ‘Dreams’, which arrives today (May 12) with details on the Sydney post-punkers’ debut studio album.
Building on the soulful flair of the band’s previous single, “Endless Days,” their new track cuts the energy even further, cruising with shimmering ’80s synths, a laid-back beat, and freshly strummed acoustic guitars that gently buzz in the verses, but roar to life with an electric growl when the chorus kicks in.
Nick Hutt’s lead vocal shines on this chorus, as he sings with passion: “I don’t ever want to wake up and realize I’m still dreaming about you.”
Listen to “Dreams” below:
In a press release, Hutt noted that ‘Dreams’ was written as “a love song dedicated to the fear of coming to terms with life’s changes – good or bad – and inspired by an ever-changing Sydney”. He explained: “The Sydney I grew up in is a very different Sydney than the one we live in today. Iconic buildings have been demolished for high-rise apartments and famous concert halls destroyed by political legislation.
“One day you’re walking down the street in the sun and the next day you’re confined within the four walls of your own bedroom. Johnny Hunter started playing live music when live music died in Sydney – feeling sorry for himself and declaring that the current situation was insurmountable would mean that this band would not exist. The same goes for the difficulties of modern times – we cannot dwell on them, we must run with them to progress.
This notion of power through hardship in the pursuit of personal growth is, ultimately, what gave the creative impetus to Johnny Hunter’s debut album. Hutt added, “Each song is a challenge we faced as a band and as individuals to realize who Johnny Hunter is and ultimately who we really are.”
Titled “Want”, the album – produced by former Preatures guitarist Jack Moffitt and mixed by IDLES collaborator Atom Greenspan – is slated for a June 24 release via Cooking Vinyl. “Dreams” is our fourth single, after “Life”, “Cry Like A Man” and “Endless Days”.
Its central theme is “human connection,” the aforementioned presser notes, as Hutt further explained: “No matter how different we may seem… not knowing what we want, we’ve all been naive, we we all strived to find our version. of life, we all fear change, fear sadness, all in the midst of our own fading collective eternity.
Check out the cover art and track list for “Want” below:
1. Want
2. Endless Days
3. The floor
4. Life
5. Dreams
6. Fracture
7. Cry like a man
8. Eternity Fades
9. Take off
10. Clover
