The Light Dreams’ synth rhythmic music sets you up to vibe. Their newest album, 'Aspects,' and the song that goes by the same name are the perfect example of The Light Dreams’ musical capabilities.
In 2006, designer and artist Alex Storer began his musical journey to become The Light Dreams. Since then, he has been creating electronic music on his own and using his vivid imagination to navigate musically through the intricacy of things.
It has long been the case that attempts to form a meaningful impression of such mysteries lend themselves well to the medium of music. His influences include some of the greatest musicians of the recent past, like Gary Numan, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, and Jean-Michel Jarre, to mention a few. Their ground-breaking works altered how we perceive musical style, and Alex has pulled from these influences to create and refine his own methodology.
"Aspects," the most recent album by The Light Dreams, transports us to a tranquil setting. As we navigate these trying circumstances, we can temporarily escape from daily life by taking the chance to appreciate this artist’s therapeutic effects.
"Aspects," the second single from the album of the same name, features delicate melodies and majestic rhythms. The music is inspirational and the perfect accompaniment to themes of reflection and contemplation.
Through the merging of electronic styles and ideas, "Aspects" gives the listener a sense of gazing beyond their ordinary reality, whether it involves transporting us to planets around far-off stars, investigating urban life, or pushing the limits of human cognition.
Welcome to BuzzMusic The Light Dreams, and congratulations on your latest release, "Aspects." What everyday sounds inspire you or trigger you to create music?
The album Aspects begins with the sound of gentle waves. The sea has always been a regular influence... there’s something about the sound of waves crashing that liberates the imagination. Being out in nature has the same effect, almost as if it clears the mind to start mentally composing – there’s a part of my brain that is always listening out for inspiration. I’ve always cited travel as a main influence on my music – the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of a time and place always spark ideas.
What is it you’re trying to transmit in "Aspects?"
Perhaps a sense of escape and serenity. Music has always been a cathartic process for me, and my work is usually tied together by a concept or a musical world I want to explore. Although Aspects contains a lot of light and shade, I wanted to create an overall mood of tranquil optimism and distraction from the world around us.
What was your main source of inspiration to create 'Aspects,' the album?
As an instrumentalist, I usually start with a concept or a title and work backward from that. Aspects came together differently. I had been slowly working on several unrelated pieces of music during the lockdown periods of 2020-21. As an entirely self-taught artist, making music is a very organic process – it isn’t something you can create on demand, so you have to wait for that right moment when things naturally flow. Last summer, I gathered this collection of tracks together and realized they all sat alongside each other perfectly – it became clear what was needed to finish them and also what kind of pieces to create to flesh it out into a full album. Aspects also go back to my roots a little, as I had been listening to the albums which originally inspired me to make my own music. Much of my output is the result of years of being a passionate music fan and soaking up decades of influence. I’m also a keen photographer, and when I was on the west coast of Scotland in September 2021, I took a photo that I immediately knew was going to be the album cover. I always plan how I want an album to look in parallel to working on the music.
What's the message you want people to take away from it?
I’d like it to be a positive experience – like the feeling you get when waking from a nice dream. It’s an album to close your eyes and drift away to and music to reflect on. There is a nostalgic tone to the music, which is partly down to the use of some classic 80s/90s Korg synths. It’s also nice when people identify with your influences, and Aspects has been likened to Jean Michel-Jarre or the late Vangelis – two of my major influences.
What's next for you?
I’m a studio artist, so I’m already thinking about my next project, how I want it to sound, and what I want to build on. Every project is a learning curve, and there is always something in each – musically or technically – which leads on to the next. I also recently released my first collaboration with Ren Faye, a wonderful vocalist. I’d been keen to see my work go in this direction for a while, so hopefully, we’ll be making more tracks together in the future.