Alexander Wren – “The Hum”
Photos by Gabe Drechsler
From New York, Alexander Wren returns to the blog with the spellbinding track “The Hum.”
“The Hum” is a psychedelic dream pop track that sounds unlike anything else in the genre I’ve come across. That’s certainly not a bad thing. The closest comparison would maybe be Zero 7. In essence, sophisticated lounge music with an emphasis on emotional sensation. It makes you want to drift away and get lost in a refined, woozy atmosphere. But that definition is incomplete.
Musically, “The Hum” is centered around the colourful, intimate tones of acoustic guitar. This layer sparkles vividly throughout, joined by the emotive pedal steel guitar and an evocative electric piano. However, things get more complicated when we encounter the rippling, warping textures and effects reminiscent of early Tame Impala or perhaps even The Beach Boys’ Smiley Smile. We also get a burst of lyrical lead guitar work with the same beautiful, emotional phrasing as Pink Floyd. The type of lead guitar work that just keeps escalating to a point where you never want it to stop. Thrown into the mix, we also have inspired uses of reverb, delay and distortion that heighten the otherworldly atmosphere.
Complementing this is the vocal of Alexander Wren, which is breathy and hushed throughout... almost conversational. It lends a soft focus to the track and is supported by airy harmonies which also bare a subtle resemblance to The Beach Boys.
Alexander Wren elaborates: “The Hum will be released… in conjunction with Halloween. Inspired by my mind’s capacity to spiral, the production and imagery feel classic and brooding. Its lyrics are abstract and seek to push the limits of simplicity. An ‘Official Nightmare’ video will be released in tandem, featuring obscure archival footage reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, hypnotising the viewer and guiding them through a Freudian fever dream.”