Dreamer Boy Pens Love Letter to Kinship with New Release
words by Ruby Box, photos by Adam Alonzo
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Based in Nashville, bedroom-pop master Dreamer Boy has released the first taste of his new project All The Ways We Are Together, ‘Know You’. The tune serves as a joyous soundtrack to growing up. He is no stranger to ethereal tones that take aim at unexplored parts of the heart. Zach Taylor provides listeners with an intimate contemplation of youth, friendship and the world that progresses around us. The certifiably chill tune is accompanied by a similarly graceful music video, which includes film footage of Taylor and his friends, to whom the song is a love letter. The video also incorporates footage sent in by fans of Dreamer Boy, further establishing the universality of the song.
“It feels sort of like that initial connection with another person. The journey is ahead of you but this is the jumping off point.”
The video allows a sense of warmth, as we recall the times spent with friends in a world without troubles. Whether or not hangouts have been affected by a pandemic, losing touch, or fiery falling outs, the official clip for ‘Know You’ allows viewers to reflect upon past, present and future relationships through rose-tinted glasses.
‘Know You’ develops as a charming portrait of freedom, honesty, and growth, ‘like inspiring to call your friend you haven’t talked to in a few weeks’.
“Just take that moment for gratitude. It’s such a beautiful thing to be known and understood by someone else, and that’s what this song celebrates.”
The track and video perfectly intertwine as they become an increasingly sincere tribute to absolute friendship. ‘Know You’ develops as a charming portrait of freedom, honesty, and growth, ‘like inspiring to call your friend you haven’t talked to in a few weeks’. The music video is delivered in the form of a series of candid clips. The activities of Taylor and his friends is that of most groups of friends with an afternoon to themselves, as most viewers can easily intercut memories of times spent with their friends within the imagery of the clip. This enables the audience to relate the sound to their individual experiences. ‘You hate your mom but love the pool’ artfully encapsulates the beauty, nuance, and power held in such priceless relationships in youth. Words that can only be honestly spoken amongst friends are what lie at the base of ‘Know You’. It’s a reminder of the freedom in late night drives, communal picnics and unscheduled venting sessions.
Despite being written pre-COVID, the track carries new weight in a world riddled by social distancing and mandatory face masks, where displays of affection are policed. Awareness of the bonding rituals of yesteryear are increasingly sorrowful, but ‘Know You’ wants you to remember how amazing it was. The tune doesn’t necessarily tell a story, but it encapsulates a feeling of warmth, sadness, and appreciation; nostalgia.
If nothing else, Dreamer Boy wants ‘Know You’ to ‘make us just hug those people or roommates that we are around every day a little tighter’ and appreciate what is in front of us - the people, the relationships, and the potential for new ones. We are given the power to persist with growing up, evolving through our relationships, experiences and love for each other.
“It’s the beginning of a new friendship and it feels like anything is possible.”
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