A Chat with Dream Eyes (27.09.21)
The brainchild of Limerick-based Tadgh Collins, Dream Eyes uses synth-driven ambient vibes to create a cinematic soundscape. We speak with Collins about his new single ‘Heaven’, discovering new music and favourite smells.
OSR: What drew you to music?
Collins: I always remembered being impressed with frontmen for bands that I admired like Bloc Party and The Strokes. I was taken in by the music and the lyrics and the overall style of these guys. I wanted to emulate them and be able to communicate something through music like they were doing.
OSR: I understand there’s a bit of a tale behind the name Dream Eyes. Care to share?
Collins: Yeah, I’ve always been fascinated with dreams, ever since I was young, and I still am, to be honest! It’s fascinating that a dream can seem so real and completely surreal at the same time. I wanted a name that would be somewhat memorable but also set the stage for the types of sounds people can expect from Dream Eyes, which include dream-pop influences like Beach House.
OSR: Who inspires you to create music?
Collins: I find the best inspiration is listening to artists that I feel are making music that is stretching themselves slightly. I love seeing or hearing an artist from any medium that is trying something new or challenging themselves. That inspires me to keep experimenting and growing.
I also love the idea that something new can always be created. I love writing music every day and seeing what happens. I’m hoping to release a lot more music in the coming year and start getting back on stage around Dublin also.
OSR: What is the backstory to your single ‘Heaven’?
Collins: I had written a version of ‘Heaven’ back in October of last year which I liked but hadn’t found the best way forward with it. So it lay dormant for a while until I started working with a collaborator and friend of mine, Kieran Lane. We decided to work on some songs together and ‘Heaven’ was one of the three we took forward.
We took it forward over the summer and spent a few months working on arrangement and production. Now we’re very proud of the end result and excited to finally be able to share it. It’s definitely true to the original feel of the demo but has tightened up considerably, in no small part thanks to Kieran’s collaboration.
OSR: Did you face any challenges when recording ‘Heaven’?
Collins: I actually did. I was pretty dismayed to be told by Kieran that tea and coffee are not best consumed while recording vocals in order to protect the voice’s endurance and performance. It was off-limits on the weekend that Kieran and I recorded the vocals for ‘Heaven’ and some other upcoming releases. A challenging time for sure, but I got through it.
In all seriousness though, we were lucky to not hit too many bumps on the road to finishing ‘Heaven’. It was a fairly natural process.
OSR: If you could change one thing about the track, what would it be and why?
Collins: I think I would like to hear the track at another tempo. I think we hit the perfect pace for the version that we made but I think ‘Heaven’ would make a great remix/dance version which I would be curious to hear at some point.
OSR: What do you think is the best way to discover music in the Internet Era?
Collins: I like using Spotify to pick random playlists to expose myself to random music that may not necessarily be inside my usual musical interest. But I still feel that recommendations from other friends and other people are a great way to discover quality music. If someone is willing to go out on a limb to vouch for a band, I find that to be a good litmus test for quality.
OSR: What makes you cry?
Collins: Sometimes books and films or other people’s stories that are both sad and relatable or joyous and relatable.
OSR: What is your favourite smell?
Collins: The smell of coffee on a cold morning is great.
OSR: Do you have any message for our readers?
Collins: Thank you for listening to this single! Lots of new music to come from Dream Eyes in the coming months, and thanks to The Other Side Reviews for getting the word out about ‘Heaven’. All the best and take care!
Thanks to Tadhg Collins for speaking with us. For more from Dream Eyes check out his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
