"Surrounded by Dreams" is the latest offering from Asleep and Awake, a captivating exploration of the liminal spaces between wakefulness and sleep. Released on March 18, 2024, via SWR Dream, this album is a delicate tapestry of 30 tracks that span a concise yet immersive 49 minutes. Asleep and Awake delve into the phenomena of hypnagogic states, sleep paralysis, and the vivid, often surreal experiences that occur as we drift off to sleep or wake up.
The album opens with the gentle "Hillside Stream" and meanders through a series of evocative titles like "Releif Mild," "Droning Dramatic," and "Temple Decay," each track a brief yet potent vignette that paints a vivid picture of the subconscious mind at work. With tracks like "Hypnagogic hallucinations" and "Sleep paralysis" serving as inspiration, Asleep and Awake create an atmosphere that is both comforting and slightly disorienting, much like the state of being half-asleep.
"Surrounded by Dreams" is an intriguing journey through the night, capturing the weird, random nature of pre-sleep images and the eerie stillness of sleep paralysis. It's an album that invites introspection and reflection, offering a unique perspective on the universal experience of sleep and the consciousness that flickers within it. Whether you're looking to unwind, reflect, or simply explore the strange landscapes of the mind, "Surrounded by Dreams" is an album that promises to captivate and intrigue.
Vinylscout