There seems to be more music than ever being made at the moment that asks us some big questions about the future in it. And why not? It’s a pretty important line of inquiry, and if music is all too often used merely as entertainment, such an approach gives it some all-important and redeeming features. Sometimes, it provokes a reaction through lyrical statements, and often, by letting the music do the talking and asking the listener to just think about things. Big things. Huge things. Dream of the World is Richard Evans doing both.
This latest EP, short, sharp and shockingly perceptive, follows in the footsteps of his previous album, Sentinal, delving deep into the theme of governmental procrastination in the face of an all-too-real climate crisis. It’s a bold confrontation, a searing accusation hurled at the feet of complacency, as the powers-that-be cower behind the excuse that there’s nothing to be done to avert the impending doom. But it doesn’t stop there. Evans takes it a step further, musing on the notion of confronting our own mortality at a personal level, defiantly planting a flag in the ground as a reminder that we needn’t settle for the hand we’ve been dealt.
And as these weighty themes unfold, the musical vessel that carries these ideas sails in with an equal touch of elegance. Smooth, gently dance-fueled grooves and swathes of synths serve as the sonic backdrop, fluid and futuristic, a soothing elixir for the senses, luring you into their captivating embrace.
Richard Evans gets it, folks. He understands that in this day and age, changing people’s minds about anything is like trying to move a mountain, given the entrenched nature of our political, social, and environmental debates. Better to tease out seemingly loose yet vitally pertinent ideas wrapped in irresistibly addictive melodies, allowing the listener to connect the dots on their own terms?
Sure, all good music has the power to make you feel, but it takes a masterful songcrafter like Evans to nudge you into thinking, really thinking. And that, my friends, is a whole different ball game.
Dream of The World EP
Spotify
Order the single
