Dream Bodies Unleashes Hypnotic Brilliance With “Don't Look Back” In A Powerfully Evocative Tour De Force
- STAFF
- May 6
- 4 min read
By: Staff
A jaw-dropping vocal masterclass and synth-laced sonic thrill ride from Dream Bodies.
We’ve experienced Dream Bodies before, and when we heard about this latest release, we dove right in to experience the brilliant work of this creator.
The opening of “Don't Look Back” begins with a tantalizing drum beat that showcases intricate, exhilarating, and exceptional drum patterns. This serves as a compelling introduction, drawing listeners into the performance. Following that is a hypnotic and captivating bassline that provides a sustained yet slightly erratic movement, delivered at a rapid pace. It almost feels like a robotically played electric bass guitar rather than a synthesized sound. We appreciate this almost reverse effect, where sounds become more human-like or sentient, bringing about an exciting sensation. It definitely evokes a 90s texture, blending strong essences of that era with a powerful contemporary feel.
The synth sounds serve as a powerful anchor point of this song. They feel dynamically mixed to open powerfully and then gently fade away, like a laser bullet firing and visually fading into the expanse of space. This sound starts off rapidly and then rhythmically hollows out, perfectly designed to match the flow of the bass rhythms. As they continue to fire out like radio laser beams, the rapid delivery perfectly sets the stage for the exciting vocal performance that follows.
Dream Bodies possesses the perfect register to deliver vocals that almost replicate a synth sound. His voice reverberates with a low baritone sensation that hums as it's being sung. This style, an anchor of the new wave and dark wave genres from the 90s, wows us today, and would have been considered exceptional, almost god-like if he were born at that time. It feels like an extremely difficult technique to display, but is effortlessly executed by Dream Bodies. This almost divine version of a devil's tone is where the artist shines, managing to contain the voice within a limited range of upper and lower tones. He fills that space and, while delivering the note, vibrates them through, becoming instrumental in its power throughout the song. If you close your eyes and focus, it's as if the song's notes are being carried by his vocals, not the other way around.
We definitely enjoyed the interlude, which felt more like a vocal and drum solo than a traditional interlude. Utilizing a standard technique where the sound drops out and the vocals are on display, he delivers a more spaced-out rendition of the lyrics:
“They see what is not there”
This leads into a creative interlude in the lyrics:
“So don’t you look back”
This section is filled with tantalizing drum fills that, rather than slowing down the interlude, actually make it feel sped up and more exhilarating. We felt this was an excellent production technique.
Following this, with the return of the synth sounds, it becomes like a light show of synths, highlighting the vocals in an exhilarating manner. What makes this song stand out from its predecessors is absolutely the vocal styling of Dream Bodies, but also the transformation of the standard synth sounds. They derive and transform into a lower tone, creating the quintessential guitar-style solo synth performance. This brilliant display, with its cascading notes, then fades brilliantly into its baseline. There were noticeable influences of Giorgio Moroder and Cerrone, with a very heavy baseline dominating the track momentarily. It felt like a definite homage, brilliantly placed within the song.
After experiencing this song in its entirety, it's evident that Dream Bodies knows how to take inspiration and repackage it into something completely fresh and new, leaving an indelible mark. Whether it's his incredibly unique vocal delivery, which stands alone as an incredible gift embodying this genre, or harnessing the sounds and techniques used by the greats and presenting them in a contemporary manner, we truly appreciated this performance.
If you appreciate these genres, you’ll absolutely appreciate and cannot miss the very possible time traveler that is Dream Bodies.
Don't Look Back” by Dream Bodies is a genre-defining triumph that pulses with bold innovation and emotional fire.
Dream Bodies is the solo project of Steven Fleet, an artist whose musical journey has seen collaborations with members of Magic Wands, VV and the Void, Night Nail, and Boytronic.
Fleet has toured extensively across the US, UK, and Europe, sharing stages with bands like The Chameleons. His sound blends post-punk, darkwave, and dreampop, drawing influences from The Chameleons, The Glove, Clan of Xymox, Sad Lovers and Giants, The Cure, New Order, Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, Sisters of Mercy, Echo and the Bunnymen, Depeche Mode, Molchat Doma, and The KVB.
“Don't Look Back” originated from a past collaboration between Dexy Valentine (Magic Wands) and Steven Fleet under the project Starlit Motel. Originally written by Dexy Valentine, the song was a standout favorite from those sessions. Fleet has revamped the track with its original chugging bass rhythm and chord progression, a more synth-driven arrangement, added guitar parts, and a new middle section. While the lyrics may have changed, the emotional core and message remain: Don't look back. Move forward.
Themes of the song include letting go of the past, embracing the unknown, and trusting in destiny (“only the stars know”).
We're so excited to have found and can’t wait to hear more from Dream Bodies!
Stream, playlist, and share “Don't Look Back” by Dream Bodies—this is one you don’t want to miss.
Lyrics – “Don’t Look Back”:
Once you had a girl with stars in her hair Une saison en enfer…
Eyes are the window to the soul They see what is not there
So don’t you look back Keep your eyes on track When the sky’s blue and black Don’t look back
Waiting for the train in the summer rain No place and no name
Now you’re on the run in the summer sun The train…never comes
When lows are higher than highs are high It’s time to let it fly
Something’s waiting for me on the other side Will you be waiting on the other side I’ll let stars decide
