Johnny Hunter have returned with a soaring new single titled ‘Dreams’, arriving today (May 12) alongside details for the Sydney post-punkers’ debut studio album.
Building on the wistful flair of the band’s previous single, ‘Endless Days’, their new track dials down the energy even further, cruising along with shimmery, ‘80s-channelling synths, a laidback beat and coolly strummed acoustic guitars that buzz sweetly in the verses, but roar to life with an electric grunt when the chorus kicks in.
Nick Hutt’s lead vocal shines on that chorus, as he sings passionately: “I don’t ever want to wake up and realise I’m still dreaming of you.”
Have a listen to ‘Dreams’ below:
In a press release, Hutt noted that ‘Dreams’ was written as “a love song dedicated to the fear of accepting life’s changes – good or bad – and inspired by an ever-changing Sydney”. He expounded: “The Sydney I grew up in is a very different Sydney to the one we live in today. Iconic buildings have been knocked down for sky-rise apartments and famous music venues destroyed by political legislation.
“One day you are walking down the street in the sunshine, and the next you’re confined to the four walls of your own bedroom. Johnny Hunter started playing live music during the death of live music in Sydney – wallowing in self pity and declaring the current state of affairs to be insurmountable would result in this band not existing. The same goes for experiencing any modern day hardships – we can’t dwell upon them, we need to run with them in order to progress.”
That notion of powering through hardships in the pursuit of personal evolution is, ultimately, what drove the creative impetus for Johnny Hunter’s debut album. Hutt added: “Every song is a challenge we faced as a band and as individuals in realising who Johnny Hunter is and ultimately who we truly are.”
Titled ‘Want’, the album – produced by ex-Preatures guitarist Jack Moffitt and mixed by IDLES collaborator Atom Greenspan – is primed for release on June 24 via Cooking Vinyl. ‘Dreams’ is our fourth preview of it, following ‘Life’, ‘Cry Like A Man’ and ‘Endless Days’.
It’s central theme is “human connection”, the aforementioned presser notes, as Hutt further elucidated: “No matter how different we may seem… unbeknownst to what it is we want, we have all been naive, we have all strived to find our version of life, we all fear change, fear sadness, all amidst our own collective fading eternity.”
Check out the cover art and tracklisting for ‘Want’ below:
1. Want
2. Endless Days
3. The Floor
4. Life
5. Dreams
6. Fracture
7. Cry Like A Man
8. Eternity Fades
9. Take Off
10. Clover