Radiating an earnest energy and determination, acclaimed balladeer Andy Martin has returned today with a final single for the year, concluding a 2021 that most would envy. SOLD OUT banners litter his earlier EP launch tour, which saw him run up extensive east-coast kilometers before returning to Ian Haug’s Airlock Studios (Art of Sleeping, Eliza & The Delusionals, Tia Gostelow) to birth what would become his finest track to date – ‘Dreamworld’. The finishing touches were deftly placed by James See (Cub Sport, Keeskea) and Brock Weston (Bugs, Semantics, Young Lions) to complete the angst-woven, yet buoyantly optimistic track.
Renowned for his relatable and empathetic songwriting, Andy Martin delves further into deep-seated emotions, bypassing cursory heartbreak to deconstruct the angst and apprehension of one’s formative years. “On the surface, ‘Dreamworld’ exemplifies a love song about heartbreak… but that couldn’t be further from the truth. All the focal points in the song refer to an angsty, apprehensive 20 something year old trying to navigate through his own life. It is about trying to rid yourself of anger and to just simply give yourself a break. I know I’m too hard on myself, but Dreamworld is in essence, me trying to “flip the script”. Andy Martin
‘Dreamworld’ weaves driving choruses together with stripped back and sensitive verses. Glowing guitars back Andy’s honest apprehension, before a pressing rhythm section supports the optimistic “switch flip” right through the hooky chorus. It’s evident that time on the road and self-growth have taken Andy from an energetic upstart, to a songwriter able to transmit unparalleled vulnerability, threaded throughout grooving and empathetic indie-rock.
“All I wanna know is that, you are gonna be there for me, when all this crashes down” This lyric personifies my thoughts and is what the song is based around. The juxtaposition from the theme of the track, to what the whole band is playing provides the listener feeling hopeful about what is coming next. The bridge builds into an anthemic outro which will leave the listener vulnerable, yet excited!
Andy Martin
Summer-y and up-tempo, ‘Dreamworld’ floated into Andy’s mind one afternoon, before bursting into Airlock Studios and beginning to lay down the parts audiated in his head. Prodigiously, he writes and performs with the vibrance of an artist that holds full control of their craft. Able to internally visualise structures and arrangements, it was simply a matter of layering each part in the studio to create the ear-worm that is ‘Dreamworld’.
“My songwriting process changes for every song… some come together in a matter of minutes, some take a couple of years to come together. My recording process is just a whole lot of layering. Normally I put down a guide vocal/guitar and build off that. Normally when I go into the studio, I have a very clear idea of what I want to put down for all the parts. I audiate all of the parts in my own head and it’s just a matter of locking that down in the studio.”
Andy Martin
Still so young, Andy Martin is undoubtedly a ray of light that shines through Australian music. Continued personal and musical growth has set him on a trajectory to be an artist that is spoken about for years to come. ‘Dreamworld’ is just the start.