Antaeus and Friends Deliver A Unique and Full-Bodied Record

A very unique release from Antaeus just came out, and it is such a different world to touch down on. The songs on this record are beautifully constructed with such dreamlike tones and thick, lush sort of soundscapes to them that you get wrapped up in this colorful but warm atmosphere, and it all brings together elements of contemporary, dream and indie pop, jazz, chill, World, even ethereal sounds come through often as there is so much gorgeous texture laced throughout this release.

The first song, "Back In Time", you start to feel some of the hints of emotional pull that this record is going to deliver, but it's instrumental to an extent; there are vocals, but not a lot of lyrics really. The vocals are used as an instrument themselves, and when they come in, it really does create such a sweeping aesthetic.

You have light percussion in the form of beats, stringed instruments that add this flow, along with synth pads that give depth and distance, spaciousness, and a floating feeling. This is something that happens a lot throughout the record, but again, this release blends a ton of different stuff. The chill/beats that make you think of the kind of stuff you listened to while you were studying in college in the 90s are evident as well.

Plenty of cinematic approach and swirling sounds that come with it, bringing waves of warmth and moods are also major attributes to this release.

The beauty of a record like this is the sheer fact that everyone's going to take it in a little differently. People are going to think of whatever their minds pull up while they listen. Everyone is different, so everyone's thought process will be different. Each listener will soak this in completely differently than the last, and that, in itself, is amazing.

You have piano, strings, vocals, so many fresh and vintage sets of textures coming together that you get stuck in the world that it's creating.

"Beautiful Dog" is a perfect example of how the record brings together those chill beats, jazz, contemporary, dream, and cinematic tones.

This is an album that's got a lot going on with plenty of beautiful layers to soak in, and it's a record you listen to by putting on some headphones, kicking back, and just drinking it all in.

Certain songs blend in heavily orchestrated sounds with more strings thickly brought together and performed with flavorful beats alongside vocals that again serve as an instrument and give the songs more girth, but also a smoother flow.

"Central Park" is but one of the songs that accomplishes this without a hitch.

The album is called Dreaming Dog, and Grammy-winning artist and music producer Antaeus teamed up with Relaxmydog, among others, to create this record together.

Everyone who was a part of this release really brought their own set of tones and flavors to the record, which I found to be quite brilliant. I think this is part of why it hits with such a rich and sort of elegant sound.

The record can be quite impactful, and again, my favorite aspect of the whole thing is how the songs set amazing moods and put you in these different places that can trigger memories to pop into your head, can change your mood at the drop of a dime, relax you, and just whisk you away to someplace other than where you are.

Escapism is the name of the game with records like this. Whether it's done purposely or not, people use this stuff to find some kind of peace for moments in time. Getting away from the stresses of everyday life and just honing in on their energies to keep themselves balanced.

It's records like this that help create those moments so that we can be whole.

For me, lying down on the couch with headphones on just listening to this record did enough. It set my mind at ease, but while that was happening, I went through all kinds of great memories and thoughts, situations, and hypotheticals that all took me away from where I was.

This album is as good as actually dreaming.

It is the soundtrack to the dreams of someone my age. Reaching back into youth while still having this graceful and flowing exoskeleton of sound that comes together so that I can feel those little hints of nostalgia while having the softness and delicate overtone of strings, synth pads, and soft, melodic vocals, along with pianos and more.

It's great how a record like this can set your mood or state of mind so intensely.

And anyway, this was a beautiful record, and you should definitely listen to this elegant set of songs that were brilliantly woven.

“It’s a genre-blending experience fusing ambient electronic, lo-fi, Amapiano, and subtle reggae. It’s relaxing, musically rich, and purposefully designed to connect with both dogs and people.” says Antaeus

Take a deep listen to this one and remember where you heard it first.

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