Written by ∆³
Yuh know, sometimes it just, happens. That moment when you find a song that captures a moment in time, perfectly. Its flow, feel, mood, writing, and pretty much every detail of the sonic episode, is everything you’ve envisioned to be a lucid part of your life experience. It’s that point where songs and sojourning synchronize, and that’s exactly what I felt when listening to Neon Dream’s new Alternative Single release, “We Were Kings.”
Neon Dreams is a Canadian group made up of Frank Kadillac, Adrian Morris, Matt Gats, and Corey LeRue; their sound centralizes a mix of Pop, EDM/Electronica, and Alternative. All of the members met in high school while DJ & vocalist of the crew, Corey was proverbially following his father’s footsteps of being a DJ. Most of the guys in Neon Dreams were organically into Rock, and it’s assumed that Larue’s entrance into the conglomeration filtered the band’s creativity into fusing EDM and Electronica productively.
“I wanted to make a song that lets everyone that means something to me know I always have them in my heart no matter how hard I work and lose track of time. Nothing has ever changed my feelings towards them, specifically my friends that helped me get to where I was...
The friends that helped me through being bullied [by] kids and their parents for being a 6’2 13 year old and mentally tortured from racism...
The friends that sat with me in the hallways eating lunch cause’ the cafeteria gave me anxiety...
The friends that would listen to my really bad songs and said they were good to make me feel better...
This song is for them.”
Frank Kadillac
In 2015, they were co-signed by rapper Waka Flocka Flame via a remix they did, and the group pretty much soared after that. Sharing stages with names like Diplo, Down With Webster, and Kardinal Offishall while winning a variety of awards for their music. If you think about it, it showcases just how good these guys are. Neon Dreams’ catalogue of tunes can be streamed on Apple Music, Google Play, Spotify, and YouTube Music.
Solemn while straightforwardly strung guitar strings straddle Kadillac’s wide open teenage tale about the royalty that can be found in innocence. “We Were Kings” touches on bullying, racism, and the typical challenges we all face when we don’t fit in. Lyrics like, “Remember when I was new in town, / I always walked straight with my head down… /They didn’t even try to figure me out, until you came around… / Remember when they beat me down again. Just for the color of my skin, / and when I’d thought I’d fall apart, you were there to pick me up…/ We were kings…”
The lyricism is capsizing, real, and takes you on a powerful journey of life through song. The chorus’ “Even if we’re so far away, / remember those days like yesterday. / You’re in all these memories…Haven’t seen you since seventeen, / but ya know that don’t change a thing…You still mean the world to me…” sum up “We Were Kings’” lyrical stature and sonic supremacy, completely.
With all of the success destined for “We Were Kings” and the other accolades serenading the accomplishments of Neon Dreams, I still hadn’t heard of them. In no way, form, or fashion is that a slight to this group; they truly rock in more ways than one. It just ushers me to relay the importance of branching out beyond what’s typical, not just as artists but as appreciators of the art of music.
Everyone at some time or another can relate to the complexity of Neon Dreams. It could be in the various genres represented in their music, the diversity of their members, and most importantly, their assured desire to reach beyond what was likely expected. Bullying, racism, and displacement for whatever reason can tarnish our experiences, and Neon Dreams’ “We Were Kings” provide a sort of solace to anyone hoping to triumph over the many facets of not fitting in with the so called “status quo.”
Who says that you have to be from overseas to be royalty? No matter where you are or how low life may make you feel, have a listen to “We Were Kings” by Neon Dreams. Hopefully, it’ll help you get in better touch with the nobility within you…
Listen To Neon Dreams’ “We Were Kings”
Follow Neon Dreams