Dreaming can be bittersweet. A dream can take us to places and put us in situations it would be next to impossible to experience in real life. It can lift us up and possibly even inspire us, and we wake up excited and ready to go. Those dreams can have a downside, though. We may dream of times gone by, and we wake up disappointed because we know we can’t go back to those times in real life. It’s a complicated emotional experience, and one that artist Lowen is exploring on her upcoming album Only in my Dreams. To illustrate the point, today she released the title track from the album and its music video, which we’re thrilled to premiere on Substream.

The song itself lives up to its name with a distinct dreamy quality. A collection of gentle strings draws us in, settling us into the dream. The production is superb, especially when a beat, percussion, and synths are added into the mix. Even with all of these elements, that gentle longing established at the beginning always shines through. Lowen herself has the vocal chops to carry anything, and her pleas to return to the happier memories of her dreams resonate deeply. From music to message, “Only In My Dreams” is a powerhouse from Lowen.

The music video is equally breathtaking. We see Lowen with a huge collection of photos on her bed as she settles in for sleep, clearly trying to bring back some of these memories. The dreamscape the rest of the video takes place in is stunning, full of amazing colors and creative geometry that serve as an excellent representation of a dream world.

Lowen spoke at length about the song and video, saying:

“‘Only In My Dreams’ is about accessing that dreamlike place where you get to spend time with someone who may not be here anymore physically. It’s about longing for those moments when it feels like you get to meet up with them somewhere in the ether. Waking up feeling like you had a chance to make another memory together in a dream, or other realm, is really beautiful.

I wanted the visual for this song to feel the way a dream does – surrounded by indistinguishable off the wall visuals; ‘Avatar’ meets Tame Impala Light Show meets bizarre dream. Coincidentally enough, my wife discovered that a traveling art installation called ‘Otherworld Encounter’ (sci-fi themed immersive art experience) happened to be showing in Nashville that month. It was a literal dream set, and when we reached out about the project, they encouraged us to create art within their art. My director, Luke Harvey and I went on a weekday and spent an entire afternoon exploring and filming. (Shoutout to Otherworld for the love).”

You can watch the video for “Only In My Dreams” below. Lowen’s album Only In My Dreams is set for release on October 25.