The Telescreens Will Still Have You Smiling with “Melancholy Dreaming”
“Melancholy Dreaming” by The Telescreens crosses the boundaries alternative-electronica, balancing an eclectic wave of synths and guitars over intense, rock-influenced drums. Lead singer Jackson Hamm alternates between his raw vocals and a Foster The People-esque staticky filter over his voice as he sings of his titular melancholy dreaming. The record is an emotional roller coaster with swells and lulls that build and break in a beautiful cacophony.
The band’s three members are peppered across the country, combining the sounds of New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to forge their debut LP: The Return. “Melancholy Dreaming”’s staggering five-minute run-time and its spacey, warp-y production, bands like British alternative rockers Muse come to mind, but with a fresh 2020 spin on a sound that can easily grow tired. The Telescreens fight stagnancy while simultaneously mixing in the alt-tropes of feeling lost and lonesome as Hamm croons that “nobody knows the way it is for sure, I’ve been melancholy dreaming,” and notes how he’s “missing all the fun.” His desperation is still tangible as a simple and sweet guitar riff jumps between the choruses to ascend into an orchestral boom.
“Melancholy Dreaming” is only one of sixteen alt-rock bangers off the group’s The Return--an album free of features and chock full of fun and feeling. Whether it be a soulful drive on a rainy day or a light night vibe-sesh, “Melancholy Dreaming” is a one way ticket to sonic heaven.
Written By Liz Foster
