When I read the name of our featured single, I took it personally. Allow me to explain. I was dining in San Francisco when a synth pop song blasted through the speakers. I hunted down an employee for the track’s info. That song has become a part of my life in so many ways. I play it loudly all the time, every day. So, when Katie Belle’s new single “Bad Dreams” landed on my desk, I didn’t take it well. I felt its name was encroaching on my beloved “Bad Dream” by Cannons. Once I played Katie’s new single, all of that angst dissipated. I knew I could make space in my heart for both. Katie Belle’s new song is that good.
“Bad Dreams” takes off like a Boeing 747 from the tarmac. Synth bass and a warbling sample power it’s engines. Staccato pop keys give a sense of thrust. Percussion notes on the back end of the three-part verse launch us into cruising altitude. Pausing the track’s might on the front of her chorus is a sweet touch. We feel the weight upon their arrival. Pads provide ambiance like high flying cumulus clouds. Katie unleashes the electro hounds from the bridge to the outro. Neo from the Matrix is smiling somewhere.
Her vocals are straight forward. Delivery is nuanced. There’s a little power flex on the choruses, teasing us of more under the hood. Lyrics are sharp. Each word chosen carries substance. The phrase “say more with less” comes to mind. “Bad Dreams” is a subterranean anthem that suits Katie’s vocal delivery.
With tracks like this under her belt, the Atlanta native, L.A. transplant should have no trouble carving herself a place in her new local scene. Get ready to hear more
