Rooted in sinister darkwave, the artists explore a more commercial approach to pop music on 'Wide Awake', resulting in a highly catchy, but gloomy anthem. When the chorus bursts out, the song explodes into an upbeat floor-filler. For fans of The Weeknd and Caroline Polachek. David Burgess from Chronic Dream created the electronic track, in collaboration with James K Ultra from Virgina-based darkwave act Pain in the Yeahs. Ultra also handled the mixing and mastering, shaping the track into the dark disco anthem it has become. Jelmer Luimstra from April Afternoon came up with the lyrics and vocals, which he recorded in Amsterdam at the studios of well-known Dutch producer Thijs de Melker. ‘Wide Awake’ stands as a unique collaboration between three artists working across three completely different time zones. Earlier this year, the trio also joined forces on the single ‘Grim Reaper’. Both ‘Wide Awake’ and ‘Grim Reaper’ are part of an ongoing series of collaborations that will eventually be released as an EP by Chronic Dream, titled ‘The Communicator Chronicles’. Chronic Dream and April Afternoon are set to continue working together in the near future. Lyrically, 'Wide Awake' reflects on the feeling of life coming to a standstill - until, suddenly, a butterfly appears in the night. That butterfly, once just a caterpillar, has undergone a whirlwind of transformations in a short amount of time. Its rapid growth and change leave the lyricist feeling somewhat envious, struck by the contrast with their own sense of inertia.more

Music by Chronic Dream, vocals and lyrics by Scott Baker Graham, and guitar by Kenton Holmes . Produced by James K Ultra (Pain in the Yeahs)more

A collaboration between Chronic Dream (music) and Pain in the Yeahs (vocals/lyrics). more