The Limerick-based Dream Eyes represents a growing strength in his local music scene, with his latest single ‘Heaven’, a touching reflection on resisting fantasy, and making reality beautiful.
The artistic alias of Tadhg Collins, originally from Limerick, currently based in Dublin, Dream Eyes takes inspiration from a diverse range of genres such as dream pop, indie rock, and classical music, creating an ethereal style that is less about fitting into genres, and more about a passion for exploring sounds, and how they express nuances of emotion. That said, various artists like The Strokes, Gorillaz, Bloc Party, Kanye West, The Growlers, Caroline Rose and Charli XCX find themselves in the DNA of his music.
After a motorbike accident in 2019, Tadhg was forced to look at other avenues to create and follow his passion for music. This led to a latent interest in music production and technology and opened up a whole new world of sound design and production. Relearning guitar and learning piano after a debilitating injury to his left arm left him questioning his ability to continue to pursue a musical career.
“Yeah, all these songs were after the accident, in 2019,” he explains, speaking of his growing discography, of which ‘Heaven’ is the fourth single in just over a year. I grew up in a small village called Monagea – it was good! Away from the noise of the city. And I played guitar and sang since those days.”
“I was in a motorbike accident and got hit by a car, in 2019. Yeah, it was quite a big change in my life actually. My left arm was paralysed for a year and a half,” he smiles, with his characteristic brightness and calm, “It’s slowly kinda coming back to life again…!”
The life-altering accident caused Collins to move towards electronic sounds, “I wasn’t able to play acoustic guitar for a long time, so I played synths.”
‘Heaven’ is a slice of rich reflection on this theme. “The synths in the verses, I think they’re ethereal and dreamlike – it’s this idea of the sweetness of staying in your head.” Collins’ low vocal melody rides an airy, smooth production like a steady wave. Then the hook is harder hitting. I wanted to pull away from that dreamlike place.” Here the production ramps up, with Collins’ vocal picking up, and charging with a healthy frustration at living in a daydream.
All this is quite beautiful to take in when you consider that this song, is putting into practice these ideas for Collins – a young artist who decide to take what was beautiful in his dreams and make them a reality. With his singles going from strength to strength, on ‘Heaven’ benefitting from co-production from collaborator Kieran Lane, recorded in Sun Studios, and with mixing by Kieran Lane, and mastering by Chris Le Dantec of Draftlab Mastering, the future is bright for the thoughts and fantasies of Dream Eyes.
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