Genre-bending Nashville singer/songwriter Dreamer Boy cranks up the volume and velocity on his new single “KEEP THE PACE,” out today on slowplay / Harvest Records. The cut comes alongside a fast, furious video that follows Dreamer Boy—the artist born Zach Taylor—through a dizzying journey around New York City. Watch the video HERE and stream the song HERE.
Like Dreamer Boy’s best work, “KEEP THE PACE” is unpredictable and uncompromising—it does everything its all-caps title promises and more. As razor-sharp guitar slices through a haze of effects, Taylor sings a line everyone can relate to in the internet age. “I’m in the throes of keeping pace,” he announces breathlessly, “and I never stood a chance.” Stabbing bass and beats keep the tension high throughout. “Tell me, are you entertained?” he smirks.
The accompanying visuals are just as thrillingly disorienting. Taylor runs through NYC streets, rides the subway, and sings at us through the distorted view of a fisheye lens. By the time he slips into the dreamy first chorus, he’s on a bed, alone, scrolling mindlessly on his phone. It’s a striking vision of vulnerability, hinting at a fragility behind the song’s fast-paced frenzy.
On the release, Taylor said, “This is a song that comes from a place of exhaustion and frustration. I have been observing and experiencing the toll that social media, identity, and swift technological advances have had on my own mental health, and those around me. As an artist, it’s been a confusing time of figuring out who I really am. I don’t want to put on some act for my ‘brand’ or package myself up to sell. It turns out we all do it no matter if you’re trying to promote something or not, we are trying to convince others who we are. I’ve been trying to do some work on finding and rediscovering my pure identity, working towards self-love and honesty. I’m definitely not perfect but my eyes are open and I’m hoping there is a way forward that is more sustainable for our culture.”
“KEEP THE PACE” is Dreamer Boy’s first single following the April release of his critically acclaimed second album, All the Ways We Are Together, a glowing collection of bedroom pop. This new song serves as further proof of his endless zeal for experimentation, which has led to praise from a host of tastemaking outlets. Paper described Taylor’s sound as “warm-hearted, glamorous, and genreless,” while Atwood Magazine said his songs were “buoyant, sweet, and completely joyful.” The Music Enthusiast simply raved that Dreamer Boy is “perfect.”
