half of a rainbow and the Moonpie melancholia of "Only In Dreams" (I Can Hide)

 

"I dreamt that I met you and you sang my name / I stepped in the river and woke up the same / But oh, who I was, at night once again..."

The beautiful Moonpie melancholia of "Only In Dreams" (I Can Hide) by half of a rainbow, the indie rock project of German singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Johannes Harder may be short but it's brevity doesn't mute it's artful presence and staying power. The percolations and classic nature will stick in your head and rock classicalism is paramount. I mean, despite being German, Johannes has a British lilt around the edges and swirling in the glacial sadness and I couldn't help but think of this track as a kind of companion piece to iconic Brit rock songs like The Rolling Stones' "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday" and The Kinks' "Wonderboy (I don't know why?) and even though one is about a girlfriend leaving you for another rock star and the other is essentially painted with the unease of becoming a parent, they both have such a sad quality. 

From LINER NOTES:

[half of a rainbow’s new single Only In Dreams (I Can Hide) draws inspiration from the poignant songwriting of Elliott Smith and the intimate storytelling of Sufjan Stevens. Following the artist’s personal fascination for the surreal and the dream-like, the straight-to-the-point composition evokes the feeling of waking up from an intense dream and seeking refuge in the imaginary through dense layers of acoustic guitars, piano, harp and violins.]

[In the form of free-associative writing, the young musician wraps conceptions of romance and death in his lyrics in an effort to express the subconscious, taking inspiration from musical poets like Nick Drake and Thom Yorke. The song delves into the complexities of human emotion, blending haunting melodies with introspective imagery, while its beauty lies in its simplicity. Only In Dreams (I Can Hide) invites us to ponder the intersection of reality and fantasy, immersing us in a sonic landscape where the suppressed becomes our truth and dreams become a mirror for our concealed desires.] 

This wonderful track does benefit greatly from amazing orchestral embellishment, another earmark of British 60's rock tracks, ballads. Maybe that is another element that makes me feel such a retro transportation here. half of a rainbow always impresses me, always injects dreams in my head. 

-Robb Donker Curtius 
 

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4j9BBRiW8LzDU4bN5w9IPK

https://www.instagram.com/half.of.a.rainbow/

https://www.halfofarainbow.com/

https://halfofarainbow.bandcamp.com/track/charlotte-in-tokyo



half of a rainbow is the Indie rock project of the German musician Johannes Harder. With inspiration ranging from home-recording legends like Guided By Voices to songwriting poets like Elliott Smith, he blends catchy melodies with his love for experimentation.

Growing up in the creative hub of Berlin, half of a rainbow records his nostalgic songs mostly on cassettes.

Reminiscent of the 60s and 70s, pure songwriting comes together with a childlike fascination for simple ideas.






half of a rainbow, debut album "half of a rainbow (sic)", whimsy, ID rock, art rock, alt pop, Berlin Germany, singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist,  "Only In Dreams" (I Can Hide), orchestral pop,