My Dreams Are Real / My Dreams Are Real / My Dreams Are Real

I wrote these songs immediately after attending Furality Somna, my second VRChat con but first one with a headset, a Meta Quest 3S that I got just a couple of weeks before.  Like with Furality Umbra, experiencing Furality Somna's vast, colorful worlds got my creative juices flowing, and I was grabbing whatever free moments I could during the con to write down lyrics and record quick drafts that would later become the songs on this album.

Although there's still influence from beach pop and indie surf bands like boy pablo, Swimming Tapes, and Sun Daes, I decided to lean more heavily into bands I have been listening to recently like Good Kid, Tipling Rock, and Majak Door.  Good Kid in particular inspired me a lot for songs like Eighteen Mile Hike and Lost Inside My Head, and I found myself feeling immersed in their rapid-fire, high-energy brand of indie rock.

I really hope that this album captures some of the magic of Furality Somna and lets you relive the good times as we wait for next June!

For fans of: Good Kid, boy pablo, Tipling Rock, Swimming Tapes, Sun Daes, Polite Fiction, Majak Door, Two Door Cinema Club, DIIV, Hot Freaks

All Music and Lyrics by Ian Martyn

Ian Martyn - lead and backing vocals, electric guitar, electric bass, synthesizer, keyboards, glockenspiel, drum programming

Chorus vocals on Track 8: Ampyluxe, Bucker Fuskyote, Darby Cupit, Kipp Kingdom, KOMODOMODE, Leo Martyn, Niko Fox, Simon Shirley, Tuhsano, Ursa Starsong, Yao

Mixed and mastered by Ian Martyn

Cover photo taken by Bucker Fuskyote
in the Furality Somna Dealer's Den
used with permission of Furality, Inc.

Dreamers Chorus:
Ampyluxe
Bucker Fuskyote
Darby Cupit
Kipp Kingdom
KOMODOMODE
Leo Martyn
Niko Fox
Simon Shirley
Tuhsano
Ursa Starsong
Yao

Special thanks to Tsuyoto for continuing to go on adventures in VRChat with me that inspired a lot of these songs.  I really love not only the creative work that we do together on this platform but also just getting to hang out with you and explore.

Special thanks to Triac for giving me the computer that allowed me to get on VRChat in the first place.

Special thanks to the Furality team and the world they created in Furality Somna that inspired me to write and record these songs.

Special thanks to the Paws On Paper community and everyone in it, some of whom sing in "My Dreams Are Real" in the chorus.

Of course, huge thanks and much love goes to my partner, Denver, who helped a lot with mixing advice for these songs. Huge thanks also to my parents who have always supported my musical endeavors.

Equipment used:
ESP Horizon
Schecter C-1 E/A w/ Bare Knuckle Pickups Juggernaut and BLK / TRI Frost Giant
Warwick Thumb Limited Edition 2003
Korg minilogue
AKG P420
Cherry Audio DCO-106
Cherry Audio Eight Voice
Logic Pro
Joey Sturgis Tones Bus Glue
Joey Sturgis Tones Finality Advanced
Wavesfactory Equalizer
Wavesfactory Trackspacer