Dreams Drift Afar: humming under the moon

The less a song says, sometimes the better you understand it. Dreams Drift Afar is almost all murmur: long mmms, repeated nananas and, in between, a few words in English that are enough to paint a whole night.

Whispers calling softly. Night shadows falling. Stars that twinkle and sigh. A sky lit by the moon. And at the end of each verse, the same idea: dreams drift far away. It doesn't say where or why, and that's its charm. Everyone puts their own dream into that phrase.

Fewer words, more atmosphere

In a project like PLANETA GAYFOLK, where many lyrics are loaded with names, references, witty insults and soap-opera drama, this one is a pause. A dimly lit room after a very long party. I like having it there, because it shows the planet also has quiet nights.

The structure is very simple: four almost identical blocks, with the humming as the thread. That repetition has something hypnotic about it. There's no chorus to shout or story to follow; there's a mood. What I like most is that nanana stretching out in the second verse, as if the dream were stretching before slipping away completely.

When to listen? On the night bus, forehead pressed to the window. On the balcony, when it's late and the city turns its volume down. With headphones on while you try to sleep and your head won't cooperate. It also works in the background for writing, reading or simply staring at the ceiling for a while without thinking about anything.

I'd dedicate it to anyone whose dreams are drifting away from them. Not as a reproach, but as company. The song doesn't chase them or mourn them; it watches them go calmly, under the moon. And sometimes that's also a way of looking after them.

If you're coming from the project's more rascally songs, give this one a chance. It's the same planet, seen from its quietest side.

The full lyrics are below. Listen on Spotify