Octavian Winters – Surreal – Skylight Webzine

In the ethereal world crafted by Octavian Winters, the track “Surreal” stands as a haunting enigma to the power of music to transport listeners to otherworldly places. With a lineup that includes Stephan Salit on guitar, Randy Gzebb on drums, Jay Denton on bass, and the mesmerizing vocals and keyboards of Ria Aursjoen, the band delves into a realm that fuses elements of dream pop and post-punk to create a sonic landscape unlike any other. “Surreal” emerges as a slow, melancholic masterpiece that beckons you into its mysterious depths. From the very first notes, the listener is enveloped in a sense of ghostly isolation, much like wandering through the fog-draped streets of San Francisco in 2022. The track’s core, as laid out by Randy Gzebb and Stephan Salit, possesses a beautifully dark and watery quality, akin to a nocturnal voyage on a fog-shrouded ocean. Ria Aursjoen’s vocals serve as the guiding light through this atmospheric soundscape. Her voice, ethereal and haunting, carries a weight of emotion that perfectly complements the track’s melancholy progression. Aursjoen’s delivery of the line “It’s surreal, so find a way” is nothing short of spellbinding, as if she’s urging the listener to navigate the enigmatic terrain of their own dreams and emotions. Lyrically, “Surreal” is a profound exploration of the intangible and the ephemeral. It delves into the idea that our human experiences, from our hands to our voices, exist in a realm that is both real and surreal. The lyrics suggest a disconnect between reality and perception, and the search for meaning in the spaces in between. The repetition of “It’s surreal, so find a way” reinforces the idea that life often feels like an elusive dream, urging us to seek our own path through the haze. Musically, the track is a blend of dream pop and post-punk. The slow tempo and echoing guitar work evoke a sense of weightlessness, as if the music itself is suspended in the misty air. The rhythm section, led by Jay Denton’s bass and Randy Gzebb’s drums, provides a steady heartbeat to the song, grounding it even as it floats through the surreal. It’s a sonic journey that captures the essence of melancholy, wonder, and introspection. As Ria Aursjoen’s vocals beckon us to find our way through the surreal, Octavian Winters invites us to explore the enigmatic corners of our own consciousness and emotions, making “Surreal” a track that resonates long after the music fades into the mist.