Katie Belle has managed to make something truly clever with Bad Dreams- a song that makes the tiresome truth of insomnia into a catchy electro-pop song. Her soft, sensual singing slides over the sharp percussion and throbbing synthesizers and sets instant juxtaposition between the seriousness of the subject matter and the catchiness of the production. This is a clever trick, knowing that occasionally the only way out of our plight of struggle is movement as opposed to meditation.
Produced by Fabio Campedelli in his Los Angeles studio, the song balances the challenging nostalgic and modern in a unique way. The 80s-inspired synths are somehow comforting and not pastiche as modern pop polish makes the song sound essential instead of possibly derivative. The tune sticks in your head as soon as possible--which is precisely what you desire of a pop anthem, although the sarcasm of writing so catchy a melody to a song about sleepless days is not missed.
What makes Bad Dreams something more than a basic dance-pop song is the genuine association that Katie has with the content. It is not an artificial angst but authentic autobiography, part of her coming out EP, People Pleaser, about anxiety, insomnia, and the quest to self-discovery. Personal investment is added to every muted vocal line, and it gives the emotional depth to what would otherwise have been simply catchy.
Any person who has ever spent a night winding and turning, unable to calm their mind, Katie can give three minutes and thirty-five seconds of rest. Bad Dreams is winning, as it does not attempt to resolve the problem of insomnia it just allows temporary reprieve with unresistible rhythm and a familiar feeling. This is all that is needed sometimes and Katie Belle provides it both in style and content.
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