SWEET DREAMS
(Are Made Of This)

With an infectious dose of sultry and a scorching serenade, Salt Lake City-based Talia Keys unleashes a fresh new sound with this scintillating take on a timeless chestnut. The woozily intoxicating “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” finds the singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/social-activist pivoting to a different lane than some fans may be familiar with; tapping into Eurhythmics’ eternally-ethereal vibe while still mutating the soundscapes with futuristic synths, industrial guitar tones, shuffle on the snare and assertive kick drum thump.
At once nihilist and inspirational, the track offers observations of the quest for inner fulfillment, and muses on the desires that motivate us all. “Sweet Dreams” transcends the label “classic”; the song has long levitated in a rarified air of pop music royalty. Iconic Eurythmics vocalist Annie Lennox’s pioneering androgynous style no doubt a North Star for Talia in more ways than one, and within Keys' stacked, stirring vocal harmonies lies an unspoken passing of the torch at play. Talia’s performance embodies the vulnerability inherent in the original number, yet her trademark bluesy verve swiftly bubbles to the surface, injecting a dash of authentic defiance. She was ably-assisted on this single by Ryan Conger, the first of a trifecta of crucial covers on the way from Keys.
B. Getz