As the name suggests, DREAMS is the album singer-songwriter Austin Brockner has dreamed of creating since he began songwriting. “These are the songs as I’ve always imagined them in my head, they’re all dynamic and feel full .” Complete with a rock-solid studio band, a wealth of warm harmonies, and a 7-piece brass section, this EP is Brockner’s push to grow beyond his identity as a solo singer-songwriter.

A collection of five songs written over a two year span, DREAMS draws on a wide range of inspirations. The guitar stylings of Hendrix, brass sections of Chicago, and rich, soulful vocals of artists such as Allen Stone & Stevie Wonder are all influences for the EP.

“I see myself, and my music, as a combination of two separate ambitions: As a guitarist trying to emulate his heroes and as a singer-songwriter trying to make songs as beautiful and meaningful as the ones that inspire me.”

Never one to shy away from writing about his own experiences, DREAMS touches on themes of inhibition, love, sentimentalism, and the price of dreaming big. Brockner says, “I think the album could be appropriately summarized as a journey through love with an overarching story of self-discovery.”

The album was recorded at the world-class PULP ARTS in Gainesville,FL and produced by Grammy nominated producer Kevin Bruchert. After initially working with Kevin on a single in January of 2022, the two would team up again in April to begin recording for DREAMS.

“I had the songs ready for this project, but I had yet to meet the right person to help bring it to life. I needed someone who could help focus my ambition and ensure we didn’t lose the essence of these songs when adding all of the other instrumentation. After working with Kevin on my single, I knew we had to work together on DREAMS.”

The EP borrows heavily from the Rock N Roll and Soul genres, but each song has a distinct identity and unique sound. “This album is itself a bit of a love song to music, and all the parts that come together to make a song special”, according to Brockner.

DREAMS starts off with its most explosive song, “Holding You Back”, which is packed with major brass accompaniment and searing guitar riffs. By contrast, “Release”, with its soft, lingering vocal performance and dreamy, reverb-rich Wurlizter piano is a “laid-back love song”.

Brockner states, “I think the energy level of each song complements the songs around it, and really carries the listener along this journey with me.”

Austin Brockner is the songwriter, vocalist, and lead-guitarist of the project. The EP was produced and engineered by Kevin Bruchert, with additional engineering by Danny Clifton & Brian Moore. The studio band includes percussion by Drew Allen, keyboard by Benjamin Colburn, bass guitar by Tanner Ropp, and rhythm guitar by Josh Winter. Horn sections were composed by Marco Thomas and include Joanna Adhami, Sam Gamez, and Drew Little on saxophone, Timothy Ketterson Jr. and Vito Montauk on trumpet, & Albert Isaac and Marco Thomas on Trombone. It was mixed by Kevin Bruchert and mastered by Matthew Garber.