San Francisco’s own Michellar delivers a slice of retro-futuristic cool with “Dreaming”, a single that sounds like it was teleported straight from a 1965 Bond film. Built around an instantly iconic guitar riff that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Connery-era casino scene, the track masterfully updates psychedelic nostalgia for the modern ear.
The transatlantic recording process—vocals tracked at San Francisco’s Women’s Audio Mission, instrumentals produced by Toby Wilson in the UK—lends the song an intriguing duality: Michelle Bond’s smoky vocals feel intimately West Coast, while the arrangement thrums with British Invasion urgency. That tension becomes the track’s secret weapon, blending California dreaminess with London’s sharp-edged sophistication.
“Dreaming” leans into cinematic mystique, its verses unfolding like coded messages slipped across a crowded nightclub. But the real star is that hypnotic central riff, drenched in just enough reverb to feel dangerous—a musical martini, shaken not stirred. The production choices feel deliberately vintage (note the tape-saturated drums, tremolo-laced guitars) yet never slip into pastiche.
For an artist clearly enamored with the 60s, Michellar avoids mere revivalism—this isn’t a museum piece, but a living, breathing fantasy that proves psychedelia’s timeless appeal. When the final chord fades, you’ll half-expect to hear a gunbarrel sequence cue up.
A perfectly executed mood piece that wears its influences proudly while carving its own niche. “Dreaming” doesn’t just reference spy movie glamour—it becomes it. Connect With Michellar on Instagram and Spotify
