(18-10-2013) ‘Wake Up Your Dreams’, title of the latest album from The New Shining, is a perfect fusion between the two music styles associated with this band: the intimate acoustic sound from ‘Stripped’ and the heavy rock sound from earlier releases; this time filled with a zest of ‘Cash’. It is an album about creating your own path, making the most out of life, and following your passions and dreams. The previous TNS album ‘Stripped’ (available as a double-cd with ‘Full Circle’) was well received: Stripped conquered the 2nd spot in the Top-30 of best releases on Radio 2; (this was one spot above Paul McCartney) it was named ‘album of the week’ on 3FM; the single, ‘Can’t Make Up My Mind’ became a sensational radio hit, which remained on high rotation for over four months on multiple national radio stations, and the song earned a position on the prestigious program, Netherlands Top 2000. In January 2013, The New Shining received three ‘Edison Award’ nominations: Best Newcomer, Best Album and Best Song. The band was also nominated for two ‘3FM Awards’ for Best Single and 3FM Serious Talent Award. The New Shining glimmered with success at live performances such as Concert At Sea and Songbird Festival, and their own sold out club-tour, followed by a 3FM Serious Talent concert tour with Mattanja Joy Bradley. One could imagine that writing new songs would have been difficult after such a successful album. Not for front man Nax; for him it was only a matter of writing, as always, from his heart. Out of the sixty songs that he wrote, eventually twelve made it onto the album. In a Friesland studio, The Grien Room, the songs were developed, together with bass player-Arjan R’ Nijman, guitarist-Evert Zeevalkink and drummer-Roel van der Sluis, and soon the album took shape. The New Shining, who began as a trio, have decided from this point forward to continue as a quartet, not only in the studio, but also their live performances. “Now, as a quartet we can add so many musical details. Before, I had only one acoustic guitar and that limited my possibilities. Evert can carry the soundscapes, which leaves me free to create and do what I want on my guitar. We sound even more solid than before, and once again, ‘Wake Up Your Dreams’ tells a part of my life story.” The previous album, was a reflection on the past, butWake Up Your Dreams’ finds Nax looking forward, with renewed faith, into the future. “At the time of writing ‘Stripped’ I had a lot of things bottled up inside for many years that needed to find their way out. It was a heavy, emotional album, where I poured out my soul, and exposed my deepest feelings in the songs’. Wake Up Your Dreams’ is much more positive and energetic.” During candid interviews in which Nax told about unresolved issues that had surrounded his suicide attempt – and how he made the choice to live and follow his dream, namely writing and making music – the singer received many emails and letters from kindred spirits who had been in the same suicidal situation and could easily relate to his story. This pushed him on to listen to his heart and to give back as much as possible to his fans. “With this new album I really thought: I am alive - I feel good - I write music - and now I am in a position to help people. The title of the album, in that respect is significant. If you have nothing left to lose, then give it everything you got and follow your dreams!” The title also has a literal meaning: many songs appear to him in dreams, according to Nax. “I dream many of my songs. One time I’m dreaming of a certain atmosphere, then another time a lyric, or a complete song. What I perceive in my dream, I transcribe. The art is to not awaken fully, but remain aware enough to keep my mind open to receive impressions of singing and speaking that seem to come to me from somewhere or something while I sleep. I record everything on my cell phone. The next day, I look at what I’ve caught during the night.” OnWake Up Your Dreams’ there is a lot of room for experimentation and the use of more obscure instruments. We Are The Ones’ is dominated by a mariachi trumpet section, and thanks to Caro Emerald’s horn section, Special Request Horns, this can also be heard on the track,Is This How It Ends’. Frank van Essen provides live strings and percussion is recorded in the form of everything that we could get our hands on in the studio, from guitar cases to staplers and chairs. Moreover, acoustic instruments such as mandolin, banjo, rag steel and slide guitars, give the album an entirely Southern feel. “I have an enormous love for the types of music you hear in films such as ‘Django Unchained’ and ‘Lawless’. That gets me every time. I also have a certain attraction to Johnny Cash, certainly his American Recordings. What I find so beautiful about Cash is that the songs are small, simple and honest, but they make a deep impact.” With `Wake Up Your Dreams’, The New Shining has created their own niche, with which they have distinguished themselves within the current music scene. Everything makes sense now: the style, the sound, the band cohesion. Years of hard work and perseverance have finally paid off.