Founded in 2008 by renowned underground dark electronic music producer Karloz.M, as a means for experimentation and expression through guitars, poetry and abstract electronics. Stranger Dreams quickly went on hiatus after the release of the project's 1st e.p. later that same year.
In 2018 Stranger Dreams was reactivated after collaboration discussions with Los Angeles guitarist Seamus Simpson proved mutually fruitful. Seamus & Karloz quickly arrived at the notion of combining their mutual musical interests, backgrounds and varied influences from their youth such as Joy Division, Nick Cave, Tones On Tail, Sisters Of Mercy, Southern Death Cult, The Swans, Cocteau Twins, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Sonic Youth, New Order and early 80’s death rock and post-punk music.
Recording for the album “After the raven has died for the dove” began in the fall of 2018 in Hollywood, California and continued through the early demo sessions until production had to be postponed due to the 2020 Covid Epidemic and subsequent shutdown. At that time some recordings were done separately by Seamus & Karloz as demos and sketches, with the intent of re-recording them through completion of the album around early fall of 2021. Tragically on Friday June 25th 2021, guitarist Seamus Simpson died suddenly from heart complications, less than 72 hours after hearing and approving new versions of songs the pair had worked on before the shutdown.
What followed was a humble attempt by Karloz, the remaining member of the project, along with fellow musician Amoreena Stout to piece together the ideas, concepts and style of his friend and co-writer. Sorting through random recordings and sketches, searching for a way to bring forth the unique and talented voice and sound of his departed friend and collaborator. "After the raven has died for the dove” features over 21 different guitars throughout its entirety. Both the title and artwork for the album were decided on before Seamus’s passing, and is simply an eerie coincidence and yet, it now stands as both a dedication and a monument to Seamus Simpson’s memory, his invaluable gift and unwavering love of music.
