When considering the pioneers of electronic pop music, names such as Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder spring to mind. But Gary Wright’s single Dream Weaver, which reached No 2 on the American chart in 1976, deserves its place in history for placing synthesiser music at the forefront of pop radio, and was one of the first tracks recorded almost entirely with synths (backed up by Jim Keltner’s drums).
Its floating, dream-like atmosphere made the perfect backdrop for the yearning quality of Wright’s vocals, and the lilting rhythm and blues feel of the chorus slipped effortlessly into the listener’s consciousness. The haunting sound of the ARP Solina string synthesiser, also used by Pink Floyd on Welcome to the Machine (from Wish You Were Here, 1975), helped give the track its distinctive edge.
