“Melodically rich” is how Basson Laas describes his newly released debut EP – Good Morning Dreamer. The EP brings to life four beautifully produced songs, written over the last decade, and each one contains a piece of his heart and dreams.
Recorded and produced by Werner Kahtz at Good Morning Sweet Songbird Studios, the EP title is a combination of the studio name and Basson’s lifelong dream of recording his own music brought to fruition.
Basson is often surprised at how much of his dreams he can recall in the morning and it’s always the first thing he shares with anyone who is willing to share a morning cup of coffee with him.
He says, “Being a vivid dreamer, it seemed like a nice combo to smash the two together for my first ever EP title. To me, it sounds like the sunrise to a very special journey, the beginning to a hopefully long and prosperous music career.”
The singer-songwriter’s dream of becoming a musician began when he was just a little boy and began learning to play the violin. Piano lessons came next and this really helped to solidify his music theory knowledge, but Basson always preferred to play by ear. It wasn’t until years later that he found his love for the guitar and started writing his own songs.
Being a quiet farm boy from the North-West province, Basson grew up playing in the veld with his friends and being a famous rockstar wasn’t really on the cards. It wasn’t until 2019 that Basson found himself at a crossroads. He resigned from his job to try his luck as an English teacher in South Korea. Then COVID hit and everything came to a standstill. Contemplating plan B, he enrolled to study education and worked as a high school teacher. It was an uncertain time, but also the catalyst to a career in music. Basson dusted off his equipment, and in early 2022, he took the plunge and became a full-time musician.
He found his home on the road touring, singing his truths and heart stories and using his music to inspire others to follow their dreams. It was here that he finally decided to record something more permanent and a little more tangible.
He explains, “I’ve always wanted to start recording as to be able to share my songs with the world. But we selected these first four songs for the EP to create a good balance between emotions and to take the listener on a unique sonic and lyrical journey from start to finish.”
Come July 2023 and Basson dipped his toe in the water with his debut single ‘Tightly Bound’, a precursor to the EP and released to critical acclaim. The song has already been playlisted on various radio stations across the country and was followed by a telling music video, which shares sentiments of his childhood.
Watch the music video HERE.
Labelled as adult contemporary with a dash of alternative folk, each song on the EP was written with a particular thought or idea in mind, but Basson really wants his listeners to interpret it in a way that makes sense to them.
He says, “In each song, there is something for every listener. But an audience who likes laidback and melancholic tunes that are rich in melody and building percussion will favour these songs.”
Eager for fans to hear the songs, the rising-star is both nervous and excited, but reflects on the project as a stepping stone for greater things to come.
He concludes, “I am nervous because it’s the first time I’m releasing something that is so very personal to me. As an independent artist, it was a massive learning curve. Since this is my first body of work as a full-time musician, I realise that I have to be realistic in my expectation of its reach. I’ve done the best I can and I’m excited for what the future holds.”
