A wonderfully haunted new single is out by indie songwriter Chelsea Wolfe, who is often described as having a style of “doom-drenched folk.” The song “Carrion Flowers” is directly inspired by and recreates the emotional geography of her sleep paralysis experiences.
According to her interview with Paper, Wolfe says, “Sleep paralysis for me comes in the form of shadow figures.. I wake up but the figures from my dreams are still in the room around me. It’s given me a lot of anxiety/paranoia over the years – it’s an intense way to wake up – but I never really addressed it before. For this album I was interested in exploring the subconscious and experimenting with dreams.”
The upcoming full length album Abyss is full of more dream inspired songs, and, according to LA Weekly, Wolfe counts Carl Jung as a major influence.
On her artist page for Sergent House records, Wolfe says “Abyss is meant to have the feeling of when you’re dreaming, and you briefly wake up, but then fall back asleep into the same dream, diving quickly into your own subconscious.”
Here’s the official video for the song “Carrion Flowers,” Sargent House, 2015.
Chelsea Wolfe’s new release inspired me to do a search on other sleep paralysis inspired music.. and I found a lot. I’m posting a few of my favorite videos below on this same theme of sleep paralysis, shadow figures and night-mares. This will especially please fans of dark wave, industrial, and other varieties of alt rock.
Gabriel Bruce, “Sleep Paralysis,” released 2011 by Off Modern Records. I love this song.
And let’s not forget The Cure, “Lullaby,” released 1989. Listen with fresh ears, it’s totally about SP visitors. No stranger to dreaming, The Cure also later (2008) released an EP called “Hypnagogic States.”
This video below by the death metal band Currents is NSFW (language) but it actually the most accurate portrayal of what it feels like to be in sleep paralysis. Comes with some helpful lyrical captions. haha enjoy:
Currents, “Sleep Paralysis,” released 2014, BeheadingTheTraitor
Okay, if watching all that ripped your mind in two, here, take a soul bath in this:
Thanks so much, Ryan for this wonderful assortment of SP inspired art! The whole collection ripped my mind in two! – in a good way:-)
glad you enjoyed! who doesn’t need some gloom rock to start off their day?