The record is a return to home for the Tony Award winner.
Image: Eli Russell Linnetz.
American actor, singer and songwriter Ben Platt has returned with his sophomore album, Reverie. Taking a more synth-based sonic approach to the record, Reverie is a return to home, recalling on childhood memories that remained within the walls of the house he grew up in.
Having relocated back to his childhood home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nostalgic record brings a mature perspective, juxtaposing his current self with his younger self, whilst exploring themes of youth, love and impermanence that play out across three parts. Through examining his early years, Platt arrives at a point of recognising his own mortality.
Platt's vocals are as engaging and captivating as ever, foraying into more pop-based melodies. Sonically, the records overall palette incorporates more synth-based sounds than its predecessor, with influence from artists such as George Michael, Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel. Bringing on Michael Pollack as Executive Producer, the pair worked on the record remotely from their respective locations through countless zoom calls, before completing the with in-person sessions in a Southern California Airbnb.
"We all need different forms of escape," Platt shares of the record. "For me, music presented itself as an escape. It made me forget my troubles and stop thinking of my circumstances, but also see life in a different way that I didn't necessarily expect. A Reverie is a daydream pleasant enough to take you out of where you are. When you return, you glean new perspective."
Platt rose to fame on broadway, starring as the lead in Dear Evan Hanson from 2015-2017, having also starred in The Sound Of Music and The Book of Morman. Having earned Tony, Emmy and GRAMMY nominations, Platt became the youngest recipient of the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the age of 23. Expanding into film, the performer appeared in Pitch Perfect, alongside countless other roles, and will return to the role of Evan Hansen in the film adaptation of Dear Evan Hanson, set for release later this year. Platt released his debut album, Sing to Me Instead, in 2019.
Reverie is out now! Listen to the album below.