As of yesterday, Dream Jam 2020 has increased by forty per cent in participation, and it has already entertained its debut submission, which you can experience herein, courtesy of rookie developer Wrath of Wood:
https://wrath-of-wood.itch.io/last-night-i-dreamt-i-became-a-slime-monster
We are all very excited to see where this Sandman takes us. It is always an immense privilege, if not a divine right, to be granted even cursory access to a fellow human being’s innermost visions, no matter how macabre or frivolous, presented in whatever format whereby it elects to manifest, sensical or nonsensical, comprehensible or nebulous, not to preclude both.
May I remind you, though I doubt you need the courtesy, that submissions to this competition are of a deeply personal nature and inestimable value, irrespective of the final score. In that Spirit, temper even the harshest aesthetic criticism with tact and subtlety, and use neither to condescend. We want this to be a forum for expression. By that same token, do your best not to take criticism TOO personally, however personal your contribution may be, for feedback is just as authentic an expression of our Inner Genius as creation.
On that note, enjoy tonight’s Musical Selection. “Mein Herz Brennt” is a classic staple song from the performance catalogue of Germany’s premiere “Dance Metal” band, Rammstein. Overflowing with Gothic emotion, this hit single may offend some sensibilities, so caution is advised in its consumption. The theme, like much of Till Lindemann’s songwriting, revolves about the German Legend of the Sandman, a sprite from Nordic folklore who is said to sprinkle sand into the eyes of children, lulling them to sleep and acting not unlike a Dream Weaver. Rammstein, true to form, perverts the tale to be an elegy to nightmares. I have attached a translation of the lyrics. May they serve to remind you that even the darkest corners of the psyche may warrant public exposure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXv31OmnKqQ
https://lyrics.fandom.com/wiki/Rammstein:Mein_Herz_Brennt/en
[({L.J.)}]