Fall into the Poetry of Vancouver Sleep Clinic’s Earnest and Cathartic New Album

Listen to “Onwards to Zion” here.

We’re here to tell you that you need Vancouver Sleep Clinic’s new album, “Onwards to Zion”, in your life. Whether you feel heartbroken, lost, listless, optimistic or open, there is a song on this record that will find its way into your soul and make its home there.

From the ethereal, otherworldly beauty of “Bad Dream”, to the heart-wrenching, flayed open honesty of “Summer ‘09”, to the warm, earnestly hopeful lament of “Fever”, each single released in the lead up to this full length was more beautiful than the last. 

In cases like this, where multiple strong singles are released before an album, you can often feel like you’ve already heard the best the album has to offer. This is decidedly not the case with this album. Even the 52 second song “Lovina Beach (Sunrise)” doesn’t feel like a filler; instead, a perfectly placed ambient interlude, a much needed moment to collect oneself before the profound sense of grief that comes with “Summer ‘09”, an ode to Bettinson’s late childhood friend.

“Into The Sun” speaks to the heart of millennial hopelessness and ennui in lyrics that read like pure poetry:

I’m afraid of dying, I’m afraid of love

I’m afraid of never trying, and of not being enough.

Don’t know what’s on the horizon, don’t know who to trust,

But I’m going to run this til it’s finished,

Til it’s rubble and dust.

Anyone familiar with Vancouver Sleep Clinic will recognise Bettinson’s unique falsetto vocal throughout the record, but aside from that, the release is a distinct sonic progression from his past, adopting a stronger singer-songwriter influence than we’ve heard before. However, fans of Bettinson’s skills as a producer will still enjoy every minute, especially tracks like “Zion”, which intricately utilises soft synthesised drums in a way that almost feels signature to him at this point.

Bettinson explained the evolution; “I’d started getting used to making three-and-half-minute songs with a beat and a hook—but the thing is that I don’t really come from making beats. I used to busk, I used to be that guy who went to parties with an acoustic guitar: that’s where I came from. The whole direction of this album changed for me once I realised I wanted to put the focus back on guitar again.”

Perhaps the clearest example of this growth is “Shooting Stars”, a track more pop-leaning in its production than anything we have heard from Vancouver Sleep Clinic before, with melodies and a warm guitar lead that hark back to mid-2000’s Coldplay. It is a definite standout on the record.

Some of the most beautiful lyrics on the album can be found in “Yosemite”, a light, airy guitar ballad that evokes the sensation of laying in a field of flowers with a gentle summer breeze blowing around you.

Hollywood might be the death of me,

So I’ll carry my mind to Yosemite,

Lay it all down in a summer breeze…

Cause I don’t want fans I want family.

I don’t want to stack bands I just want to find peace,

In the world that’s drained all my energy.

All in all, lyrical honesty and perfectly layered production are the throughlines that make this record a true piece of art. Despite the moments of hopelessness and loss that appear throughout, it is clear that its writing brought a sense of catharsis to Tim Bettinson, who said, “The album is very much coming from a place of love. I’d love for it to leave people feeling re-energised, and ready to just keep pressing on in their own lives,” and that feeling of release and freedom transfers through to the listener. 

We can’t wait to see what Vancouver Sleep Clinic does next, and to catch his tour of Australia in November. Information here.