Based in Oakland, CA, Dream Optimist (led by songwriter/composer David Marc Siegel) is in part inspired by musical theater; in part by Danny Elfman-esque hijinks music; 

and in another part by sublime, Debussy-esque rhapsodies.

Additionally inspired in equal parts by bands like the Magnetic Fields, the Talking Heads, Elvis Costello & New Order as by left-field composers like Moondog, Kurt Weill, and Aram Khatchaturian, Dream Optimist started releasing music in 2022, and released an EP title “Seven Day Love Challenge” in late 2023. Dream Optimist’s releases to date flirt with synthpop, bedroom pop, chamber pop and various other musics while maintaining a strong melodic and lyrical focus.

Believing in the power of constructed as well as found sound, the group is led by David, who spent some time in the worlds of art punk, ad music, theater music, musical theater, short film scoring, and neoclassical before ending up here, in the world of Dream Optimist.