| Mouth Dreams | |
| Type: | mixtape |
| Artist: | Neil Cicierega |
| Cover: | Mouth Dreams.png |
| Released: | September 30, 2020 |
| Recorded: | 2019–2020 |
| Genre: | |
| Prev Title: | Mouth Moods |
| Prev Year: | 2017 |
Mouth Dreams is the fourth mashup mixtape by American musician and comedian Neil Cicierega. It was released on September 30, 2020. Like his three previous mashup mixtapes (Mouth Sounds, Mouth Silence, and Mouth Moods), its source material is primarily Top 40 hits from the late 20th and early 21st centuries, with Mouth Dreams emphasizing on songs about sleeping and dreams. It marks the musician's first major release since 2017.[1]
Like his previous mashup mixtapes Mouth Sounds, Mouth Silence, and Mouth Moods, its source material is primarily Top 40 hits from the late 20th and early 21st centuries; he also sampled classical music from the 19th century ("Brithoven" and "Ain't").[2]
When downloaded from Cicierega's website, a secret message is hidden in the track info for Mouth Dreams. Each track contains a one-letter comment; when the tracks are arranged in reverse alphabetical order by title, the comments spell "I can't think of a secret message".[3] The mixtape's cover art contains several hidden references. The title and Cicierega's name feature sparkles, spelling out "NiCe MoDems" when selected, referencing the mixtape's conclusion of a dial-up modem. A Wingding character is within each of Cicierega's pupils, representing the English letters "M" and "D" (referring to the mixtape's title Mouth Dreams). Ewoks are reflected in Cicierega's glasses, referencing the track "Limp Wicket" featuring samples from Meco's "Ewok Celebration".[4]
Critical reception of Mouth Dreams was positive. Joseph Earp of Junkee called it Cicierega's "new masterpiece", "his wildest work yet" and "heinous and beautiful in the same measure".[5] The A.V. Club praised it as "so stupid, and so good".[4]
Featured works sourced from synonymous listings by Stereogum,[2] MEAWW,[3] and the A.V. Club.[4]