Synopsis

Signals' "What Dreams" turns a simple craving into an escalating comedy routine. The band members sit expressionless while dogs eagerly lick peanut butter spread across their bodies, including faces, necks, ears, and other harmlessly exposed areas. Close-ups capture the musicians' deadpan discomfort alongside the animals' increasing enthusiasm. Sunglasses, facial hair, tennis balls, and musical instruments add to the deliberately absurd imagery. Rather than following a conventional narrative, the video builds its joke through repetition, awkwardness, and the dogs' single-minded devotion to their favorite treat.

Factoids & Trivia

• "What Dreams" appeared as the B-side of Signals' debut 7-inch single, "Silverfish / What Dreams," released through Moshi Moshi's Singles Club in March 2010.

• Signals were a Los Angeles trio made up of Jon Gray, Bill Gray, and Jacob Cooper. The group was formed by musicians associated with The Mae Shi, giving the project a connection to the Los Angeles experimental rock scene.

• The video's central joke depends on a deliberately stark contrast: the band members remain largely passive and expressionless while the dogs become increasingly excited.

• Contemporary coverage singled out the peanut-butter setup as the video's defining visual gag. Reviews also noted the dogs licking the performers' earlobes and appearing in reflections in sunglasses.

• The track runs for approximately three and a half minutes, and the video sustains its single comic premise rather than introducing a separate storyline or conventional performance sequence.

• The video helped establish "What Dreams" as one of the more memorable entries in the band's early catalog, largely because its low-concept visual idea was immediately recognizable and easy to describe.