Dash Hammerstein is an acclaimed film composer who is forging his own path as a folk pop singer-songwriter. His new music video for his 2025 release, “The Hammer” is a thought-provoking profile on navigating life within the modern world. It balances the fear of future uncertainty with the bliss of each present moment.
“The Hammer” mesmerizes with enticing notes of keyboard, lush layers of percussion, and deep vocals that soothe the psyche. Hammerstein brings his innermost thoughts to light and poses questions on what his future holds. The music video captures someone moving through life (jump roping, dancing, etc.) with ease and joy. Slowly, the future catches up with them as robots take over their space. “The Hammer” makes a statement on surrendering to the unknown and boldly moves through it without resistance.
Revealing more on the inspiration for his song, Hammerstein confides, “The question at the center of the song is: ‘Can I pull back the hammer or am I waiting on a train around the bend?’ Whether this is the hammer of a starter pistol or an actual pistol changes the meaning drastically (and darkly), and is up for debate. The race is either on the verge of beginning or on the verge of ending, depending on what’s around the bend, which is unknown.”
As a composer, Dash Hammerstein has written scores for HBO, Netflix, PBS, Hulu, and more. “The Hammer” is a part of a his upcoming, self-titled album Dash Hammerstein. The music on this project represents a new era for Hammerstein as he dives deeper into his identity as an artist.
Keep up with Dash Hammerstein: INSTAGRAM
