Slowcore was an outgrowth of the late-80s indie scene. Its progenitors, including American Music Club and Galaxie 500, drew equal inspiration from the stark, acoustic arrangements on Nick Drake's Pink Moon and the cold, quiet rock of The Velvet Underground's self-titled third album.
Galaxie 500 would later influence Codeine, whose skeletal, glacial sound became the first pure example of slowcore. They would also give birth to the genre's more abrasive, heavier strand, which contrasted with the folk-inflected music produced by descendants of American Music Club.
Examples of the American slowcore scene include Carissa's Wierd, Idaho,former Carissa's Wierd guitarist Jenn Ghetto's recordings under the name S, and San Francisco favorites Red House Painters.
Some notable Asian groups include Sugar Plant of Japan and 잠 of Korea.
Subsequent purveyors of the slowcore sound incorporated elements of folk, country, psychedelia, math-rock and post rock, but the genre all but fizzled out as the 90s drew to a close. Perhaps there just weren't enough beats.
Slowcore experienced a rise in popularity in the 2020s due to songs by Duster and sign crushes motorist gaining popularity on TikTok.
Apocalypse
Cigarettes After Sex Lyrics
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Filming helicopters crashing in the ocean from way above
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye
Kisses on the foreheads of the lovers wrapped in your arms
You've been hiding them in hollowed out pianos left in the dark
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye
Your lips, my lips, apocalypse
Your lips, my lips, apocalypse
Go and sneak us through the rivers, flood is rising up on your knees, oh please
Come out and haunt me, I know you want me
Come out and haunt me
Sharing all your secrets with each other since you were kids
Sleeping soundly with the locket that she gave you clutched in your fist
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye
You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye
Ooh-oh, when you're all alone, I will reach for you
When you're feeling low, I will be there, too
The song "Apocalypse" by Cigarettes After Sex is a deeply emotional love song that speaks to the intensity of love amidst a world that seems like it's falling apart. The opening lines "You leapt from crumbling bridges watching cityscapes turn to dust/Filming helicopters crashing in the ocean from way above," refer to someone who is an observer in a world that is falling apart. However, this person is not just any ordinary observer; they are someone who is actively documenting what's happening.
The chorus features the repeated lines "Got the music in you baby, tell me why/You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye." The music referred to is a metaphor for love and the feeling of being alive. The imagery of being "locked in here forever" suggests feeling trapped or stuck, but the love that persists is a guiding light amidst it all.
The final lines of the song, "Ooh-oh, when you're all alone, I will reach for you/When you're feeling low, I will be there, too," speak to a deep commitment to love despite the world around them. It's the promise of being present and holding onto each other amidst a tumultuous world.
Line by Line Meaning
You leapt from crumbling bridges watching cityscapes turn to dust
You took daring risks and watched as the world crumbled before your eyes.
Filming helicopters crashing in the ocean from way above
You observed destruction from a safe distance and documented it for posterity.
Got the music in you baby, tell me why
You have an undeniable talent for music, and I want to know why.
You've been locked in here forever and you just can't say goodbye
You've been trapped in this life for so long that you can't imagine leaving it.
Kisses on the foreheads of the lovers wrapped in your arms
You show affection to those in your care and hold them fast.
You've been hiding them in hollowed out pianos left in the dark
You shelter your loved ones in hiding places, hoping they will never be found.
Your lips, my lips, apocalypse
Our kiss is a powerful, apocalyptic event that changes everything.
Go and sneak us through the rivers, flood is rising up on your knees, oh please
We must move through danger to be together, the waters of destruction threatening to overwhelm us.
Come out and haunt me, I know you want me
You want to be close to me, and your presence stays with me even when you're not physically here.
Sharing all your secrets with each other since you were kids
You have the closest connection possible with someone, having shared every secret since childhood.
Sleeping soundly with the locket that she gave you clutched in your fist
You cherish the memory of a loved one who gave you a precious keepsake, clinging to it as you sleep.
Ooh-oh, when you're all alone, I will reach for you
You can count on me to be there for you when you're feeling lonely.
When you're feeling low, I will be there, too
Even when you're not feeling your best, I will still be there to offer support.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Gregory Steven Gonzalez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind