ALMA is a London-based ambient group formed in 2014, fronted by songwriter … Read Full Bio ↴ALMA is a London-based ambient group formed in 2014, fronted by songwriter Pete Lambrou. With the kind of impeccable sense of timing which eludes so many of us they are releasing their debut single 'The Great Escape' just as the hangovers subside from The Great Escape by the seaside. And as hangover cures go, ‘The Great Escape’ is one mightily gentle sonic comedown which is already hoovering up comparisons to fellow fragrant explorers Sigur Ros, Patrick Watson and Explosions In The Sky.

Indeed, last week Bearded magazine decided that ‘The Great Escape’ “feels like it would sit at home as the background music to an ambient explosion in space,” and further noted that this is more than fitting seeing as how ALMA takes its name from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array – “a really bloody powerful telescope.”

All of which is perhaps unsurprising when one considers that as mainstay of Codes In The Clouds and Monsters Build Mean Robots Lambrou’s gently cosmic post-rock provenance is impeccable. Joined by fellow Code In The Clouder Ciaran Morahan, ALMA deploy a loop station, multiple delay pedals, a piano and strings to create a slow-moving, high-flying soundscape of luscious gravitas.

"Sad, uplifting, haunting, atmospheric and oozing confidence." - flushthefashion

The Great Escape
Alma Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

As our city slept through harboured dreams
We thought of friends a world away
And when we awoke from our dearest trip
We found after all that the words were broke

In the presence of wrecks we found ourselves
Surrounded by animals the weakest of all
And when we awoke from our distant trip

We saw after all of the greatest trick

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alma's song "The Great Escape" depict a scene of disillusionment and disconnection. The opening lines suggest a feeling of distance - the city is sleeping while the singer's thoughts are with friends who are far away. The next few lines draw attention to the power of language and communication, suggesting that communication itself has failed in some way - "the words were broke". From here, the song moves into a more ominous tone as the singer finds themselves surrounded by "wrecks" and "the weakest of all" - perhaps a metaphor for a society or world that is falling apart. The final lines reveal the "greatest trick" - perhaps a reference to the way in which the world is constructed to keep people trapped and disconnected from each other.

Overall, Alma's song "The Great Escape" can be interpreted as a meditation on our modern world and the ways in which communication and connection are undermined by societal and cultural forces. The lyrics paint a picture of dislocation and disillusionment, making it clear that the "great escape" is not something that can be easily achieved.

Line by Line Meaning

As our city slept through harboured dreams
As the night settled in and our city closed its eyes, we found ourselves lost in our own thoughts and dreams.

We thought of friends a world away
Distance made us think of the friends we have in faraway lands and how much we miss them.

And when we awoke from our dearest trip
When we finally opened our eyes from the most cherished and memorable journey of our lives,

We found after all that the words were broke
We came to realize that no matter how hard we try to express ourselves, our words will never be enough to convey the depth of our feelings.

In the presence of wrecks we found ourselves
Amidst the ruins and chaos around us, we discover our true selves.

Surrounded by animals the weakest of all
In the midst of this brokenness, we are surrounded by those who may appear weak, but in reality are stronger than they seem.

And when we awoke from our distant trip
As we slowly come out of our stupor from this long, arduous journey,

We saw after all of the greatest trick
We finally realized that the greatest trick of life is to accept that there is no perfect, unblemished world.

Contributed by Cole A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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