The band was formed in 1996, consisting of the sole founding member, writer and musician, Nathaniel Leigh Nicoll. The current line-up of the band varies but typically consists of Nathaniel Nicoll, Mike Hayden, and James Wong.
A synth musician from S.F. Take one part Japan, mix with 2 parts Depeche, and add twist of longing.
site on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bmachine23
Constellation
B! Machine Lyrics
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Unwind my blood red heart
Till the bleeding the beating
The motion begins
Fixed on the seconds
That keep us apart
The breathing stops
Our lives are broken
Up into pieces
We try to count them
Swallow them whole
Our constellation
'The lovers apart'
Sleeping though days
Our lies together, our lives apart
Our lives are broken
Up into pieces
We try to count them
Swallow them whole
We choke on the afterthought
We die when the dreaming stops
In the song "Constellation" by B! Machine, the lyrics appear to be a melancholic reflection on disconnectedness in life and relationships. The opening line, "Unwind my blood red heart," has a certain vulnerability, contrasting with the next line where the singer seems to steel themselves for what's to come – "Till the bleeding, the beating, the motion begins." The idea of motion seems important, as if the singer wants to be propelled forward or some action to happen to relieve them of their stagnant state.
The following lines suggest a feeling of distance and separation from someone, compounded by a sense of time slipping away with each second – "Fixed on the seconds that keep us apart/The breathing stops when the dreaming starts." The use of "fixed" connotes a kind of painful obsession, while the last line could refer to a feeling of helplessness or escapism.
The chorus repeats the line "Our lives are broken up into pieces/We try to count them, swallow them whole" which seems to describe a sense of confusion and desperation in trying to grasp onto something that feels real or fulfilling. The next line "Our constellations – the lovers apart" seems to bring back the theme of separation and loneliness, while the last line "Sleeping though days, our lies together, our lives apart" suggests a paradoxical existence of being together in lies, but living individual and isolated lives. The final lines, "We choke on the afterthought/We die when the dreaming stops" offers a bleak tone and leaves the listener with a sense of despair, possibly suggesting that without hope, we cannot continue to exist.
Line by Line Meaning
Unwind my blood red heart
Let go of the pain and misery in my heart
Till the bleeding the beating
Until the heartache and palpitations subside
The motion begins
Movement towards healing and recovery begins
Fixed on the seconds
Focusing on the time passing by
That keep us apart
That separates us from each other
The breathing stops
The pain and anguish is suffocating
When the dreaming starts
When the mind escapes to find comfort in dreams
Our lives are broken
Our lives are in shambles
Up into pieces
Split into fragments
We try to count them
We try to find order in this chaos
Swallow them whole
Consume the fragments completely, to make sense of it all
Our constellation
Our relationship
'The lovers apart'
It is a relationship where physical distance separates us
Sleeping though days
Just moving through the day in a daze
Our lies together, our lives apart
Our love brings us together, but our lives are still broken and fragmented
We choke on the afterthought
Regret overcomes us
We die when the dreaming stops
We feel like we're drowning in the reality of our lives once we're no longer lost in our dreams
Contributed by Arianna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.