De Staat is a Dutch alternative rock band from Nijmegen, The Netherlands, f… Read Full Bio ↴De Staat is a Dutch alternative rock band from Nijmegen, The Netherlands, formed in 2006. The band, fronted by songwriter, singer, guitarist and producer, Torre Florim, released four albums: Waiting For Evolution (2009), Machinery (2011), I_Con (2013) and O (2016).

De Staat have been described by SonicAbuse as "genre-hopping Gremlins of the first order, who take in the eclectic, grand slamming funk of Beck, the dance grooves of Kelis’ Milkshake, the horny soul of QOTSA (...) and the lost, gothic romanticism of Nick Cave often within the same song."

The band's sound gradually evolved from rather heavy, riff-based 'desert rock' in the vein of Queens Of The Stone Age and Kyuss to a more eclectic 'heavy disco' sound with funky synthesizers and bouncing melodies. Typical for this shift in sound is 2014's Vinticious Versions EP, on which - if you wish - the 'new De Staat' interprets songs of the 'old De Staat'.

November 2021 saw the first release of a possible series of EP's based around the three colors red, yellow and blue. Each color represents the main vibe of a track. Red stands for dark and hard, yellow stands for light-footed, and blue stands for melancholic. De Staat frontman Torre Florim explained that future song releases would fit these vibes and possibly become a series of EP's instead of an album.

Line-up:
Torre Florim - vocals, guitar
Vedran Mircetic - guitar
Jop van Summeren - bass, keyboard, vocals
Rocco Hueting - percussion, keyboards, synth, guitar, vocals
Tim van Delft – drums

BAND HISTORY

De Staat debuted in 2009 with Wait for Evolution and shortly thereafter performed on all major Dutch stages and festivals such as Lowlands and Pinkpop, and internationally at Sziget and Glastonbury. The album was awarded various prizes, and in 2011 and 2012 the band received a 3FM Award for Best Alternative Act. Second album Machinery was released in 2011. Once again, De Staat toured a large number of European venues and festivals, this time with an extra element added to their live shows: a huge, specially built machine. In 2013 they released I_CON, which was awarded an Edison, Holland’s most prestigious music prize. Late 2013 they played three packed out riotous shows at the Black Heart in London.

www.destaat.net

Level Up
De Staat Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh, I put your story on a timer
I′m skimming through your lips
Maybe something sticks

Oh, I only have so many heartbeats
I'll give you that kiss
Just to check it off my list

Level level up
Better be the better
Level level up
Better every second

Oh, ′cause every second needs a purpose
I eat food for fuel
Everywhere I go I go to school

Oh, go step it up I'm on a deadline
Only picking up the phone
When I'll be talking to a stepping stone

Level level up
Better be the better
Level level up
Better every second

Level level up
Party under pressure
Level level up
Better every second

Oh, take a good look at the clock babe
Tell me what′s the harm
In setting an alarm

Oh, I only have so many heartbeats
I′m putting in the sweat
So I'll be smiling when I′m done and dead

Level level up
Better be the better
Level level up
Better every second

Level level up
Party under pressure

Level level up
Better every second

Overall Meaning

The first few lines of the song “Level Up” by De Staat talks about putting someone’s story on a timer and skimming through their lips. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for how we perceive and consume information in our fast-paced society. We’re constantly bombarded with information from various sources, and sometimes we just glance over things without giving them proper attention. The lines “Maybe something sticks” suggest that even though we skim through things, something might still catch our attention and make an impact on us.

The song then talks about how we only have so many heartbeats, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the limited time we have in our lives. The lines “I’ll give you that kiss, just to check it off my list” suggest that sometimes we do things just to say we’ve done them, rather than for the meaning or emotion behind them. The chorus of the song, “Level level up, Better be the better,” can be interpreted as a call to constantly improve ourselves and strive to be better in life, whether it’s in our personal or professional pursuits.

The lines “Party under pressure, Better every second” suggest that even though we have a lot of pressure and stress in our lives, we can still enjoy ourselves and strive to improve. The final lines of the song “So I’ll be smiling when I’m done and dead” suggest that the ultimate goal in life is to be happy, even if it means working hard and constantly improving ourselves.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, I put your story on a timer
I'm keeping track of time when you tell me your story so that I can quickly move on to other things if it's not interesting enough.

I'm skimming through your lips
I'm not giving your words my full attention, just trying to quickly find something that interests me.

Maybe something sticks
I hope to find something interesting in what you're saying that I can focus on, but I'm not invested enough to actively listen.

Oh, I only have so many heartbeats
I'm aware of my mortality and want to make the most out of every second.

I'll give you that kiss
I'll do something that seems enjoyable, even if it's not important, just to say I did it.

Just to check it off my list
I want to complete tasks, goals, and experiences just to feel like I'm accomplishing something.

Level level up
I want to improve and better myself.

Better be the better
I need to constantly work towards being the best version of myself.

Oh, ′cause every second needs a purpose
I believe that time is precious and should be used wisely.

I eat food for fuel
I see food only as a means to give me energy to do things, rather than for enjoyment or pleasure.

Everywhere I go I go to school
I believe that every experience, no matter how small, is an opportunity to learn.

Oh, go step it up I'm on a deadline
I have a sense of urgency and need to move quickly in order to accomplish everything I want.

Only picking up the phone
I'm very selective with my time and only engage with people who I think can benefit or advance me in some way.

When I'll be talking to a stepping stone
I view people as a means to an end, and only engage with them if I think they can help me on my path to success.

Party under pressure
I thrive under pressure and enjoy the challenge.

Oh, take a good look at the clock babe
I'm always aware of the time and use it to measure my productivity.

Tell me what′s the harm
I don't see a problem with being hyper-focused on productivity and achieving goals.

In setting an alarm
I actively plan and schedule my time to ensure that I accomplish everything I want to do.

I′m putting in the sweat
I work hard and put in effort to achieve my goals.

So I'll be smiling when I'm done and dead
I believe that a life well-lived is one where you push yourself to the limit and accomplish everything you wanted to do.

Writer(s): Torre Florim Janssen

Contributed by Benjamin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS