The dreamy alt-indie of Amsterdam-based group Klangstof is the product of N… Read Full Bio ↴The dreamy alt-indie of Amsterdam-based group Klangstof is the product of Norwegian singer/songwriter and producer Koen van de Wardt. His earliest inspiration was Radiohead's OK Computer, which he used to hone his instrument-playing skills. Once he started writing his own material, he bolstered his songcraft abilities with studies at Hedmark University College in Norway. After a stint as bassist with Dutch indie band Moss, van de Wardt committed himself to the Klangstof project in 2014. After releasing the single "Hostage" in 2016, he signed with Mind of a Genius, home to Zhu and Gallant. The sweeping tune incorporated the icy soundscapes favored by Radiohead in their late-era works, while also infusing some of the ethereal atmospherics of Sigur Rós and funky flourishes of Alt-J into the mix. A full-length arrived in 2016. Close Eyes to Exit featured "Hostages" and the title track. It resulted in a remix collection, Klangstoff Remixes: Dusk, that was issued in 2017.

Amansworld
Klangstof Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mary's sitting in the backseat
of your car,
of your car
It was a man's world before we met the opposite
Now it's only dark
Mary said she would be off here
when it starts,
when it starts

It should be right but I always think the opposite
Now it's only dark
And even in the darkest alleys I inhale
I would rather run than I wanted to be yours, alright
And even when you try to conquer I insist

I would rather run than always being yours, alright
Split the sides

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Klangstof's "Amansworld" describe a scene where Mary is sitting in the backseat of the car, while the singer seemingly reflects on how the world felt different before he met Mary. He acknowledges that it used to be a "man's world," but that things have changed since they met. However, he seems to express a sense of unease and uncertainty about their relationship by repeating "now it's only dark." After that, the lyrics talk about the singer's feeling of being trapped and wanting to run even when he's in the darkest alleys. Despite the potential dangers, he would still rather run than be with Mary. The mention of splitting sides adds to the sense of unease and discomfort in the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Mary's sitting in the backseat of your car, of your car
The girl named Mary is sitting in the rear of your car.

It was a man's world before we met the opposite / Now it's only dark
The world was dominated by men, but now it's dark and confusing because the opposite sex has come into play.

Mary said she would be off here when it starts, when it starts
Mary mentioned that she would leave when something begins to happen.

It should be right but I always think the opposite / Now it's only dark
Though things should be correct, the artist always thinks the opposite, which results in a sense of darkness.

And even in the darkest alleys I inhale / I would rather run than I wanted to be yours, alright
Even in dangerous places, the artist breathes in fear and would prefer to run than to be yours.

And even when you try to conquer I insist / I would rather run than always being yours, alright
Even when you attempt to control the singer, they still insist on running away instead of being always yours.

Split the sides
This phrase is ambiguous and could mean one of several things - it could be a reference to a physical action (splitting the sides of an object), or it could refer to something more abstract (splitting the sides of one's identity, for example). The meaning is left intentionally up to interpretation.

Contributed by Hunter S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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