Founded in November 2011, Linea Aspera were influenced by electronic bands from the 1980s. A reviewer reporting on a gig in January 2012 noted that their music sounded "very 80s", and that they had "sprung fully-formed" from the musical underground of East London. That month self-releasing an extended play cassette, titled Linea Aspera EP, it was described by the Burning Flame website as number one in their Top 20 EPs of 2012.
Signing to Dark Entries Records, the band's first album, Linea Aspera LP, was released on 25 September 2012. Brought out digitally and on vinyl by Dark Entries, a CD release was produced by the German company Genetic Records. Each LP was contained in a jacket sleeve designed by Dovile Shurpo and accompanied by an insert listing their song lyrics.
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Detachment
Linea Aspera Lyrics
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but empathy is dead.
I was nowhere, I was nowhere then.
Is that what he meant? Is this detachment?
I wouldn't know…
He splits the seams, hope's unraveling.
There are stranger places full of pretty faces,
but you never know.
"Empathy", he said,
but empathy is utterly and irreversibly dead.
The lyrics to Linea Aspera's song Detachment convey a sense of emotional distance and disconnection from the world around us. The opening lines "Empathy, he said, but empathy is dead" suggest that the singer has been told to show empathy, but they feel like it's no longer possible to do so. The repetition of "I was nowhere, I was nowhere then" emphasizes their feeling of being disconnected or absent from the situation.
The second verse, starting with "Is that what he meant? Is this detachment?" adds to this sense of confusion and disorientation. The singer is unsure whether their detachment is the same as what was meant by the person who mentioned empathy. They continue to describe the unraveling of hope, again emphasizing their emotional distance from the situation.
The final lines of the song, "There are stranger places full of pretty faces, but you never know. Empathy, he said, but empathy is utterly and irreversibly dead" further convey a sense of hopelessness and resignation. The mention of "stranger places" suggests that there are other experiences out there, but they may not necessarily be better. The repetition of the idea that empathy is dead reinforces the sense of emotional detachment that runs throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Empathy, he said,
He spoke of understanding and compassion for others,
but empathy is dead.
However, he believes empathy no longer exists in the world.
I was nowhere, I was nowhere then.
At the time, the singer was emotionally absent or disconnected.
Is that what he meant? Is this detachment?
The artist questions whether this absence is detachment, or emotional distance from others.
I wouldn't know…
The artist is uncertain of their own emotional state and its connection to detachment.
He splits the seams, hope's unraveling.
The person alluded to in the song is tearing apart the hope and positivity that once existed.
I was nowhere, I was nowhere then.
Again, the singer emphasizes her own lack of emotional involvement at the time.
There are stranger places full of pretty faces,
Although there are new and exciting locations and people to discover,
but you never know.
there is always uncertainty and risk involved.
"Empathy", he said,
The earlier mention of empathy is repeated to emphasize its importance.
but empathy is utterly and irreversibly dead.
The singer reiterates that empathy has been completely destroyed and cannot be revived.
Contributed by Kaitlyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.