Born and raised in Massachusetts, Lopatin is the son of Russian Jewish emigrants from the former Soviet Union, both with musical backgrounds. Some of his first experiments with electronic music were inspired by his father’s collection of dubbed jazz fusion tapes and his Roland Juno-60 synthesizer, an instrument that has since been used extensively by Lopatin in the studio and on-stage. Lopatin attended Hampshire College in Massachusetts before moving to Brooklyn, New York to attend grad school at Pratt Institute, studying archival science. During that time, he became involved in Brooklyn's underground noise music scene.
In January 2017, a collaboration between Oneohtrix Point Never and FKA twigs was confirmed. In 2017, Oneohtrix Point Never provided the soundtrack for the film Good Time, directed by Ben & Josh Safdie. He won the Soundtrack Award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival for his work on the film, which included a collaboration with singer Iggy Pop entitled "The Pure and the Damned." The film's soundtrack was released via Warp on August 11, 2017.
Returnal
Oneohtrix Point Never Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bending the air, love is so small
Visualize dark thoughts it was in a dream
Internet as a self-atomizing machine
I designed it, reset, she's the cure
Underground, search for more
Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time
Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time
Bending the air, love is so full
My desire to see the light, my desire to be pure
Underground I visualize sighing ocean dream
Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time
Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time
The lyrics to Oneohtrix Point Never's song Returnal can be interpreted in various ways. On one level, the song seems to explore the theme of isolation and the feeling of being trapped in one's own thoughts. The line "Another silo full, another dark dawn" suggests a sense of endless repetition and ennui, while "Bending the air, love is so small" hints at the feeling of insignificance and the inability to connect with others. The next line "Visualize dark thoughts it was in a dream" could be interpreted as a reference to the way our fears and anxieties can overwhelm us, even in our sleep. Similarly, "Internet as a self-atomizing machine" seems to suggest a sense of disconnection and fragmentation that can result from our increasingly digital lives.
However, the lyrics also contain a glimmer of hope. "I designed it, reset, she's the cure" suggests that the singer has the power to break free from these negative cycles and create something new. The line "Underground, search for more" implies a willingness to explore new possibilities and break free from the status quo. Finally, the repeated phrases "Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time" suggest that despite the singer's feelings of isolation, they are never truly alone.
Overall, the lyrics of Returnal seem to explore themes of loneliness, anxiety, and the power of self-determination. However, they also suggest that even in our darkest moments, we have the ability to find hope and create something new.
Line by Line Meaning
Another silo full, another dark dawn
Another day of isolation and despair, just like the many before it.
Bending the air, love is so small
The power of love feels insignificant and helpless in a world full of darkness and negativity.
Visualize dark thoughts it was in a dream
The artist is plagued by haunting, unsettling thoughts that feel like memories or nightmares.
Internet as a self-atomizing machine
The internet, designed to connect people, has also brought about a sense of isolation and disconnection.
I designed it, reset, she's the cure
The artist takes responsibility for the negative effects of technology on society, but also sees the potential for a solution within it.
Underground, search for more
The artist continues to explore the depths of his own psyche and the world around him, hoping to find something more.
Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time
Despite the constant searching and struggling, the artist realizes that everything they need has been within them all along.
My desire to see the light, my desire to be pure
The artist longs for clarity and purity in a world that feels confusing and corrupted.
Underground I visualize sighing ocean dream
Amidst the darkness and chaos, the artist finds solace in dreams of the ocean, a place of calm and peacefulness.
Returnal - You've never left, you've been here the whole time
Once again, the artist acknowledges that everything they seek is already within themselves and has always been there.
Contributed by Jacob E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@lucasheffield7838
I feel like this is his most underrated album. The pure rage and intensity of the first track melting into a contemplative bliss is something I have never heard before, fucking breathtaking
@xx_sanic_da_heg_hoge_xx420
4:15 is my favorite part of this album. The absolute chaos of a soundscape peaks right here, overwhelming you entirely as the screams get louder and increase in number. Right as it reaches its apex, it lets go of its grip upon you to reveal the stunning calm of Describing Bodies.
Daniel is a genius.
@SlyHikari03
Same.
@notto86
Same. Kind of reminds me of a David Lynch movie. There's an absurd intensity to Nil Admirari, and an almost corny calm of Describing Bodies, that toes the line between serious and sarcastic like a Lynch movie.
@followingtheroe1952
Makes me think of the stargate in 2001 space odyssey, like we hear David screaming at the end
@Weifs
Most of the album is pretty solid ambiance but god damn that first track is some of the best noise I've ever heard.
@squeebbb
it's just his song "gray-level objects describing bio-layers" with a bunch of LFO fuckery on top is all it sounds like to me tbh. it's great though.
@Weifs
@@quantumpassport3573 Very much in agreement there. It's difficult to create something truly unique within a genre when you have a subconscious framework boxing you in.
@maxgill6738
@@squeebbb what does lfo mean ?
@ThisIsDownstate
@@maxgill6738 Low frequency oscilltor. basically something constantly modulating the sound at varying speeds.