Two years after the release of their critically-acclaimed album Say Somethi… Read Full Bio ↴Two years after the release of their critically-acclaimed album Say Something, Brooklyn’s indie pop quartet Via Audio releases their sophomore opus, Animalore, a melting pot collection of eccentric sounds- songs infused with fairy tales, folklore, science fiction, romance, seduction, and adventure.
Via Audio was formed in 2003 in between classes at the infamous Berklee College of Music in Boston. After releasing a self-titled EP on the small independent Kill Normal Records in 2004, the band first garnered attention when Death Cab for Cutie’s guitarist Chris Walla dubbed them his “new favorite band,” in his column for Under the Radar Magazine.
They soon after caught the attention of Spoon drummer Jim Eno, who would become their longtime producer, collaborator and comrade. With Eno’s help behind the board, Via Audio released their first full-length, Say Something, in 2007 on California-based indie label Sidecho Records. Pitchfork Media described Say Something as having “such a beautiful gloss over everything that it sticks, hurts, and feels delicious" and the album received accolades from Spin, Nylon, Under the Radar, Alternative Press, theTripwire, and Stereogum, among others. The band has since toured the U.S. and Japan alongside the likes of Spoon, White Rabbits, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Ha Ha Tonka, and Modern Skirts, making appearances at the South By Southwest, Monolith, and CMJ festivals.
Shutting themselves up again in Eno’s Austin, Texas home studio in 2009, the group tackled their latest songbook- the lo-fi electronics of “Digital,” the soul-infused funk of “Goldrush,” the ethereal surf-lament of “Wanted,” the glittery R&B pop of “Babies”- as Eno carefully and artfully crafted different sonic palettes for each unique song on Animalore. The result is an album that plays like a pop-up book for adults, bursting with vivid colors and secret corridors at the turn of every page.

Hazmat
Via Audio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I finished the part
I'm not in this moment anymore
I just wanted to figure out
The ending just to be sure

I'd rather avoid them
These ancient Egyptian

Did he or didn't he
Die in that place
Or did he find her
Somewhere safe

I'd rather avoid them
These ancient Egyptian

I'd rather avoid them
I'd rather avoid them
I'd rather avoid them
These ancient Egyptian

Yeah, I've got to keep you my girl so long
Yeah, I've got to keep you my girl so long

Overall Meaning

The song "Hazmat" by Via Audio explores the idea of avoiding certain questions or topics, specifically those related to the past. The opening lines, "I finished the part, I'm not in this moment anymore," suggest a separation from the present moment, perhaps due to a preoccupation with the past. The singer expresses a desire to "figure out the ending" to something, indicating a desire for closure or understanding. However, they also express a fear of facing the past directly, as evidenced by the repetition of "I'd rather avoid them, these ancient Egyptian." This refrain could be interpreted as the singer using "ancient Egyptian" as a metaphor for something from the past that they are afraid to confront.

The middle of the song introduces a new set of questions, asking "Did he or didn't he die in that place / Or did he find her somewhere safe?" These lines suggest a particular situation or event that the singer is trying to reconcile with their understanding of the past. The sense of urgency is conveyed through the repetition of "I've got to keep you my girl so long," indicating that the singer is trying to hold onto something or someone despite the uncertainty surrounding the past.

Overall, "Hazmat" presents a complex relationship to the past, one that is characterized by a desire for understanding and closure, but also a fear of confronting difficult questions directly.

Line by Line Meaning

I finished the part
I completed a task or a duty

I'm not in this moment anymore
I am no longer present in the current situation or circumstance

I just wanted to figure out
I solely intended to find an answer or decipher something

The ending just to be sure
I wanted to know the conclusion of something to ensure its accuracy

I'd rather avoid them
I prefer to stay away or not encounter a certain group of people or things

These ancient Egyptian
Referring to a specific ancient civilization, possibly expressing distrust or unease about them

Did he or didn't he
Expressing uncertainty or confusion about whether something did or didn't happen

Die in that place
Possibly alluding to death, either real or symbolic

Or did he find her
Considering an alternative possibility, possibly a search or pursuit for someone or something

Somewhere safe
A place of security and protection

Yeah, I've got to keep you my girl so long
Possibly expressing a desire to maintain a relationship, or a need to hold onto something valuable