Xeno & Oaklander (aka Xeno and Oaklander) is a minimal wave / synth duo fro… Read Full Bio ↴Xeno & Oaklander (aka Xeno and Oaklander) is a minimal wave / synth duo from Brooklyn, NY, USA, comprising Sean McBride (Martial Canterel, Three To Forgotten) and Liz Wendelbo (Three To Forgotten). They began writing music in 2004 and they record their songs live in their studio and play analogue synthesizers and instruments exclusively. Their latest albums are Par Avion (June 2014, Ghostly) and Topiary (June 2016, Ghostly).

Other releases include: EP Vigils (2006, Xanten), single Saracen (2009, Wierd), Sentinelle (2009, Wierd) and Sets & Lights (2011, Wierd). Also, original tracks complied on Music For Ruins (2004, Xanten), Wierd Compilation (2006, Wierd) and Wierd Compilation Vol.II : Analogue Electronic Music 2008 (2008, Wierd).

Special editions include: Movements (June 2015, Ghostly), recorded live at the Xeno & Oaklander analog synth studio in Brooklyn, the 35 minute piece was inspired by travel in space and time. Field recordings gleaned during their travels are mixed in. Movements II (May 2017, Ghostly), released as a cassette available for sale exclusively at concerts on Xeno & Oaklander’s 2017 Spring European Tour, is representing Part 2 of the ambient electronic piece Movements and contains 7 tracks Theriac I, II and III as A side and Movements II A, B, C and D as B side. Moonlight (October 2017) is an evocative synth reverie. The track was originally released on vinyl in association with Electronic Sound magazine.

4th Wall
Xeno & Oaklander Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I used to think
Should old age beset me
That I would join
The pantry of the poor
So what′s the use
So what's the use

Let the smoke float free

Into ever colder coldness
Let the smoke float free
Into ever colder coldness
Coldness
Coldness

I used to think
Should old age beset me
That I would join
The pantry of the poor
So what′s the use
So what's the use

Let the smoke float free
Into ever colder coldness
Let the smoke float free
Into ever colder coldness

Coldness
Coldness

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Xeno & Oaklander's "4th Wall" are sorrowful yet resigned. The singer contemplates the realities of aging and the inevitability of poverty, suggesting that these struggles lie in the future regardless of their present actions. The use of imagery such as "the pantry of the poor" and "ever colder coldness" highlights the harshness of these circumstances, while the repetition of the phrase "so what's the use" suggests a sense of futility or hopelessness in the face of these challenges.

The repeated refrain of "let the smoke float free" offers a slightly ambiguous element to the song, as the meaning behind this phrase is not explicitly stated. However, it could be interpreted as a metaphor for releasing one's burdens or troubles into the air, perhaps suggesting a desire to let go of the worries discussed earlier in the lyrics. The concept of coldness also runs throughout the song, painting a bleak picture of the singer's feelings and environment. Ultimately, the lyrics of "4th Wall" are emotional and introspective, reflecting on difficult topics in a contemplative manner.

Line by Line Meaning

I used to think
In the past, I held a certain belief

Should old age beset me
If I were to grow old and weak

That I would join
I believed I would become a part of

The pantry of the poor
The group of people who struggle financially

So what's the use
What is the point?

Let the smoke float free
Allow the smoke to escape

Into ever colder coldness
Into an increasingly cold atmosphere

Let the smoke float free
Allow the smoke to escape

Into ever colder coldness
Into an increasingly cold atmosphere

Coldness
A state of being cold

I used to think
In the past, I held a certain belief