A cyborg is a human entity that is fused with robotic elements to make something stronger and faster than our own organic potential. We are all cyborgs now, but not in the way that we planned - in place of robotic limbs and brain chips (though it may be a matter of time) our biomechanical extension is a 5 inch pane of glass and circuitry that may as well be sewn into our flesh. We are one with it. It knows us better than we know ourselves, or so we’ve been led to believe.
AI, algorithms and social media are a trinity that loom large in public discourse, but they only view us on the flattened plane of consumerism. For all the hoopla, the machinery has one job that it does well: keep eyes on screen. More time = more justification for ad revenue = profits. It is an elegantly simple model. It will show you what you want, or what it thinks you might want, or what you hate, or what you’ll tolerate - anything to keep you from looking away. In a zeitgeist of societal disarray, environmental catastrophe and political fragmentation it’s never been easier to distract yourself. Why give a shit about the climate when you can keep up to date with TikTok discourse?
Behind the scenes somebody, somewhere, is heavily invested in keeping this model afloat. Whether it’s for nefarious purposes, or simply to satisfy investors with perpetual growth, our current existence is dictated by flashes of blue light. Our politics, the things we buy, the artists we choose to interact with, hate groups, our taste in pornography.. they’re all lumped together in a confusing mash. The obvious alternative is to look away - but if you do, the herd moves on without you. Did you even want to be a part of the herd in the first place?
Onetwostep is a song about many of these things, or as much as can be squeezed into a little over two minutes (attention spans are short these days, haven’t you heard? Did you make it to this sentence?). In this video our digital overlord is a sentient ooze that sludges through the fabric of online communities, AI generated landscapes, robocalls and targeted advertisements. It is neither good, nor bad. It just is. It drips through our feeds, pausing to see what we like and what we scroll past. Shadowy figures dance gleefully as this world expands beyond the confines of the phone and permeates into tangible space. Scammers peddle crypto schemes and overinflated goods. A woman is reduced to a twitching buttocks. A terrified man scrambles naked through an invasive TSA checkpoint, desperate for privacy. Through it all the ooze goes, absorbing scraps of data detritus and arrives at a recycling depot, where it renders it all down to the primordial sludge of an individual personal algorithm. Did you like this post? Do you want to see more content like this? How satisfied are you with your experience? Don’t forget to leave us five stars!
In the midst of all this chaos comes the innocent voice of the user, sung into fruition by South Korean artist Juicelover. She coos her dreams and desires in strings of half-thoughts, tweets, and captions, trying to find meaning in a world designed to be devoid of it. Her voice is swallowed in the abyss - an avatar dissolved into the fabric of 1’s and 0’s. One more data point to calibrate the algorithm. The machine slouches onward.
lyrics
Viral, idol, teenage dream online
You can't scroll past - they'll find you
Skincare routine, vibe out
Sad boys, e-girls: stay in your lane
Glorified adspace, marketed pain
Pop pills, stay chill, question nothing
Cuz the quiet don't riot the american dream
Inside out, round by round
Pushed up just to fall back down but
They don't own you like that
Get a one, two step and throw it right back
Chasing cheese, round and round
Found a job in lost and found
Baby cheek, honey glazed skin
Looking at the mirror to find the happiness
Never gonna dream
Just stay awake
Vegetarian - get that steak away
Cuz I want no beef with no one
I don't wanna fight
Pacifism is the real one
Inside out, round by round
Pushed up just to fall back down but
They don't own you like that
Get a one, two step and throw it right back
credits
released May 12, 2023
The Founder - music, lyrics, production
Sunju Park - lyrics, vocals, additional production
Philip Gosselin - mastering
Jordan Clarke - artwork
Providence, Rhode Island artist El Valerie delivers nine tracks of pure, blissful bedroom pop with an electronic twist. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 14, 2022
