This was written over one listen which I think was good. I was hesitant to write, however. I feel like I needed to warm up a bit but that led to procrastination through getting other things done. Then I decided to get started with no warm up and I think it paid off. I didn’t think too much about what I was writing and so there’s a sort of clear idea as to what is going on in the song. Sort of.

Mouse on the Keys’ “Shapeless Man” is from tres.

I hope you enjoy.

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Silence. Space. Nothingness when suddenly keys strike softly and draw out, riding a low ambient sound. Percussion soon comes in, maintaining space and keeping a steadiness and a soft tension. Keys and ambience follow each other and move to contrasting, “off” places. Soon vocals come in, speaking from a distance. Words read almost emotionless. Almost.

The sounds keep on moving slow and maintain atmosphere until some more percussion starts cascading and providing a frame. The main percussive rhythm pulls back whilst keys almost come into frame but disappear before they can properly strike. They drone out whilst slowly a scene finds itself painted. The vocals had disappeared and now they return. They maintain their steadiness and they maintain their speaking.

Subtly the instruments have pulled away. Some sounds far off seem to scrape and grind, but they are far off. Something pulses and slowly a bustling scene reveals itself. The main percussive rhythm returns, though livelier and with more strike in it. It keeps the ambience grounded and moving and pairs with the cascading percussion. Keys keep fading in and out but never reaching their strike. They are sounds that are specific and clear, yet vague as they pass on by.

The vocals have once more faded and now something also vague seems to move and shift from the ambience, seemingly punctuating an emotive push of melancholy and seemingly looking for a transformation into a new state, but before any of that happens sounds start pulling away. The percussion stops and what is left quickly fades out as the song ends.