“This anticipation hasn’t fallen flat.”
“I’m feeling lost” is the lyric initially igniting “Life Is Not Linear“, the highly anticipated debut record from Arcade State. The opening track ‘Dissonant‘ emphasises the importance of feeling the emotions coming to us, Ciaran’s powerful vocals force you to do so. Where the track discusses the lack of harmony in our lives, very much in line with the song’s literal meaning, the song is everything but dissonant. The song, like the entire album, has an incredible professional production. This is all due to the dedication of Arcade State as well as producer Mark Morrow, also known for producing material from a range of fellow Scottish acts like Dazed & Confused, swim school and False Friends.
Where ‘Dissonant‘ acknowledges the lack of harmony in life, ‘My World Is Grey‘ is full of harmony. Featuring vibrant vocals from Kirsteen Harvey alongside Arcade State frontman Ciaran Murray, this bright ballad-type track utilises lively lyricism that paints a powerful picture. “I only see the world in black and white without you,” and “my world is grey, but you gave it colour,” are lines in this track that beautifully summarises the simplistic, yet sometimes boring way of life before a certain person makes it brighter.
Loss
Following on from the picture painting portrayals of ‘My World Is Grey‘, tracks like ‘Lost In Your Screams‘ and ‘Lacuna‘ continue this approach. In ‘Lacuna‘, Jordan Murray‘s dynamic drumming drives a mesmerising momentum with intricate instrumentals from bassist Lewis Taylor and guitarists Calum Davidson and Cammy Roxburgh. Lines like “you’re staring blankly at me,” provide an image of someone being a shell of who they once were. “I wouldn’t go there without you,” is a repeated lyric in ‘Lacuna‘ that is so versatile in its wording that it could apply to missing anyone, regardless of the reason for their absence.
Both of these songs include impactful indications of loss, something the band have discussed openly. Last year, bandmates and brothers Ciaran and Jordan sadly lost their sister Chelsea, who was aged just 23. Her life is being celebrated, as all life should be, with the debut album being dedicated to her. The band have also encouraged the adoption of the message “Be More Chelsea“. This phrase really integrates the message that life truly isn’t linear, but with each low we experience, there are highs that should be celebrated. ‘Lost In Your Screams‘ features the line, “now I’m lost in your screams, now that your voice comes through the other side,” which further conceptualises this theme.
Vulnerability
Throughout “Life Is Not Linear“, the lyrics open the band up to a vulnerable side. But by imposing this vulnerability upon themselves, it makes their messages more powerful. By choosing to discuss such themes, Arcade State have produced an album that isn’t a facade. It is an emotional exploration and deep divulgence of personal subjects, turmoil and impacts to our own mental health.
Such vulnerability can be seen in the record’s fourth single ‘Flowers‘. It discusses our mental health in a raw yet melodic way. “Save me, before there’s no-one left at all,” is such a simple yet powerful lyric. “There’s no feeling ’cause you broke my heart,” provides heartbreak as one reason for feeling a specific way. Along with the theme of loss, this tune explores the fragility and temporary state of everything in our lives, including life itself.
Aftermath
‘Lost In Your Screams‘ paints an image of hearing the aftermath of someone being there. Themes like loss and vulnerability discussed throughout the record are all too real for a lot of us. ‘The Barrens‘ is a tune that captures this feeling and puts it into words. “My heart was a wasteland, a place of despair,” phrases this perfectly. Much like being in lost in someone’s screams, they aren’t linear or coherent. The vocals echoing at the end of this tune represents this, and the track’s wording.
This aftermath of negatives is present in ‘Nothing But War‘, featuring former Arcade State member David. Lyrics throw around the versatile concept of being at war with either ourselves, or others. Like ‘Lacuna‘ there seems to be particular influence from groups like Biffy Clyro, Fatherson and Frightened Rabbit with the incorporation of catchy riffs alongside often poetic and poignant lyrics.
Stigmas
‘Interlude‘ is a small introductory portion of the album’s final track ‘Paper Heart‘ played on piano. It is the calm before the storm. ‘Paper Heart‘ itself was the second single from the record which instantly became a favourite for me. It emphasises the message of not shying away from our emotions and the importance of displaying how we feel. It also discusses holding others accountable for causing these feelings, “I see you looking down the barrel“.
The raw and heavier feel of this track contradicts the stigma that talking about feelings is weak. Mentions of a “human heroine” supports the breaking down of this stigma too as this has connotations to being strong and courageous, which is exactly how talking about our mental health should feel.
Breaking down norms and challenging stigmas carries on with ‘Thunderstatement‘, the album’s third single. “They want us to live like this, they want us to love like this,” is sung with power and presence by Ciaran. The song chaotically commands immediate attention with an opening scream and the empowering emphasis on not following the norms set out by society.
Life Is Not Linear
The record’s title track, and first single, is the perfect summary. With each song’s differing tempos encapsulating the ebbs and flows of life, the album proves that life truly isn’t linear. This song reassures all who wish to listen that these fluctuations in life are normal. We can’t fully appreciate the highs in life without experiencing the lows. By providing a vulnerable side to them, Arcade State have conceptualised things many of us don’t want to, or can’t talk about. With “Life Is Not Linear” being such a highly anticipated debut release, Arcade State can feel confident in the knowledge that this anticipation hasn’t fallen flat.