By: Sumedha Somayajula

Electronic artist LORN put out a track titled “ENTROPYYY” in November of 2022. It was originally only released on YouTube, and its video was created in collaboration with Sagans. Both the track and the video are surreal experiences of their own: when combined, they’re either a source of visceral fear or tortured comfort (depending on who’s watching).

LORN is an artist who has perfected the skill of creating unnerving soundscapes and appealing to just the right demographic. In “ENTROPYYY,” he strikes the seemingly impossible balance between organicity and futurism: the concept falls apart when it leans too far into either direction. The introduction is warm and ambient, and the noise is intentionally apparent from the beginning. The initial sweetness is soon interrupted by crackly, sour notes that guide the ear to abrupt vocal chops, and in the background, an oscillating synth bearing an inquisitive quality.

Each new chord and shifting beat is coupled with cuts to brilliant AI scenes of writhing robot bodies, crowded streets of smoggy cities, and a cautiously beating heart, all crafted by Sagans, a group I haven’t been able to find much about. Their “about” page on Spotify notes that they are a group “made up of music artists, graphic designers, and AI researchers who create music and visuals with the help of artificial intelligence.” Their obscurity, however, is certainly not a testament to their creative abilities: just as dreadfully poetic as LORN’s music is, Sagans’ video offers itself as the perfect existentialist complement.

Pieces like “ENTROPYYY” as a result of harmonious collaboration between off-the-wall artists are arguably what keep the underground music scene exciting. Beyond the appeal of a wealth of  somewhat unexplored tracks is the thrill of constantly discovering new visions— now, LORN has been around for quite some time, with tracks like “Acid Rain” and “Tempered By Your Love,” but there is a constant evolution that manifests within his sound. Whether an abstract nightmare or an illustrious vision for the future, “ENTROPYYY” is, at the very least, a riveting experience. 

As of January 4, LORN’s single “ENTROPYYY” is available for streaming on Spotify.