IT IS THE YEAR 2018. In this far-off future, you are one of the lucky ones: An employee at one of the five giant corporations who make up over half the world’s economy. You don’t know the extent of your employer’s activities. You’re not sure anyone does. You are a small cog in a vast engine of economic power. But your job provides you with a good salary and some interesting challenges, and it is surely better than the alternatives. It’s gotten rough out there.
And then one day, after the launch of a revolutionary new product (that you had no small part in developing), your team leader holds a celebration on the rooftop of the building. Your contributions to the project are singled out for praise—but then again, so are everyone else’s. After small talk and celebrations, you wander away from the party to take in the magnificent views of the city.
After a while, you notice a pigeon on the guard rail you’ve been leaning on. It too seems be to taking in the city views. The city has changed dramatically even in the short time you’ve lived here, sprawling outwards and upwards. Even the building you work in—with its austere hallways, magnificent atriums, and endless shared workspaces—is new. And you wonder: Does the pigeon realize it has alighted on something that didn’t exist even three years ago? Does it know how much things have changed?
The pigeon abruptly flies away. You follow its flight for a while, but soon lose track.
* * *
Theme Squad, the band under which I have been writing music for podcasts, has put out a new album: You Have the Rest of Your Life. An album of instrumentals, mostly chill, mostly downtempo. Perfect for writing, for driving, or for staring off into the middle distance, wondering how we got to this point and what will come next.
Available on Bandcamp (or on all the major streaming services). Enjoy.