Arliston new single, "Disappointment Machine," we feel a slow-sinking exhale swathed in haunting melodies and brutally sharp truths. The London duo, specializing in lush, melancholic soundscapes, brings their characteristic introspective depth to an even finer point here, laying bare the unbearably intricate agony of self-sabotage with distorting precision.
"Disappointment Machine" already sounds like a conversation you've had with yourself a thousand times, one of those late-night spirals when the self-reflection turns into self-destruction. Jack Ratcliffe's voice has an aching vulnerability, weaving between delicate reserve and raw honesty with little effort. "Hang my problems on a coat hanger" it' is a whole mood, summing up the peculiar, almost ritualistic way we try to compartmentalize our problems, knowing they'll never disappear.
"Disappointment Machine" is a master class in atmosphere. George Hasbury's detailed production constructs an immersive yet weightless soundscape, layering soft electronic textures with shuffling percussion and sorrowful guitars. It has the brooding elegance of The National and the ethereal intimacy of Bon Iver, yet it is still clearly Arliston introspective, cinematic, and quietly devastating.
A music video adds another layer: a working monk on an amusingly misguided mission, indirectly highlighting the "Disappointment Machine" absurdity of existence. It's that rare equilibrium of tragedy and humor in which you're not sure if you're supposed to laugh or contemplate the enormity of it all.
"Disappointment Machine" offers no resolution, but the company is in chaos. It's the kind of song that sticks with you long after the last note has faded, a quiet reminder of every repetitive pattern you promised you'd leave behind but haven't, anyway.