A lot of the time, when you’re stuck in an unhealthy relationship, it can be difficult to see it until someone points it out to you. After putting so much time and energy into one person, those around you will see you change, but you won’t recognize it. That being said, once you recognize the situation for what it is, it’s important to take a step back and do what is best for yourself, not for the other person. If you find that you’ve been living somebody’s life for them, then it’s time to reevaluate your relationship with that person, and that is the message which Son Lux is speaking about with their song, “Live Another Life.”
Beginning with an industrial-sounding loop, which continues for over twenty seconds before anything else joins in, the song does not immediately reveal its true nature. However, once those twenty seconds have passed, something truly beautiful begins to blossom. Accompanied by a backdrop of electric keys, singer Ryan Lott begins singing in a soft voice which, when combined with the instrumentation, reminds me a lot of the band, The Antlers. Bringing up the topic of putting others before yourself, Lott sings, “I’m done asking you to be healed for me / I’m done asking you to heel to me / I’m done asking you to breathe out / So I can breathe in, so I can be loud.” It seems as though this person whom he is singing to has required all of his attention and care, causing him to put himself on the back burner. He continues, “If you can leave me here / Just release me dear / Don’t live another’s life.” Perhaps pleading to the listener, Lott asks that you don’t live someone’s life for them.
Entering the chorus, a thick bass joins the instrumentation, along with a boosting of the vocals and occasional added effects. Lott repeats the lines, “If it’s not love enough / Go live another life / Go live another life.” Basically stated, if you feel as though you aren’t getting enough out of a relationship or person, get out while you can. It’s never too late to “live another life.” At this point in the song, things really pick up as an acoustic drum set joins the fray of industrial loops, creating a sort of controlled chaos sound. The best comparison I could come up with is the song “Lotus Flower” by Radiohead. By the time the vocals kick back in, the rhythm switches up again, with Lott singing, “I’m beautiful but I’m dying / Ice weeping into the sea / Silently at first, now it’s screaming out of me / Oh, I can bleed right here / And leave a crimson smear on you.” Essentially elaborating on his thoughts from the first verse, Lott emphasizes that although he is a wonderful person, he still feels as though he is dying because every bit of him is going into someone else.
After the build-up of the previous verse, the song suddenly goes dark. As if all the air has been sucked out of the room, we are left with a sudden uncomfortable quietness. Lott sings, “Run for your life and don’t look back / And don’t look back,” and just like that, the song begins to build up again. The same line is repeated, however this time with a chorus of voices, only increasing the power of the line. The instrumentation continues building until we eventually meld into the final chorus of the song, where Lott sings, “Live another life / And don’t look back.” The song then slowly begins to peel back its layers, becoming more and more isolating until the final line of the song is sung, “If it’s not love enough / Go live another life / Go live another life.” With that, the song goes silent. An important message is only the first thing Son Lux got right with this song, as that can only take something so far. What really makes this song excel is its creatively chaotic nature. Allowing the emotions of the lyrics to not only be felt through Lott’s delivery, but also by the instrumental performances, will push this song into success.
