Softmax’s track “Obsolete,” the focus of the new EP ‘Any Minute Now,’ invites listeners on a reflective journey through ambient sounds and a gradual build-up of electronic elements. The Chicago-based artist and producer, known for drawing inspiration from nonconformist artists like This Mortal Coil and Swamp Dogg, explores the anxieties of the modern technological landscape in 2023.
The track commences with slow and low-pitched string instruments, creating an ambient atmosphere. A lovely vocal emerges, complemented by synth fragments, and a bass slowly navigates through the composition. As the track progresses, it builds in complexity, reaching a crescendo that transitions into a beatless texture, offering an all-encompassing experience.
The EP, titled ‘Any Minute Now,’ captures different facets of anticipation, ranging from anxious and fearful iterations to a more peaceful resignation to the inevitable. Softmax’s storytelling is shaped by personal experiences, including the reemergence of compulsive aspects of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) triggered by the pandemic.
“Obsolete” serves as a poignant reflection on the artist’s experience of feeling out of sync with the rapidly changing technological landscape, symbolized by a dramatic and dystopian narrative. Softmax’s exploration of themes such as privacy invasion, the superficial aspects of modern communication, and existential dread manifests in the EP’s storytelling.
