15. Oblivion (feat. Sia)

 Oblivion (feat. Sia)

Standing as only the second song on the album featuring another artist, “Oblivion” aims to convey the message of needing a break, some relief from the constant painstaking work, constantly having to be “on” and moving. Sia joins Labrinth on this track, 2 of the 3 members of the group, LSD, which Labrinth, Sia, and DJ/producer Diplo founded together. All of their personal styles joined together creates an intense dynamic sound, one of which is partially sampled on “Oblivion”. Sia adds her accented and slurred vocals with Labrinth’s soulful vocals, creating a new sound tacked onto the end of “Imagination & The Misfit Kid”.

“Oblivion” shows us the difference between accomplishing your goals, and feeling accomplished. The speaker/s desperate yearn to feel something, likely by a strong will or force acting on them. The lyrics at the beginning of the song are rather telling in relation to this yearning, “Heaven never heard me calling.” He was trying to get into heaven, but his calls don’t seem to have made it through. Oblivion may stand as an idea of being free of the negative influences and impacts this journey has brought with it. “I want to be, be in oblivion” - ignoring everything else, not having to be bothered with feeling and trying so hard.

Overall, this track is more electronically driven than the rest on this album. This is likely due to the collaboration with Sia, and the precedent set by LSD’s released songs. The beginning starts off sounding like an orchestra gearing up for a concert. The violins play a small piece while everyone finds their seats. Then the melody and lyrics come in, and the show begins. This is an odd place to put the beginning of a show since it is the official last song on the album. There is also more echo than background music and effects. If you listen closely, you can hear echoing vocals in the background, “ooo-ing” along. This creates a calm but vast feeling, as though we really are in a theater, the sound echoing off and through the typically domed ceiling.

I don’t dislike this track, but I do not think it has a proper placement on the tracklist. I’m not sure I know where I would place it if not here, but coming after “The Finale” doesn’t feel quite right. It’s as though we were brought back down to Earth with a grand finale, a gospel heavy ending, and then brought back in for an encore. Except the encore doesn’t tie in with many of the sounds on the album, and Sia doesn’t hold her own very much. It doesn’t feel as organized, and becomes repetitive a little too easily. After listening to every song on this album on repeat enough times to make Labrinth top the charts this year, I have not grown tired of any song on the album. However, “Oblivion” is becoming a close call. The lack of sophistication in the background after the very beginning doesn’t bode well for a hard-hitting track. It feels a bit strained and, again, misplaced.