"If Seven Was a Number" Makes You Question Everything

It’s impossible to be able to define this record as one genre, one concept; it consists of tones found in one type of music, as well as beats and paces found in a completely different one. “If Seven Was a Number” sparks curiosity right from reading the album title alone. It’s a matter of journeying through all ten tracks to figure out what it all means, or maybe even configure your own interpretation.

Fundamental Shift curated poetic lyrics that takes multiple listens to actually get ahold of the concept. “Incandescent Grace” starts immediately with ideas far from simple; the vocals are mellow and layered, along with lines such as “Will they come to save us? Can they come to save us? Who will save us? Must we save ourselves? Nobody is coming to save us?” It’s like a whole cycle of desperation, confusion, and acceptance.

“You Know Better Now” begins with a line that will make you ponder: “You said if seven was a number it would mean so much to you / But this world is filled with lies and filtered truths”. Personally, it seems as though there’s symbolism through ‘seven’, as if it’s associated with something significant to the person, yet it’s somewhat brought down with the second line that refers to the world’s distorted narratives through different perspectives, deeming the the ‘seven’ meaningless even if it is universally known as a number. It’s not definite in this context.

These songs are relatively slow, as if every chord and note are plucked with precision and decided carefully on. One key aspect are the basslines – they shine through, almost amplified in a way that still ensures catchiness amidst the depths of thoughts and words. “The Crux of Potential” is about the unique essence of each individual, hence the claim for each one’s potential: “Time to sing, time to make, time to build, time to bake” – it goes on with a handful more actions that humans can partake in to test their strengths and showcase potential. The song is laced with a hollow, kalimba-like melody in some parts.

Moving forward, “I Really Should Do More Dishes” has an overall feel-good sound, and a juxtaposition of emotional depth and a mundane task, in this case, washing dishes. “We taking turns to lose our way knowing I know that you’re there and you know I’m here to stay” says a lot about what it means. This may also be a reflection of how those emotions and significant relationships coexist with ordinary, everyday tasks. “Pack for Mars” has a catchy bassline, and based on context clues alone, this sings about moving to Mars, as it enumerates human differences and how we all destroy our home planet little by little.

“Just These Crumbs” is a song with a melody that’s easy to follow along to. It’s seemingly about being put on a pedestal, and thereby pressured with every action and move he does because people think or expect highly of him. “Now it’s up to me to make it look like I belong / If I don’t get this right, I’ll be singing for my supper without a song” stands out most, and says a lot about meeting expectations, in which total success isn’t guaranteed, and if all fails, he then struggles to prove himself.

In a nutshell, “Phantasmagoria”, “From the Dream to Here”, and “The Dream Is A River” have similar themes of dreamland, alternate dimensions, and further curiosity about the integration of time and space: “Why do you wait when all that you want is right before you?” states the thirteen-minute last track. Each of them have different yet familiar ambiences, as if floating on air, or stuck in a hollow, chilly space.

There’s more clever analogies in “Broken from the Inside”, although quite devastatingly heartbreaking. It mentions a dog and a doghouse, which probably symbolizes someone reluctant or stuck in a place of comfort or isolation. With the dog fussing and complaining, it highlights discomfort of being forced out of familiarity. Scrubbing and disinfecting the doghouse implies a shift from that reluctant feeling, and into a state of responsibility, in order to be able to share that doghouse with another being.

“If Seven Was a Number” is what you call an immersive, niche, and deep album. There’s something great about finding a record created out of the depths of their mind, rather than to please audiences with a mainstream tune. You can find beauty in every component, every instrument, all the while taking in the meaning of it all. In other words, it’s a beautiful album, and you’re missing out if you don’t give this one a try.