Establishing the mood with a cerebral percussion riff, an exquisite microtonal guitar and anthemic drums, NEO 10Y opens ANTiDoTE with dimensionality and cinematic allure. The opus expands with the lyrics, “I crave an empty mind, a yogic way to feel aligned, I try, I swim the ocean tide, and write an emo song to find my guide, I am a hologram, I live in a world where no one understands, I want the best for me, for love and peace eternally…”
We immediately connect with the raw vulnerability of the song and the high emotional quotient. NEO 10Y is known for his empowering and subversive tracks, and it is no surprise that this evolves into a liberation anthem with the pre-chorus, “So free me, I wanna be me, why can’t you see me? ‘Cause I’m just like you…”
The chorus unfolds like a psychedelic mantra where NEO 10Y taps into a whispered timbre to deliver the words, “Give me the antidote, I’ll be the antidote, we’ll be the antidote , love is the antidote…”. This aligns deeply with the artist’s message of love and peace, and his vegan activism. The second verse is clearly written from the perspective of an enslaved animal and really cuts deep.
ANTiDoTE was intentionally released today on 6 June (6/6/6) – an angel number for abundance and compassion, and NEO 10Y is also set to headline and host National Animal Rights Day in London, which he previously hosted in 2024. This follows his recent appearance on Jimmy Carr‘s show discussing a vegan future and his purpose to “help manifest a protopian dimension of peace through the expansion of love energy.”
Speaking on the release, NEO 10Y says, “ANTiDoTE is about breaking free, finding yourself, and choosing love instead of fear. It stems from the feeling of feeling unseen, misunderstood, and wanting peace. The chorus is a cry for freedom, to be accepted for who we are, and to remind people that deep down, we are one.”
The critically acclaimed artist (Billboard, Rolling Stone, Interview, PAPER) continues, “The song was inspired by personal emotions, but also by something bigger. The first verse comes from my own experience of searching for inner peace and balance in a dystopian world. The second verse is from the perspective of lives that don’t have a voice, souls that are confined, controlled, and waiting to be free – human and non-human animals. It reflects the idea that we all feel, we all suffer, and we all want freedom.”
He concludes, “I made this song as both a personal release and a message. It began as that feeling of emotional isolation, but it grew into an anthem of awareness and transformation. I wanted it to feel emotional, powerful, and uplifting at the same time. The idea behind the hook is that change starts with us. We are not waiting to be saved, we choose to become better, to lead with love, and to be part of a collective healing. ANTiDoTE is about awakening. LOVE is the ANTiDoTE. I am LOVE, we are LOVE. LOVE is the shortcut to world peace.”
The dynamics of the production are sublime, almost transcendentally euphoric with a sitar solo, extended outro, wolf-like harmonies, layered vocal textures, and it even comes with an epic desert performance music video which sees NEO 10Y glistening in the sun wearing a bandana, gold and silver adornments with a ripped physique, like a scene from a yet-to-be-created ancient-futuristic superhero movie, Dune or Tarsem Singh‘s The Fall.
To compare NEO 10Y to other artists would fall short, as there is no one quite like him, but fans of Grimes, Sevdaliza, The Weeknd, and even Michael Jackson will be able to connect with him sonically.
Naturally, we have added ANTiDoTE to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the exquisite, stadium-ready discography of NEO 10Y, including CHOOSE LOVE / CRYING IN THE SIMULATION, ASCETIC HEDONIST, ONENESS (WHO WE ARE), Vapid Prophecy, and Shortcut To World Peace.