Drawing us in with a reverberating cymbal and textured drums, TAKE OFF TO NOVA open Metopia with timeless notions and instrumental mastery as the opus expands with a dimensional and cinematic bass and guitar soundscape.
We experience the situational, introspective and metaphorical lyrics, “I leave behind the carbon world, in its flesh, I’ve always felt like a thorn, if this is the promised land, I willingly give what it demands, what is illusion, what is reality… in the end does it really matter?”
Immediately we are enthralled by the narrative and zeitgeist expression of the times, laced with poetic prowess and intentionality. The band explains, “Metopia dives into the seductive pull of virtual worlds, where pain, failure, and reality seem far away. But when one finds love inside the illusion, one question remains: what is truly real? A rock anthem about escapism, human struggle, and finding the courage to return to reality.”
In essence, the song is about leaving the real world behind and entering a perfect digital or imaginary place called Metopia. This is an anthem of escapism and we could imagine it in an epic film like Lucy or Limitless, where pain, fear, and uncertainty seem to disappear.
At first, this new world feels exciting and peaceful, but the philosophical band eventually question whether a life without struggle or real emotion is truly worth living. This echoes Taoist and Vedic concepts of why we incarnated and for what purpose. It’s cleverly written and suggests that freedom, love, and identity only have meaning when they exist in the physical realm, flaws and all.
In the end, it encourages the idea of waking up from maya / the illusion and reconnecting with reality. The songwriting is poetic and symbolic, poignantly mixing science fiction, spirituality, and emotion to explore what it means to be human.
Naturally, we love it and sonically, fans of Jamiroquai, David Bowie and Gorillaz will be able to connect with the cerebral jazz notions with a touch of ethereal psychedelia that come to life. The tempo shifts are brilliant and the instrumental segues (with a transcendental guitar solo) invite further introspection at a time when we need it the most.
We have added Metopia to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of TAKE OFF TO NOVA, including Racer, and Neon Light Faeries.