Back in 2022, we had the honour of featuring Forgotten Garden for the textured and narrative-driven single, Bad Guy, so when we heard that the Scottish-Portuguese indie band was back with Civilisation, we were curious to say the least and couldn’t wait to listen and share our experience.
Civilisation opens with an ethereal guitar performance with a high emotional quotient. It expands with intricacy and the lyrics, “I came down from my mountain home, looking through endless streets, looking for a sign of wilderness, the place to find my feet…”.
The delivery is sublime and the build of the track is elegant and feels intentional. There is a nostalgic sentiment that comes to life that fans of Fleetwood Mac, Lana Del Rey, The Cure, Joy Division, and The Smiths will connect with. We are particularly drawn to the contrast between the delicate guitar work and Inês Rebelo‘s gentle, melancholic vocals, which gradually gather strength.
Beneath its haunting indie-rock and pop sensibilities, Civilisation has an important and zeitgeist message that serves as a reflection on the current trajectory of humanity. The song confronts the erosion of democracy, war, the climate crisis, corruption and political dishonesty.
We deeply connect with this sense of existential unease, and feel like this song has been gifted to us at a time when humanity needs it the most. There is irony in the title too, as civilisation is supposed to represent human progress, yet the systems and institutions designed to protect us can also hold us back.
Danny Elliott’s melodic rhythm guitar and dark synth textures establish a shadowy sonic landscape, while honorary gardener Melisa’s bass line adds depth and momentum. Formed in 2019, Forgotten Garden is a Scottish-Portuguese duo comprising Inês Rebelo on vocals and production and Danny Elliott on guitars, keyboards and production, with additional collaborators contributing to their recordings.
Cinematically, we can imagine Civilisation complementing movies like One Battle After Another, Children of Men, The Road, Melancholia, Don’t Look Up, V for Vendetta and The Hunger Games. On television, it could easily land a sync placement in Years and Years, The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror, The Last of Us and The Man in the High Castle.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Civilisation to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Forgotten Garden, including Snowflakes, Rain, James, and Overlord.