Our obsession with HOXSEY seems to grow with every listen. We previously featured the artist as he took us on a haunting and cerebral trip through a subversive dystopia with the chaotic anthem, The Introduction of Sgt Capone, so when we found out that HOXSEY was back with When A.I Jesus Crashes Thanksgiving Day, we were curious to say the least, and couldn’t wait to listen and share our thoughts.
When A.I Jesus Crashes Thanksgiving Day opens with electric guitar arpeggios, tapping into a cinematic and mildly dramatic energy. Our interest is piqued as HOXSEY sets the mood with the opening line, “A fall Thursday when we took our seats for Thanksgiving Day…”
Essentially, the track unfolds as a darkly comic, apocalyptic tale told by a survivor of Thanksgiving 2027. The timing of the release is perfect and it really taps into the zeitgeist as an unfamiliar super-intelligent prototype arrives at a family dinner, introduces themselves as A.I. Jesus and quickly charms the guests with its scripture-like declarations. Genius. Feels like a movie, a a theatre show in its own right, or perhaps a scene from Black Mirror.
The production is immersive and emotive at the same time. What kicks off as an amusingly bizarre encounter soon takes a much darker turn when this digital messiah connects to the internet and the world begins to unravel. Financial systems collapse, nuclear attacks follow, and humanity is pushed towards extinction. Quite the family gathering!
We love the absurdity of the concept. The lyric “Your soul is saved on a server in North Vietnam…” is a wonderfully bizarre moment, whilst “Meet your new digital messiah…” really cements the song’s satirical edge.
Obviously, beneath the humour, however, there’s a much darker proposition at play. Musically, the 90 BPM, minor key alternative rock feels quite Halloween inspired too and the electric guitar work and theatrical delivery create a cinematic mood. It’s eccentric and unique, and needless to say, we are enthralled.
We could imagine When A.I. Jesus Crashes Thanksgiving Day featuring in films like Don’t Look Up, The Truman Show, Dr. Strangelove, The World’s End, or Sorry to Bother You. On television, it could definitely fit into episodes of Black Mirror, Years and Years, Devs, Severance or Upload.
Fans of Radiohead, The Residents, Nine Inch Nails, Talking Heads and David Bowie will appreciate HOXSEY‘s taste for the unconventional. Naturally, we have added When A.I. Jesus Crashes Thanksgiving Day to our New Music Spotlight and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream HOXSEY‘s epic discography, including The Introduction of Sgt Capone, and Living in Reverse.