In many ways, “Emotional Wreck” is an unconventional pop song. The vocals are subservient to the production, as opposed to the more typical converse. It’s not a terribly positive or empowering message. There’s some unsettling discord in the instrumental parts. The arrangement has an odd structure, and so on… Despite all this, it’s a catchy tune with an energetic heart.

MUSIC

“Emotional Wreck” started off as an orchestral synthpop track in the vein of earlier Space March tracks such as “Eye for an Eye” or “Mountain King”. I knew the hook had something very compelling about it and wanted to include it on the album, but I struggled for a long time trying to make it fit. It wasn’t until I started to work in some Synthwave stylings into the song such as the high-energy Korg Polysix bassline that it felt like it had a direction that would work with the album.

The song originally had a second chorus with a Duran Duran style key change, but it was sounding like there were too many parts to the song and hence lacking coherence. So I scrapped this second chorus, simplified and strengthened the song structure.

“Emotional Wreck” features a lot of stylised vocal processing. In effect, I’m treating the vocals like another synth part. I do like the energetic Synthwave introduction to the song and the unnerving, discordant tones, which build tension.

LISTEN

LYRICS

It’s a bold and pessimistic statement to declare you’re an emotional wreck! But I’ve always favoured truthful interpretations of life events over fake, positive spins. There are times when we all feel like emotional wrecks – so hopefully there is something universal here.

Look at me
I’m an emotional wreck
Now you see
It’s just how we connect

Look at me – emotional defect
Look at me – conditional reflex
Emotional wreck

No space or time
I’m an emotional wreck
The rest you’ll find
It’s a logistical mess

No line of sight
I’m an emotional wreck
It’s our fight
And this state of unrest

TECHNOLOGY

“Emotional Wreck” features sounds primarily from vintage synths and drum machines (both sampled and soft-synths), but also includes some orchestral and modern synth/drum sounds.

• Korg Polysix – bass
• Akai AX80 – bass
• Roland Jupiter 8 – synths
• Roland Juno 60 – synths
• Oberheim SEM (Arturia) – synths
• Oberheim Matrix 12 – synths
• Korg PS3200 – synths
• ARP 2600 (Arturia) – lead
• Moog Apollo – lead
• Emulator II – drums
• Oberheim DMX – drums
• Korg DD1 – drums
• Roland TR626 – drums
• Microtonic – drums
• UVI Falcon – drums, bass, lead

ALBUM: FUTURE MEMORIES

TRACK 8: EMOTIONAL WRECK