Tommy Simpson, aka Macro/micro, has delivered yet another compilation of gorgeous dystopian angst with ‘Clicks’, a little over 20 minutes of electronic listening. The LA based composer has previously brought his audio engineering magic to assist Trent Reznor in albums such as Nine Inch Nails‘ ‘Ghosts’ 5 & 6 and Halsey’s ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’, and most recently on his own OST for short film “R.A.E.R BETA 0027“.
Created around the full length version of single ‘Clicks’, the first three skin-crawling tracks ‘Follow’, ‘Like and Subscribe’, and ‘Click For More Content’ are essentially track 5, ‘Clicks’, broken up in a way that lets each segment shine in its own right, although I highly suggest adding not only the shorter versions but ‘Clicks’ as well to your unsettling albeit addictive industrial night playlists. ‘Like and Subscribe’ is the orchestral sounding bastard child of Ministry, hypnotic in its profound repetitive statement. Possibly a tangent, but the track has a way of reminding one of occultists’ use of obsidian mirrors to allegedly commune with so-called angels and demons; it has one questioning our own use of black mirrors every day and what digital divine protectors and hellish fiends humanity has created with AI. Simpson is talented at juggling multiple emotive dimensions and a wondrous nature sonically, and with ‘Like and Subscribe’ has balanced instinctive lust and technological caution. A musical cliff notes version of Wallace’s ‘Infinite Jest’ perhaps? ‘devoid of meaning and significance’ has a way of making society’s social media servitude into something you’d like to listen to again despite the uncomfortable thoughts provoked, which is a testament to Simpson.
The entirety of ‘Clicks’ belongs in “Blade Runner” or any cautionary tale adapted from Phillip K Dick to screen and how could you not enjoy that?
Sarah Medeiros