What Even Is What

The songs

Press any song to play it. Each one plays a one-minute preview.

1. Oh. Space. Okay

   Waking up. No ground. Backpack accounted for.

   Words

   Oh Wait Where Space Huh When did How did I Get here Don't remember The middle part Was inside Something Somewhere Now outside Everything Very dark Lots of stars Floating Definitely floating Not standing Or sitting Just Floating Still have Backpack That's good I guess Phone says No service Makes sense Probably Looked for The ground No ground Just void Okay So This is The situation Am in space For some reason Floating Apparently Could panic Or Could just See what happens Guess I'll just Float around Look at things Make observations Might as well Explore While I'm here Wherever here is Nothing else To do really When you're Floating in space Wonder what's Out here Probably Weird stuff Let's find out Or not Either way Still floating This is fine Kind of peaceful Actually Yeah
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2. Holes on the Moon

   A count of the holes. Lost track around thirty.

   Words

   Looking at The moon From here Different angle Never noticed Before But the moon Has holes Like A lot of holes All over it Everywhere Big holes Small holes Medium holes Just Holes Are those Supposed to be there Did someone Put them there Maybe the moon Came with holes Original design Features Or maybe Someone drilled them For some reason Long ago Can't tell From here Whether holes Are intentional Looks like Swiss cheese Kind of Same pattern Maybe the moon Is cheese And holes are Just cheese things Or maybe Everything in space Eventually gets Holes Natural process Things floating around Bumping into things Making holes Is a hole Even a hole Or is it Just space Where moon Isn't But could be Theoretically The hole is As much moon As the moon is Sort of Without holes Moon would be Different moon Less holey Tried to count The holes Lost track Around thirty Realized Still seeing More holes Everywhere How many holes Does one moon Need Apparently this many Started over Lost count again Holes keeping Appearing The moon Has holes That's just How it is Been that way Probably Long time Before me Holes doing Hole things Moon doing Moon things Everything's fine Holes and all Moon seems Okay with it [Ending] Still looking Still holey Still the moon Still here Maybe holes Are important Maybe not Can't tell Either way The moon continues Being the moon With all its holes
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3. Space Weed Telemetry (V2)

   Left, right, maybe up. The data may not exist.

   Words

   Space weed Abstract telemetry incoming Data stream eight nine nine four zero seven Forgotten wonders Just... floating here Left or right Maybe up Around and around What direction even is direction You know? Coordinates lost somewhere between The third moon and the fourth thought Telemetry says we're here But where is here when here is Everywhere and nowhere Space weed growing in the cracks Of forgotten satellite dishes Receiving signals from Gods who stopped broadcasting Centuries ago or maybe yesterday What what what Time is weird out here You what Yeah you Listening to data that doesn't exist Left Now right Wait no up Is up still up when you're upside down In relation to what Abstract telemetry reads Eight Nine Nine Four Zero Seven But what does it measure Forgotten wonders or Just the space between thoughts Around and around and around Coda ending that never ends Just loops back into itself Like a Möbius strip made of Smoke and starlight What what what You asking me what I'm asking you what We're all asking what What even is what anymore Forgotten wonders In the space weed gardens Telemetry fading Eight nine nine four zero seven Left right up around You what What you What what what Just drifting Just... drifting...
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4. Cosmic Grocery List

   Asteroid pickles, quantum oatmeal, frozen time. Forgot what it came for.

   Words

   Shopping list Right Had a shopping list Somewhere Aisle seven Or was it eleven Space station grocery Everything's floating anyway Asteroid pickles Do I need those Pretty sure I need those Or maybe that was last week Freeze dried nebula chunks In the breakfast aisle Next to the quantum oatmeal That exists in multiple states What was I getting Something important probably Milk from the moons of Jupiter No wait that spoils in like Negative three seconds Canned comet tails On sale Two for one But where would I even store comets The list said Something about bread Or was it dread Existential dread probably isn't in aisle four Frozen time Next to the ice cream Makes sense I guess Everything's relative in here Found the space weed section That explains some things But also raises questions Like why is it organized by galaxy Do I need Martian mushrooms The label says May cause temporary consciousness displacement Isn't that just Tuesdays though Shopping cart's floating away Should probably chase it But it'll come back around Circular orbits and all that Been here for hours Or minutes Time's weird near the dairy section Something about gravitational time dilation The list Right The list existed Somewhere between the third and fourth dimension Of my pocket Cashier asked if I found everything Found everything except What I was looking for But discovered seventeen things I didn't know existed Total comes to Some amount of credits From which solar system though Currency exchange is complicated Bagged everything in Quantum superposition bags Items are both there and not there Until observed Schrödinger's groceries Forgot what I came for But got asteroid pickles And frozen time So basically a successful trip
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5. Asteroid Belt Meditation

   Finding your centre while rocks go past at three metres.

   Words

   Breathe in The void Or wait Do I breathe here Meditation app said Find your center But center of what When you're floating Asteroid coming On the left Should probably move But that seems unzen Trying to achieve Inner peace But these rocks keep Interrupting my flow The guide said Clear your mind Easier said than done When asteroids exist Are asteroids Just space's thoughts Floating around Makes sense somehow Breathe out The stress Into the vacuum Where does it even go Rock just passed Three meters away That was close Or was it Distance is relative Meditation timer says Five minutes left But time's weird out here Near all this mass Trying to focus on My third eye But I have like Seven eyes when I'm this high Be present in the moment The app keeps saying But which moment This timeline or that one Was I meditating Or just floating Is there a difference Both involve not moving much Asteroid belt Slowly rotating around me Or am I rotating Everything's rotating Nothing's rotating Depends on your frame of reference Maybe the asteroids Are meditating too Just floating Being rocks Living their truth Achieved oneness With the void Or maybe just fell asleep Hard to tell the difference Inner peace found Somewhere between Rock seven and rock eight Or was it nine Meditation complete Or incomplete Or eternally ongoing Does it matter Center found It's everywhere And nowhere Mostly nowhere though Breathe in Breathe out Or don't The asteroids don't judge
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6. Nebula Navigation Error

   Recalculating. Still recalculating.

   Words

   GPS says Turn left at the purple But everything's purple Everything Recalculating Recalculating Still recalculating Been saying that for an hour Destination Three hundred meters ahead Which direction is ahead though When you're surrounded by gas The purple cloud Looks exactly like That other purple cloud And that one And basically all of them Turn right At the nebula I'm IN the nebula GPS doesn't understand context Now it's saying Turn left at the green Wait no That's also purple Purple pretending to be green Visual reference points Don't really work When everything's Slowly swirling gas Distance to destination Unknown Direction to destination Yes That's not helpful GPS signal strength Low That explains some things But also nothing Satellite triangulation Requires satellites Not just Colorful cosmic fog You have arrived At your destination I haven't moved For twenty minutes This can't be right Maybe there is No destination Just continuous nebula Purple all the way down Turn left Turn right Same result More purple gas Navigation error Assumes navigation Was ever possible Bold assumption Disabled GPS It was lying anyway Just gonna Float wherever purple takes me East west north south Don't exist here Only purple And also purple Turns out Getting lost In a nebula Is actually kind of The whole point Destination Irrelevant Location Everywhere Direction All of them Turn left at the purple Sure Why not It's all purple anyway
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7. Saturn's Rings Are Broken

   A maintenance report, filed with the void.

   Words

   Saturn's rings are Broken Like actually broken Gaps in them Not supposed to have gaps Right Pretty sure that's not normal Should probably tell someone Who do you even call For cosmic infrastructure Is there a number Space maintenance hotline Filed a complaint But where To whom The universe doesn't have Customer service Someone should fix this But who And how Do they have tools that big Maybe the rings Were always broken And we just Assumed they were perfect Infrastructure decay On a planetary scale Entropy applies to Saturn too apparently Been orbiting damaged For how long Nobody noticed Or everyone noticed But what are you gonna do Imagine the work order "Fix Saturn's rings" Estimated time Several millennia Tools required Probably Unfathomably large And also don't exist Budget for ring repair Beyond comprehension Funding request denied Due to The concept of money being meaningless in space Rings stay broken Nobody's coming To fix them That's fine Broken things Can still be Beautiful Maybe more beautiful Saturn doesn't seem To mind Still orbiting Still being Saturn Rings and all Filed report with The void Listed damages Gap in ring section B Also section F Possibly section Q Hard to tell from here Requested action Unknown Responsible party Also unknown Estimated completion Infinite Saturn's rings are broken Will remain broken Probably forever And that's okay Called the universe Left a message Didn't expect a callback Wasn't disappointed Infrastructure fails Even in space Even on gas giants Even on rings
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8. Quantum Coffee Break

   A break between two dimensions. The coffee is still hot.

   Words

   Coffee break Between dimensions Not in dimension A Not in dimension B Just Between them Wasn't planning this Just happened Reached for coffee Ended up Nowhere Coffee exists here And also doesn't Simultaneously Quantum superposition Of caffeine Can see both dimensions From here But I'm in neither Schrödin— Wait no Not using that reference Exists and doesn't exist At the same time The coffee Or maybe me Hard to tell [Break] This is technically A break From both realities Didn't request it But also Not complaining Time works different Here Between Could be five minutes Could be five years Coffee's still hot though Can see dimension A Everyone working Doing things Existing normally Can see dimension B Also everyone working Different things Also existing normally Neither can see me I'm in the crack Between realities With my coffee Should probably Get back To a dimension To some dimension Eventually But this break Between everything Is actually Pretty peaceful No emails here Between dimensions No responsibilities In the quantum gap Just coffee And void Is this even A real place Or just Theoretical space Made accidentally real By wanting a break Too hard Quantum mechanics Doesn't explain Coffee breaks But maybe It should Wave function collapsed Into break time Probability cloud Of caffeine Break's over Probably Eventually In some timeline But for now Floating between Everything and nothing With lukewarm quantum coffee Existing and not existing Working and not working Here and not here All at once
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9. Interstellar Laundromat

   Laundry without gravity. The washer is now in orbit.

   Words

   Doing laundry In zero gravity Was a mistake Socks everywhere Tried to put them In the washer But they just Float away Chasing a sock Through the space station For twenty minutes Lost it anyway Opened the detergent Also a mistake Now there's Floating soap bubbles Everywhere They're pretty though Catching the light Drifting past Like tiny planets Still need to Do laundry But got distracted By bubble galaxies Instructions say Load machine Close door Press start Don't mention What to do when Everything floats Before you can load it Gravity-based instructions For gravity-free environment Not helpful Tried to follow anyway Clothes escaped Machine is empty Socks orbiting somewhere Started the machine Even though it's empty Seemed like The next step Now the machine is Just spinning In space Also floating Washer became Orbital debris Spinning and floating And completely empty This is fine Everything's fine Just need to Catch the washer first Maybe clean clothes Aren't necessary In space Nobody cares Dirty shirt floating Clean shirt floating Functionally the same In zero gravity Still trying though To do laundry Like a normal person In deeply abnormal conditions Soap bubbles everywhere Can't see through them Navigation hazard Also beautiful Floating through Bubble clouds Trying to find My missing laundry Found a sock Wrong sock Not even mine Whose sock is this Gave up On laundry Wearing the same shirt Until I land somewhere With gravity Washing machine Still spinning Somewhere Out there Socks achieved Escape velocity They're free now Good for them Soap bubbles Will eventually Dissipate Probably
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10. Mars Radio Static

    An hour of static. Two words so far.

    Words

    Mars radio Mostly static Been listening For an hour Thought I heard Something Probably just More static Keep adjusting The frequency Still static Different static though Turning the dial Very slowly Waiting for Anything clear Passed through Seventeen frequencies All static Some louder than others Maybe the loud static Means something Probably not But maybe Caught a word... "...the..." Then static again That's progress Three minutes later Another word... "...station..." Building a sentence Very slowly At this rate Will understand Full message In several years Static has patterns If you listen Long enough Probably Rhythmic static Arrhythmic static Loud static Quiet static Started making up What it's saying More interesting Than actual static Mars is saying "...everything's fine..." Then static "...mostly fine..." More static [Breakdown] Maybe Mars Has nothing to say Just broadcasting Static for fun Or the equipment's broken On their end Or my end Or both ends Trying to have A conversation With interference Going both ways Static is Technically communication Just not Useful communication Random noise Across space Someone should Turn it off But who And how And also Kind of comforting Knowing Mars Is still there Even if it's just Broadcasting static Gave up Finding clear signal Just listening To static now It's like White noise But red noise Because Mars Static meditation Unintentional But effective Kind of peaceful Mars radio static Will continue Forever probably That's fine Don't need Clear transmission To know Mars is still Mars Communication happens Even through static Sort of Maybe
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11. Void Mall Shopping

    Grand Opening Sale, open for centuries, no other customers.

    Words

    There's a mall Floating in the void How Why Neon signs still lit "Grand Opening Sale" Been open For centuries probably No other customers Just me And whatever runs The stores Walked into "Cosmic Depot" Selling things That don't exist yet Asked the clerk What this is They said "You'll understand in 2847" Not helpful But made a purchase Consequences Future's problem Escalator going up To nothing Just ends In void Escalator going down Also nowhere Both running Forever Stood on the up one For twenty minutes Ascending into Empty space Getting nowhere Very slowly "Temporal Department Store" Selling past And future And sometimes "Buy One Get One" On alternate timelines Not sure how That works Clearance section Full of moments That never happened 50% off Food court has Seven restaurants All closed Except one "Void Burgers" Menu says "Burger" That's it Ordered burger Got existential crisis Close enough I guess Who shops here Besides me Probably nobody But stores stay open Capitalism persists In the void Nobody buying anything System continues Mall muzak plays To empty corridors Forever Probably Makes sense In a way That makes No sense Bought something From "Void Goods" Don't know what Can't see it Might not exist Might exist Too much Unclear Receipt says "Thank you for shopping In the void" Very polite Left the mall Still floating there Behind me In the void Lights still on Sale still happening Nobody shopping Forever Capitalism and void Both eternal Both empty Both still here Somehow
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12. Cosmic Bureaucracy

    Question seven refers to question twelve, which refers to question seven.

    Words

    Form says "Purpose of visit" To the space station Already here though Checkboxes for Business Pleasure Other What even is this Been standing At the desk For ten minutes Staring at question one "Have you visited This dimension before" What Which dimension Is this Form doesn't specify Assumed everyone knows Which dimension They're in Marked "unsure" Pretty sure that's Not an option But also accurate Question seven asks About question twelve But question twelve Asks about question seven Circular reference In bureaucratic form Created a loop Can't escape Skipped both questions Probably fine Definitely not fine Too late now "Sign here" In zero gravity With what pen How Pen floats away Before touching paper Chased it Lost the pen Came back Form is gone Also floating Somewhere They said "Processing takes Two to three Business days" What's a business day In space Where there's no Day or night Could be Any amount of time Functionally Forever Forms asking For home address In space That's Complicated Technically No fixed address Just coordinates Always changing "Current location" Relative to what Everything's moving All the time Gave coordinates From three hours ago Probably wrong now But documentation exists Application approved For something Not sure what Lost track Said yes to everything Seemed faster Consequences Unknown Bureaucracy wins Through attrition Too complicated To resist Filed fourteen forms To file one form Standard procedure Apparently Cosmic bureaucracy Makes no sense But exists anyway Forever Forms float eternally Through space stations Nobody reads them Process continues
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13. Was That Real Or Am I Still Floating

    Bonus item. Did any of it happen. Doesn't matter.

    Words

    Wait Was that All real Or Did I Actually go Anywhere Or just Float here Having thoughts For However long Something about The moon Had holes Maybe And weed In space Telemetry What's telemetry Grocery list Was that real Feels real Probably wasn't Pretty sure There was A mall In the void But also Maybe not Memory or Hallucination Static from Mars Or static From my brain Processing Nothing How long Have I been Out here Floating Could be Five minutes Could be Five years Time doesn't Work right When you're Nowhere Remember trying To do laundry In zero gravity Think that happened Or was it A metaphor For something Else entirely All of it Feels like Someone else's Dream maybe Been rambling About things That probably Didn't happen But also Everything happens Somewhere Somehow In quantum Or dreams Or recordings Same thing Wait I'm thinking About thinking About thinking Infinite loop Of wondering If wondering Is real This thought About thoughts Is also A thought None of it Matters All of it Matters Both true Simultaneously Like everything In space Still floating Still rambling Still wondering Still here Wherever Here is Which is Nowhere Which is Everywhere Which is Fine The ramble Continues Forever Probably Or ended Already Can't tell Doesn't matter Space Thoughts Void Peace The Space in Between
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