Returning, Dream by Paradise Cinema

Panic attacks unleash waves of subconscious distress, submerging every piece of external stimulus into a corrosive bath of negativity. Paradise Cinema simulates this process on their new album Returning, Dream, an experimental jazz record that uses West African traditional percussion and sinister synth sounds to contextualize otherwise tranquil solos into a world of anxiety. Though these beds of percussion and synths at times appear positive and shimmery, their constant overactivity emphasizes the extent to which the subconscious runs wild outside of our control, leaving us uneasy at best and outright terrified at worst. As these foundations increase in density and complexity, we lose focus on the essence of the solos, eventually failing to parse them from their context and instead reading them as a mere extension of the subconscious tension. When the music fades away and we snap out of our trance, we recognize the dangers of this overactive subconscious, reminding ourselves to observe the present moment at face-value and avoid unproductive thought loops that add an unhelpful anxious tint to our experiences.