If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then De Lux is throwing one hell of a party in James Murphy’s honor. Their track “Oh Man, The Future!” feels like it was born in the same neon-lit, anxiety-ridden universe as LCD Soundsystem’s I’m Losing My Edge—equal parts self-aware, paranoid, and effortlessly danceable.
From the first beat, you can hear the unmistakable influence: the driving bassline, the choppy, nervous percussion, and the spoken-sung vocals that drip with ironic detachment. Like Murphy’s iconic “I was there” rant in “I’m Losing My Edge,” De Lux’s Sean Guerin delivers a breathless monologue about feeling unmoored in time, simultaneously nostalgic and terrified of what’s ahead. The title itself—“Oh Man, The Future!”—feels like the perfect exclamation of millennial/Gen Z dread, a mix of fascination and existential horror at the world that’s coming (or is already here). There’s no point in getting political in this happy space, but we need younger legislative representation in this country. But I digress.
Lyrically, the song mirrors Murphy’s ability to turn personal insecurity into a universal anthem. Where I’m Losing My Edge chronicled the fear of being replaced by a younger, hipper generation, Oh Man, The Future! wrestles with the overwhelming speed of progress. The paranoia, the self-doubt, the nagging realization that everything moves forward, with or without you—it’s all there, wrapped up in sharp, punchy production that feels like a lost DFA Records B-side.
But De Lux isn’t just copying LCD Soundsystem; they’re building on the blueprint. Their sound leans even funkier, with more of a post-punk-meets-disco swagger, embracing that Talking Heads-esque groove that turns existential panic into something you can dance to. It’s playful, it’s knowing, and—most importantly—it feels honest.
In a world where nostalgia cycles get shorter and shorter, and new technology renders the past obsolete at breakneck speed, “Oh Man, The Future!” is a perfect soundtrack for the perpetual state of cultural whiplash. What’s cultural whiplash, you ask? Well, it’s that feeling of constantly being thrown between different cultural moments, trends, and shifts at an overwhelming speed. It’s like trying to keep up with an ever-accelerating conveyor belt of music, fashion, technology, internet memes, and social movements—just when you think you’ve caught up, something new takes over. Like when you go to Google to search for something, only to get sidetracked with one of those hip stories of the day? That’s it!
“Oh Man, The Future!” is the kind of song that makes you laugh at your own anxieties—before hitting the dance floor and sweating them out. Because, really, what else can you do?
And your ears shall hear... 
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