Song Review 3: Utopiosphere by Mili
As what may be their oddest song on the surface, Utopiosphere actually elaborates on a key issue in a timely manner after A Turtle's Heart and Nine Point Eight - that is, what's Mag Mell like? Utopiosphere provides us a window into understanding Mili's interpretation of heaven looks like. This song is a clarification, a continuation. This song also presented me with my greatest challenge yet in this project of mine. But the reward was more than worth it, and I hope you'll see it that way, too. Allow me to walk you through my interpretation, analysis, and review on this little understood song.
Song Analysis
This song is very, very unique in its story and approach to telling it. The story? It picks up right where A Turtle's Heart and Nine Point Eight left off. I don't believe that the lead is the protagonist from either song but is rather just another average person who died. Our lead in this song was deemed fit to join Mag Mell and so off goes their spirit to join the ranks of the happily deceased. However, before they're allowed into the heart of Mag Mell where everyone else is, one must be put through a purification ritual to rid the body and spirit of evil and severe negative emotions. Through this procedure, purity of mind and body in ensured while allowing one to maintain the emotional dynamics that is the hallmark of humanity. At best, this procedure uncomfortable. And at worst, it's hell.
Step through the gate into utopia Sink into a world of melodia
The song begins with our lead at the gates of Mag Mell in a lobby or processing area of sorts. And our first taste of Mag Mell is provided here, too. A world of melodia? Mag Mell is indeed a utopia, although the role of music is unclear. It might be the primary form of communication, it might simply be heavily valued, or it might just be alluding to the ongoing festivities and parties of a world without evil. Whatever it may be, Mag Mell is the place to be.
Black lace euphoberia hurries away (La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la) Tiny legs leaves behind a track of cardioid (La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la)
What is euphoberia? It's an extinct type of centipede and was estimated to have lived over 300 million years ago. So, what's it doing here? Black lace and euphoberia. Black lace is traditional Western funeral attire while centipedes and maggots permeate the decomposing body. It appears that the spirits of the recently deceased get to keep their bodies in their new life. These things are fleeing the body because the angels - the guardians of Mag Mell are beginning purification of this person's mind and body, beginning with the physical portion. And so, the remnants of this person's presence on Earth - the funeral attire and centipedes/maggots - are leaving them. This process is being driven by the guardians as heard by their humming and singing in the background. And as the centipedes leave their body, they trace the path of a cardioid. Why a cardioid? It is an enclosed shape and traces out a deformed heart that starts and stops at the same place. There are two meaning being conveyed with this one object. One possibility is that the cardioid traces out our perception of time quite well. Our time in the beginning, our childhood goes by rather quickly. Then, our perception of time levels and becomes more regular in the young adult and midlife phases. Finally, it accelerates once again near the time of death as we become painfully aware both of our mortality and of how little time we have left. The other possibility becomes clearer in the next verse.
Twisted creation Phosphorescent apparition Heart disorientation Bemusement
This verse is commentary from the guardians. They note how twisted the cardioid traced before them is. Twisted both in shape and color, that is. I suspect the cardioid is intertwined with various colors, bright and dark, as a visual representation of what was contained in the deceased's soul. If this person is indeed your average Joe/Jane, then it is a realistic commentary on how humanity is stained by such evil persons and ideology. Or perhaps the shape traced out by the euphoberia is unique to each person? That's a very interesting idea to consider further. I'll keep with the idea that the shape is reflective of humanity, however, that is reinforcing the idea given by the colorful cardioid. A phosphorescent apparition. I believe this is the angelic figure featured in the official art. More precisely, it is our lead's soul being separated from the body for the purpose of allowing them to observe the process while their body undergoes purification. These last two lines are the guardians observing the reactions of our lead. Their reaction is one of unease and puzzlement. At their situation, yes, but mostly at just how much anger, envy, bitterness, resides in them. Since they're being admitted to Mag Mell, they must have been a truly good person at heart. But even the best of us have a measure of darkness deep inside. Perhaps more than we'd like to admit.
Merry go 'round and around Misery go 'round and around Quandary go 'round and around Merry go 'round and around
This verse is interesting. Each voice here is distinct, meaning there is at least four guardians participating in this purification procedure. And each one of them is helping move the different colors - the different emotions, positive and negative, around the cardioid. Perhaps this is social commentary, too, about how we are emotional beings, and that fact permeates throughout the lifespan. That we cycle between forms of merry and misery throughout the day and our whole lives. This part of the process is the purification of mind and soul, more details to follow in the next verse.
Tick-tock Time doesn't stop Prepare your doubts, eat them up Quaff down the pus of thoughts Red sand flows out Sweet mouth
Perhaps this procedure is dangerous or uncomfortable as the guardians are insistent on moving through and completing it as soon as possible as indicated by the first two lines. A lesser possibility is that they're eager to move our lead into Mag Mell to join the others, but I suspect this isn't the case because the guardians seem to be aged, matured, and forthright. Now, the purification of mind and soul is complete. The guardians urge our lead to eat and drink to reacquire the emotions that makes them human. They gain both doubt and cognizance, assumingly along with the rest of their emotions. Save for the darkest ones, of course. And now too is the cleansing of their body complete with the expulsion of the red sand. The sand is keeping in theme with the passage of time set by the clock and red representing physical artifacts of "evil" leaving the body. More on the theme of time later in this review. As a last note for this verse, the baby's cry after the third line is interesting. I think it serves two purposes. The cry itself perhaps reinforces the idea that the procedure is uncomfortable or harmful. This cry being from a baby might also serve the idea that this is a new beginning, literally a new life for our lead.
The sky is painted in lunacia Florets slashed open the vein of tears Misfortuna There is no escape, my dear
With the purification process complete, our lead is now welcome to join the others in Mag Mell. The sky, previously dull, now shows a cacophony of colors just like those seen in the official art. Lunacia sounds like lunacy. But here I take lunacy to mean crazy in the sense that the color show put before our lead is a wild display of color and motion. Here we get just a hint of the colorful, beautiful land that Mag Mell truly is. And with the sight presented before them, our lead sobs in glee and gratitude as they get to live in this stunning utopian paradise. As for the last two lines of this verse… I can only assume Misfortuna is the name of our lead. Perhaps this is our lead's new name or nickname, acquired from a summary of the deceased's life. In this case, misfortunate might be the adjective used to describe humanity on Earth from the perspective of Mag Mell and its inhabitants. Misfortunate in its setbacks from plagues, natural disasters, terrorism. For the last line, it is a reminder from the guardians that this is the new life for our lead and there is no returning to Earth. Although, the way that the lyric is given, "there is no escape", seems to contradict the idea that they are supportive in nature. Perhaps the guardians are a bit out of touch with the nuances of conversation and culture after having been removed from humanity for what I assume is a very long time. It might even be the case that they have never been a part of humanity and that these guardians are the founders of Mag Mell. Are they gods, perhaps? A very interesting idea to ponder further.
The world undergoes photosynthesia Transform endless anger to ecstasia Connect your nerves to the system of philosophiofantasia
Finally, with our lead ready to join the others in Mag Mell, the gates open. Under the light provided by these guardians this antechamber transforms and begins to disappear. This second line opens up a lot of possibilities. Perhaps since people are allowed to maintain the emotions, thoughts, and consciousness that makes us human, they're also provided a way to transform those severely negative emotions into positive ones? Perhaps that is truly what makes Mag Mell a utopia. Now, with their new mind, body, soul, and tools, our lead is given admittance to Mili's version of heaven. Describing Mag Mell as a system of philosophiofantasia adds complexity and even further depth to describing what this space is like. Perhaps it is a land of science and fantasy sort of in the way that Earth is. Or it might be whatever the newly admitted want it to be, the land transforming to meet their desires. Or there might be separate spaces in Mag Mell which people can travel to in order to get the desired experiences. So many possibilities!
Song Review and Rating
Wow. Just wow. I've, of course, come to love this song! It's actually incredible how much is packed in this small two-minute song. So much insight into Mag Mell was gained here alone. Where the first two songs left us hanging in regard to what happens after their deaths, this picks up right off. I love it. This was by far my greatest challenge yet in this passion project of mine. I've spent extra time crafting this story and analysis and I couldn't do it alone! So, thank you, @rainachain! I had most of the story and analysis sketched out by the time I realized I needed to ask for help, but she was still crucial in giving me confidence in my work and certifying that my ideas and themes were both grounded and fair. Below you'll find some final analysis and commentary on this song that didn't quite fit in with analyzing lyric by lyric.
I've considered the possibility that our lead in this song is the same lead from Nine Point Eight, but it doesn't quite work. Her new name being Misfortuna would certainly work, though! And while the euphoberia and florets would certainly fit, the black lace doesn't seem to. I can't figure that she was wearing black lace at the time of death, so that's the one caveat with that theory. Anyway, I think it is more fitting that our lead here was your average Joe/Jane so that the cardioid and commentary provided by the guardians is reflective of humanity as a whole rather than of one individual.
On the theme of time, perhaps the clock and the passage of time is integral along with the cardioid because history, emotions, and conflicts as a whole often is circular and repetitive. However, even though these hallmarks of humanity are often repeated throughout each generation, it's slightly different each time. And that's why we get a cardioid instead of a heart. Same pattern, different shape! Quite poetic, really.
A minor note: enough lyrics in this song end in the letter "a", enough to mean something. I think it's a small but interesting addition to the song that reinforces the idea that both Mag Mell is a place where music is highly valued, and that this purification process is being driven by the singing of the gods/guardians.
As a last piece of commentary on the story of the song, I suspect Utopiosphere is not Mag Mell itself but is rather the antechamber that I described our lead being in. I think Utopiosphere is another space crafted by these guardians/gods as a processing area for the newly admitted where the evil is expelled from mind, body, and soul. The area seems to be absolved soon before and definitely after our lead is actually in Mag Mell. This idea is not significant to the story, but it does seem to add to the idea that these guardians are gods of sorts, perhaps the founders of Mag Mell themselves. Maybe it is they who decide who gets in? An idea worth thinking about.
I rate this highly potent song an extremely well deserved 9/10
Author's Note
Thank you, thank you for reading all of this! As I said, this is only song number three, but it was still a very difficult challenge in crafting a plausible story. I expect to face a similar level of difficulty in the future, though! And perhaps even in this album with "Witch's Invitation". This song has strengthened me, however, and I'm ready to face whatever challenges I will encounter.
Truthfully, I wasn't happy with last week's analysis. I could blame the song for not giving me much to work with, but I still could have told a better story. This week, however, I'm elated! It's certainly not perfect in both storytelling and analysis, there are inconsistencies, but it's still coherent enough to make sense and be defensible.
Anyway! I again thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading and liking these analyses. It means the world to me. This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for my followers, readers, and new friends I've made along the way thus far. I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season with your friends and family! And I will see you all next Friday!
Jailaster
