Luck or Carelessness

Rincs describe themselves as neurotic Los Angeles weirdos and, based on the frantic intensity of this song, I have to say it comes through beautifully. Admittedly, this is a bit of a throw-back. Released during the pandemic, it was the soundtrack to a rather stressful time in my life when I was sanitizing groceries and washing my hands raw. Thankfully, those inconveniences are behind us, but this song persists in my playlist.

The opening vocal line lands with a perfectly detached, effortless delivery: “I would rather not have to decide, but if I must.” It’s completely convincing. The singer sounds like getting out of bed might be too much to commit to – and I’m here for all of it. Rather than coming across as lazy, it reads “I’m over this”. This interpretation is validated in the next line: “Ennui will save me. Something will come knocking. Everyday will besiege our dreams.” If you need a quick French refresher as I did, Ennui conveys listlessness or a general dissatisfaction with life.

At around 170 BPM, the instruments are a good counterpoint to the vocals, perhaps suggesting that the whimsical attitude portrayed is a bit of a facade. Underneath, gears are definitely spinning. The drums are heavily filtered – coming across as more machine than man. The bass guitar is playing thumping staccato notes on the upbeat (with the snare drum) throughout the verse, which is unusual. Typically the bass drum and the bass guitar are married to provide extra power. Separating them like this in the verses has the effect of anticipation for resolve which we do get when the two reunite for the inevitable chorus. The overdrive guitar is the glue tying everything together. It’s simple, dissonant and repetitive – but the chords are also interesting and refreshing at the same time.

Everything converges as we reach a punchy chorus that surges forward with the relentless momentum of a steam engine. Both guitar and bass unite playing the same quick power chords and drums widen slightly with the introduction of a hi-hat. The subject appears to have given up agency completely: “Carry me home, I'm listless. Willing to go but falling down. Running on luck or carelessness. Undue influence.” It’s hard to dislike someone who is so self-aware, but they’re verging on burdensome. The guitar opens up into brightly strummed chords to finish the chorus on a high note.

The second verse takes a slightly more sarcastic tone. “Oh where would I be without you to save me? Up a tree?” It appears that the subject is doubling down on their melancholy and lashing out at whomever is attempting to criticize their attitude toward life. They’re happy where they’re at.

We’re greeted to a short instrumental bridge that feels like a literal fall from grace as the instruments descend the scale only to land right back where the song began. Ending on a verse rather than a chorus tends to withhold resolution from the listener, which feels appropriate given what we’ve been through thus far. Nothing has changed. The cycle holds. The closing line does hint at a slight change of course: “Ennui can’t save me. Nothing underwhelms like dreams. Ha.” That final “ha” feels like something between resolve and self-awareness – a dry acknowledgment rather than a breakthrough. But recognizing the pattern is half the battle, even if you can’t break it. And if we’ve learned anything, it’s that you certainly can’t break it for someone else.