Dancing on the Apocalypse with Sunscreen: “Hot, Hot” is Out!
The weather alert is orange, temperature records are falling one after another for the thirtieth consecutive day, and the air outside closely resembles a wood-fired oven pointed straight at you.
What better time, before packing up my suitcase for the summer break of my blog, to give you a piece of healthy, visceral and sardonic progressive rock from my solo path?
The Excerpt: The Eternal Paradox of the Air Conditioner
“Hot, Hot (Dancing the Apocalypse)” It stems from a reflection as surreal as it is everyday: the logical short circuit of turning on the air conditioner at full blast to blast freezing air into the living room, despite knowing that the outside motor is spitting fire directly onto the window.
We find ourselves toasting with ice in the glass while the sea rises up to our throats, signing international climate agreements designed for the “Two Thousand Nevers” and clearing our conscience with a tree planted on Instagram between one transatlantic flight and the next.
Sound Architecture
On a musical level, I enjoyed blending seemingly distant worlds:
- The Atmospheres: Psychedelic and theatrical references inspired by the era of The Wall, with layers of analog synths and Mellotron.
- The Rhythm and the Riffs: The piece starts off slyly at 90 BPM in 6/8, with blues solos and a biting singing with an ironic tone, to then suddenly veer into the choruses at 130 BPM in 4/4 with djent/groove metal riffs in palm-mute and a drum kit with a decidedly 80s flavour (with the timeless gated reverb).
It's a sonic swing between awareness and the unstoppable desire to dance arm in arm towards the inevitable.
The Saga of the Digital Distributor (and the American Filter)
A small technical mishap deserves to be shared. I had uploaded the song to a US digital distributor a month ago to distribute it on streaming platforms. The result? I was stuck in a state of “processing” endless, without any response to my requests.
It almost makes you smile when you think about certain dynamics overseas: that the word climate change or the digs at crude oil and excise duties have become too indigestible for some automatic filter?
No big deal. No digital bureaucracy, no algorithms acting as gatekeepers. The song travels freely directly on YouTube, accompanied by a minimalist visual: the official cover with some old-fashioned film-style blurring. In the photo, you see me in an impeccable tuxedo, Pacifica in hand, while the theater behind me literally bursts into flames.
Listen to the Song
Hot, hot, how hot it is
Let's dance the apocalypse in the city
Hot, hot, raise your hands
leave the problem to the grandchildren tomorrow
Happy Holidays from RickyVerso
While the orchestra plays and the ship sinks, what remains authentic is the music, along with the ability to look at reality openly (perhaps even trying a dance step).
Now I'm unplugging. I'm disconnecting from the rhythms of work and social media, recharging my guitars, and breathing again. See you in September with new stories, new productions, and the usual pursuit of beauty.
Put on your sunscreen, turn up the volume, and enjoy!
Digital creative, musician, and storyteller. I explore the intersection of humanity and technology, telling stories of AI, music, and real life. Welcome to my organized mess.”
