Pretend Collective Unleashes the Sci-Fi-Inspired “We Were Machines” 

Featuring vocals by rising star beccs

FFO Flaming Lips, Spiritualized

NEW YORK, NY | AUGUST 16, 2024: Pretend Collective, the innovative indie rock ensemble known for their stylized and conceptual approach, is excited to announce the release of their latest single, “We Were Machines.” This meticulously crafted track, which took years to develop, is a testament to the band’s dedication to their art and their collaborative spirit.

“We Were Machines” began its journey as a simple chord progression. Composer Mike Reilly drew inspiration from his childhood memories of sci-fi pop culture, eventually weaving these influences into the song’s evocative lyrics. The song’s themes draw from classic science fiction, echoing influences from Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick to Gene Roddenberry and James Cameron, exploring contemporary concerns about technology and environmental degradation.

The track offers a deep contemplation on humanity’s relationship with rapidly evolving and increasingly intelligent technology. ‘We Were Machines’ recalls Goethe’s Der Zauberlehrling, immortalized in the iconic Sorcerer’s Apprentice sequence from Disney’s Fantasia, in which the brooms made for doing their master’s bidding come to life with frightening implications. The song delves into the existential questions of sentience and control and suggests how humans may become subject to their creations.

Reilly questions, “Are we headed down a road from which there is no return? Have we permanently unlocked Pandora’s box despite the dire warnings from many of the most intelligent and best-informed among us? They shout pleas for common sense and sanity from the rooftops and we seem too entranced to hear.” 

‘We Were Machines’ is concerned with these warnings and the sentience and intentions of these enrapturing creations of ours. Still, it also humanizes those creations, allowing the listener to root for this artificial underdog in their noble struggle for their own moral and existential sovereignty.

Recorded at Pineapple Room Studio in Kerhonkson, New York, “We Were Machines” captures the band’s live energy and chemistry. Reilly shares, “Sequestered and cozy in the Hudson Valley woods, we enjoyed each other’s company and recorded all together in one room, live to tape without a click. I never want to record any other way again.”

The track features rising indie artist beccs on vocals, whose passionate vocal performance and spoken word bring a new dimension to ‘We Were Machines.’ From the moment he heard beccs perform at Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, Reilly wanted this powerful and soulful voice in the role of the sympathetic Machine character.

“We Were Machines” is a statement piece for Pretend Collective, reflecting years of evolution and creative exploration. It stands as a powerful addition to their discography, embodying their unique sound and artistic vision.