Awake

Tycho is a master at his craft. The joint skills of graphic design and audio production pair to create broad landscapes of sound whenever he writes something. Rather than use typefaces and logos, Tycho wants to "create a framework for people to project their own ideas and meanings onto".

Awake is arguably one of Tycho's most memorable melodies. The guitar riff that carries most of the song was the result of some simple experimentation at a cabin near Lake Tahoe. The guitar, like most sounds from Tycho carries a large amount of reverb and delay. Almost all the sounds are very round, and though they echo and carry into each other, they still feel very precise.

By refraining from using vocals in Awake, the meaning isn't directed any one way. The only hint at a meaning comes from the title, and even that is only one word. What it means to awake changes each time the song is listened, making it highly re-playable and deeply engaging. The final notes almost sound like they don't resolve, emblazoning the theme of open-endedness as the tail of the song falls out. Being awake could be stepping out into an uncomfortable world, coming to some new realization, or just enjoying and recognizing harmony.