All of This and Nothing
"All of This and Nothing" was released as a single and is the fourth track on Angels & Ghosts.
Lyrics
Give it everything you've got
Just one more time for me
Move in from the dark
I'm all of this and nothing
I'm the dirt beneath your feet
I'm the sun that rises while you're sleeping
I'm all you need
River's wide, too wide to see
There's a storm outside my window
Moving close to me
Move in from the dark
I'm all of this and nothing
I'm the dirt beneath your feet
I'm the sun that rises while you're sleeping
I'm all you need
Black water high, too high to breathe
There's a ghost outside my window
Haunting me
Move in from the dark
Move in from the dark
I'm all of this and nothing (move in from the dark)
I'm the dirt beneath your feet (move in from the dark)
I'm the sun that rises while you're sleeping
(move in from the dark)
I'm all you need
Move in from the dark
I'm all of this and nothing (move in from the dark)
I'm the dirt beneath your feet (move in from the dark)
I'm the sun that rises while you're sleeping
(move in from the dark)
I'm all you need (move in from the dark)
Move in from the dark
Move in from the dark
Move in from the dark
My Take
This very well could be considered Dave's magnum opus. This song definitely has that epic quality. The beginning starts out with a very simple but brooding guitar riff and evenly-pounding bass drum, and I even hear that engine-like, sustained synth note come on that sounds a lot like the one in the beginning of Depeche Mode's "Stripped." Dave opening with "sing your song, sing out for me" in that captivating baritone voice just gives me nice chills. Yes, sing out for me, Dave! This song just continues to build up, starting out quiet and minimalist, and then it reaches a celebratory climax as the last chorus is repeated a couple of times. The repetition of the "move in from the dark" refrain is actually a very nice touch; it almost serves like the bassline and/or heartbeat of the song. The words, "I'm all of this and nothing," sound blatantly contradictory...what on earth can Dave possibly be describing that is "the dirt beneath your feet," "the sun that rises," and also nothing all at the same time? It is so cryptic and so profound (to borrow a line from "Shine," of course)! But that's the point- maybe he's not describing anything on earth at all! Something that can both be everything and nothing at all sounds a lot like something cosmic and/or divine. It is something that we simply cannot comprehend though we try to explain it and bring it to light (maybe that's what "move in from the dark" is really trying to say)?
Music Video
The video essentially showcases one hologram after another inside of a transparent, upside-down pyramid against a mostly black background. There are holograms of Dave's head, Dave's whole body, other people, and other random living things and objects like butterflies coming out of cocoons, flowers blooming, black holes, and CT scans of brains. After a while, multiple holograms are overlaid one another, each one in a different color and facing and moving in different directions.
My Take
If you watch this video on a two-dimensional screen like any typical person would do, you'll probably appreciate it just as well as any other artistic piece, but you may be missing out on the full experience. This video was created by a collective known as fourclops, and they are known for creating videos that are innovative and highly-interactive.1 Under their promotion for this video on their website, they tout themselves as having "created the world's first holographic music video," and if you read on further, they show you how to view the video in 3-D on a smartphone by building your own pyramid-shaped holographic viewer! If you don't have the tools and materials required (for example, one of the materials required is a CD jewel case that you'll have to take apart and cut up) or don't feel like trying it yourself, you can see how it's done by watching the video below:
I admit, I did not try this myself, primarily because I value my jewel cases too much to want to cut them up (though in this case, they also provide you a link where you can order pre-made pyramid viewers). You also use the viewer with the special hologram version of the video as opposed to the original version above, but as you can see, this gives you a whole new way to experience it.
As for the theme of the video itself, I noticed that one common thread shown throughout was the butterfly, starting as a caterpillar at the very beginning, and then ending up as the beautiful flying insect it is known for, including showing multiple butterflies in different colors at the very end. The other images of black holes, the human brain, random people's faces, etc. give you a sense of the fragility of life within the grand scheme of the universe as I alluded to above in my interpretation of the lyrics. I absolutely love the effect of the multiple, superimposed holograms that are shown in tandem with the climax of the song. Dave is very expressive with his hands as he sings, so it was cool to see the multiple holograms of him moving his arms and hands towards the end, making him look like a Hindu god almost. Overall, it's a pretty cool video, though I can imagine that viewing it in the 3-D hologram viewer in a room with the lights out, for instance, would take it to a whole new level.