Lubalin reflects on the enormity of perspective in multilayered pop-rock track “pale blue dot”

While many of songwriter and producer Lubalin’s past tracks were made in experimental form, his debut album was created more intentionally. Letting go of the spontaneity he’s followed since starting music in 2018, Lubalin sought to create songs with solid foundations this time around, paying special attention to every word sung and note produced. Blending 2000s electro-pop with notes of alt-rock and drum and bass, the result is a satisfying blend of fuzzy plucked guitar strings serving as the backdrop for vulnerable vocal lines. These rich dualities are heard especially in the lead track “pale blue dot”.

The emotionally resilient track drifts effortlessly between its juxtaposing sides: one soft which rocks listeners gently into a stupor with its plucked strings, and another that pushes them to their feet with electrifying guitar lines. The dichotomy in the music reflects that of the lyrics which dive into the complicated nature of perspective. “I’m really interested in dualities and how opposing ideas can coexist. I realized that balance can sometimes mean compromising, but if you find a way for opposing things to coexist, you can have more of both,” Lubalin said of the song.

Harmonies layer on as the song progresses, rising and falling between a melancholy indie-rock reflection to a pure alt-rock anthem. Finally, the track crescendos to a place where Earth looks like nothing more than a pale blue dot on the horizon.

The themes of perspective and identity are at the core of Lubalin’s debut album, but it wasn’t that way from the start. The meaning of the album found itself while Lubalin worked tirelessly on the songs, hacking away at the keys until the core of the project showed itself. “I made somewhere between 40 and 50 demos to whittle it down to the 10 to 12 tracks that will be on the album. It was part of a deep exploration, turning stones and figuring out what the direction of the whole project was going to be,” Lubalin said. While many of Lubalin’s past projects are beloved by thousands of pop-hungry fans, this switch seems to work even better for Lubalin.