Entropy

Grimes' song 'Entropy' delves into the complex and often chaotic nature of human emotions and experiences. The lyrics reflect a deep sense of confusion and disillusionment, as the narrator questions the very foundations of their understanding. The opening lines, 'Everything I've ever known is wrong / Oh, what's the matter with me?' set the tone for a journey of introspection and doubt. The narrator grapples with the authenticity of their desires and the societal norms they have internalized, pondering whether their actions and beliefs were ever truly their own.

The recurring theme of entropy, a concept from thermodynamics that describes the measure of disorder or randomness in a system, serves as a powerful metaphor for the narrator's emotional state. The lines 'Calculate the entropy / Running out of energy / A lack of love or empathy / Leave me lonely' suggest a sense of emotional depletion and isolation. The narrator feels as though their life is spiraling into chaos, with a diminishing capacity for love and connection. This metaphor extends to the idea of music, which is traditionally seen as a form of expression and freedom, yet here it feels rehearsed and devoid of genuine emotion.

Grimes also explores the idea of perception and reality, questioning the nature of music and the natural world. The lines 'How the birds can sing a tuneless song? / How can they stay in the sky? / Maybe they're just screaming / Maybe it's not music and it's all a lie' reflect a deep skepticism and a sense of disillusionment. The narrator wonders if what they perceive as beautiful and harmonious is merely an illusion, further emphasizing their feelings of loneliness and alienation. The repetition of 'Keep me lonely' at the end of the song underscores a resigned acceptance of this state, as if the narrator has come to terms with their solitude and the chaotic nature of their existence.