Disconnected from Autopilot by Paragon Cause

Being disconnected can make one feel adrift, alone, treading water with no shore in sight. Conversely, the notion of being ‘cut off’ from the outside world represents calm, tranquility, and an opportunity to refresh mind, body and spirit in breathtaking solitude.

For Paragon Cause, Ottawa’s passionate purveyor of endlessly interesting and evocative modern electro-rock music, Disconnected is the title of their latest single from their forthcoming album, Autopilot, set for release in the fall of 2021. It is a song born out of one of those proverbial ‘back to nature’ moments, an experience of pure bliss and quiet in stark contrast to the busyness, bullheadedness and constant noise of our technology based modern life, according to lyricist Michelle Opthof.

“It came from a happy memory of me sitting in a waterfall in Gatineau Park. I had no signal there, in fact, I didn’t even have my phone. I was just soaking up the sun and the fresh air in this amazingly positive space, which is not my normal. I recalled the memory and what I was thinking at the time: ‘why did it take so long for me to come here? Am I allowed to be happy? Yes, it’s okay for me to feel good.’ So, this is sort of my ‘I’m allowed to be happy’ song,” she said, adding that the genesis of the song, which inspired the vibe, melody and eventually the lyrics, was from an unusually pop-oriented chord progression developed by her partner in creativity, Jay Bonaparte.

“Originally this song was called Hideaway and Michelle sang the line, ‘it’s my hideaway and that’s where I’ll stay.’ But we didn’t have the chorus, just the melody and the rhythm for the chorus. So, she and I and our collaborated Sune [Rose Wagner of the Raveonettes] kept throwing lines out there, and eventually I said ‘disconnected’ and it just fit,” he said.

“We approached it as almost a California-style rock and roll song because it has some of that sunny, surfer feel to the guitar. It just worked for us, even though it was in the dead of winter when we recorded it” noted Bonaparte.

Disconnected is one of many songs on Autopilot that deal with larger, more existential issues such as the role time plays in our lives and how time is impacted by culture, technology and the other perils of humanity in the 21st century. It is the band’s third album in the past three years, and a testament to their growing confidence as artists, which has manifested itself in an adventurous, contemplative, but still eminently enjoyable listening experience.

There are few bands that can conjure up vivid images as well as emotions through the medium of their music. Paragon Cause, Ottawa/Nova Scotia's burgeoning ethereal electro-rock sensation, is one of those rare amalgams of talent who can tug on heartstrings, make one think deeply or simply enjoy a sophisticated yet universally accessible musical experience.

paragoncause.com