An Awesome Wave album cover

alt-J – Dissolve Me Lyrics

Alternative

Now dissolve me
Two tabs on your tongue
A herd of shepherds to herd the sheep
Sleep now, my only one

Broken sweethearts, ah
Who sleep apart
Both still pine for the other's side spine
Spoon as sleep starts

And pulse to pulse
Now, shush

She makes the sound, the sound the sea makes
To calm me down

I am see-through
Soap sliver, you're so thin
As I begin rubbing lathers out
Your state worsens on my skin
And gold

Fatless finger to lip
One-two, three-four, hush

And pulse to pulse
Now, shush

She makes the sound, the sound the sea makes
To calm me down
She makes the sound, the sound the sea makes
I'm tired now

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, oh

She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north
She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north
She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north
She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north

She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north
She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north
She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north
She makes the sound the sea makes
Knee-deep in the north sea

About This Song

"Dissolve Me" is an ethereally intimate exploration of love, vulnerability, and the desire to completely merge with another person, conveyed through alt-J's signature blend of delicate falsetto vocals and intricate mathematical rhythms. The song uses vivid metaphors of dissolution-from LSD tabs to soap slivers-to express the overwhelming need to become transparent and weightless in a relationship, while touching on themes of insomnia, longing, and the healing power of human connection. Musically, it showcases the band's distinctive indie rock approach with layered harmonies, unconventional time signatures, and Joe Newman's fragile yet precise vocal delivery that creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere. The track stands out as one of alt-J's most emotionally raw pieces, demonstrating their ability to transform abstract concepts of love and loss into something tangibly beautiful through their experimental yet accessible sound. Its dreamlike quality and poetic imagery helped establish alt-J as masters of cerebral alternative rock that operates on both intellectual and deeply emotional levels.

Comments (0)