Last
doesn’t run

It walks
hands in pockets
shoulders dropped
breathing in sync
with its own shadow

This is what growing up sounds like
when you don’t announce it
no fireworks
no manifesto

Just space
between the beats
like they’ve learned
nothing bad happens
if you let a moment finish

The synths
they sit back
like friends who know
they don’t have to prove
they belong in the room

This record feels like
they’ve made peace
with the mirrors
with the years
with the fact that urgency
isn’t the same as importance

Last is not an ending
it’s a deep exhale
after decades of holding it in

This record feels like
Depeche Mode’s Exciter did
when it arrived softer
and people mistook calm
for weakness

An album that didn’t chase
the past
but sat down with it
and listened

And maybe
that’s what being grown means
not quieter
just more relaxed
about who you already are

The spell is still there
it’s just learned
how to rest
inside