Allie Crummy
Blending science, emotion, and cinematic textures, Allie Crummy explores humanity, technology, and existential fear through the thought-provoking soundscapes of her haunting new single “Entropy.”
1. “Entropy” marks a noticeable shift in your sound compared to your earlier, more organic work. What inspired you to explore this more cerebral and otherworldly sonic direction?
This song demanded a deviation from my stylistic norm. The concept of entropy lives in the cerebral world more than it does in the emotional; it belongs in the department of sciences more than the department of arts and humanities. I suppose I’m making the two juxtaposed camps meet in the middle with “Entropy”, but to do that, I used textures that would feel at home in a sci-fi movie, like theremin and arpeggiated synths in addition to organic textures. For the lead line (played on acoustic piano and electric guitar plus Kaoss pad), I wanted to craft a melody that sounded like it originated in a brain, with pencil and paper in hand, more than an organic melody that was improvised on a whim, with instrument in hand. The song itself is written out of a sense of fear for where we are headed as a society, and that fear has to do with our collective relationship with rapidly advancing technologies like AI. If I had produced this song in an organic indie-folk aesthetic like lots of my other songs, it would have sounded more personal and intimate; I needed it to sound broader, more high-minded.
2. The concept of entropy from quantum physics plays a central role in the single. What drew you to the Second Law of Thermodynamics as a metaphor, and how does it connect to your view of today’s world?
I was drawn to quantum physics because I couldn’t make sense of the world. It’s not that I believed that quantum physics held the answers, but my curiosity led me there — to the relationship between matter and time. Why do people continue to support politicians who are clearly lying to them? Why does a democratic society elect a tyrant to rule over them? Why do people adopt every new technology that comes down the pipeline rather than questioning the impact it has on their fellow human beings or the future of their planet? I tried to make rational sense of the arguments of people with whom I disagree, and I continue to struggle to see anything so compelling in them that would warrant what we’re experiencing right now: more wars, more inflation, more civil division, more social distrust, more disconnection. How is anyone happy about this, outside of the handful of people who hold the majority of the power and wealth? The concept of entropy as outlined in the Second Law of Thermodynamics doesn’t explain it, but it certainly resonates with how I feel about all of this.
3. You worked closely with Bryan Vanderpool at Golden Bear Studio for this track. How did that collaboration shape the final sound and push you as a producer?
I’ve worked with Bryan for years, and we have always had such an easy working relationship. Our rhythm now is that I’ll write songs, record the tracks that form the foundation of the song at home, then bring them to his studio; I’ll have him play instruments I can’t play or that he’s better at, we’ll use his gear which is superior to mine, and he’ll offer production ideas and opinions as they pop up. Then, I’ll take everything back home and do the final editing and mixing myself.
4. The song features unique elements like theremin lines, distorted acoustic guitars, and a deliberately “tricky” melodic lead. How did you approach crafting these textures to make listeners both feel and think?
The things you brought up are the most defining elements of the song, and they’re also good examples of the collaborative effort behind “Entropy”. For the distorted acoustics, I used rubber bridge acoustic guitars because they’re more percussive, and I pushed them really hot on my preamp and my compressor, so the distortion and over-compression you hear on them is all analog and not digital. I left a blank space for the lead line when I came into the studio. I could have sat down and composed a melody that was “cerebral and science-y” on my own, but it worked a lot better to have that idea filter through someone else’s brain and creativity. I told Bryan those two words, he fiddled with a couple lines, and then he and I went back and forth with tweaks until we had something that felt right. It was his idea to add the Kaoss pad to the electric, and it was my idea to double that line on the piano — things that again, brought cohesion between a futuristic sound and a rooted organic one. The theremin lines going into/ out of the chorus were my idea, but the theremin itself is his; they required so much editing because it was my first time ever playing a theremin and — surprise! — I haven’t caught the hang of it yet. Luckily, post-production is my jam.
5. “Entropy” is the first glimpse into your upcoming album For Love of Carbon-Based Life. What themes can listeners expect from the full project, and how does this single set the tone?
We are living in a time where technological advancements are moving at an extremely rapid rate, and the cutting edge of these technologies is closer within reach to the general populace than ever before. Just look at the evolution of AI generated videos of Will Smith eating spaghetti in 2023 compared to 2026. Society hadn’t even finished its sentence in bringing up concerns about a loneliness epidemic before companion chatbots became a thing — and now, are suddenly, alarmingly common. The advancements are not all bad, but they’re not all good either. They come with a cost — to our relationships with other humans, our relationships with ourselves, our perception and interpretation of reality, and quite notably, with our environment.
This exciting new technology requires an extreme amount of energy and water. If/When our brave new AI-powered world competes with humans, animals, and plants for finite resources, I strongly pick the side of carbon-based life forms. And this album is how I clumsily would build my argument: it has songs that celebrate the beauty of carbon-based life, and it has songs that are more explicit in what we stand to lose if we are apathetic about where things are heading and how fast we’re moving there.
6. With a six-city Midwest tour on the horizon, how do you plan to translate the complex, atmospheric nature of “Entropy” into a live performance experience?
I usually perform solo, so these songs and others will sound more carbon-based, if you will. As much as the production helps to convey the message further, the lyrics do speak for themselves; and sometimes the more stripped-down versions of these songs make the words and their message cut through more clearly.