“In the Fullness of Time (You Become All the People You Revile)” is the newest track from Secret Bad Boy and Ezra Furman.
Secret Bad Boy is the art-pop project of Chicago musician Ben Joseph, a longtime member of Ezra Furman's band. Best known for their boundary-breaking and genre-defying innovation, this single is no exception.
From the very first second, a flurry of wind-like synths rush toward the listener before crashing into a wall of acoustic guitar. As the vocals emerge, the track takes flight, steadily building in intensity. Fuzzy basslines, delicate strings, and wisps of synth drift in and out, carrying the listener through its immersive sonic journey.
“In the fullness of time / You become all the people you claim to revile”
Joseph, on writing the chorus shared: "I wanted a line that communicated the immense cosmic, biblical significance of not taking oneself too seriously."
Percussion joins the instrumentation, setting a steady feel with tom fills and complex rhythms. High synth shines through as haunting chords emerge from within the texture. Big cymbal crashes create emotional impact as the listener delves back into the chorus.
The artist shared that on the second verse: "The line 'are you covered in blood on the inside?' is a central question that this band poses for the listener. Are you hanging on to what is human within you? Does your gut speak to you, and do you listen? Are you unafraid to hold things in your heart?"
Gnarly bass interrupts the track with solo tambourine in the background, creating a sonic groove as vocalizations soar above and the instruments all come crashing back in. The end of the track features bells chiming in the foreground, chanting lyrics, an intriguing bass line and contrasting, stacked harmonies in the synths.
A slow descent brings the track to a close as the flurry of synths return and gently fade.
