Michael William Barksdale Blurs Beauty And Unease On “We Are Dead Too”

Michael William Barksdale creates a hazy meeting point between electronic pop, shoegaze and indie music on his latest track, “We Are Dead Too”.

The song is wrapped in lush distortion, giving its melodies a distant, almost half-remembered quality. Noise is not simply added around the edges. It forms part of the track’s identity, softening its clearer pop elements and creating an atmosphere that feels both comforting and unsettled.

“We Are Dead Too” carries a strong sense of nostalgia, but it never sounds trapped in the past. Subtle dance rhythms provide movement beneath the lo-fi textures, while the melodic side of the track keeps it accessible. That balance allows Barksdale to explore something darker without losing the warmth at the centre of the song.

Its title immediately introduces thoughts of mortality and shared human fragility. Rather than delivering those ideas too directly, the track lets its production do much of the talking. The blurred layers and distant mood create the impression of something slowly fading, leaving listeners to find their own meaning within it.

Barksdale has spent years moving between different corners of alternative and electronic music. His earlier work includes Le Chevre, an indie electronic project that continues to attract new listeners, as well as later dance-focused projects and extensive touring across the United States and Europe.

Those experiences come together naturally on “We Are Dead Too”. It feels focused and personal, bringing noise, melody and rhythm into the same space without forcing them into a single genre. The result is an atmospheric electronic pop track that lingers well beyond its final moments.