WHIRR

"A magnetic feel. I recognize you" - describes a strong, captivating connection between two people. They are naturally drawn together, almost out of their control. "I recognise you" alludes to a past relationship; its been some time since they have spoken or been around each other, perhaps they physically look different but their unmistakable connection feels familiar.

"Created some space. Pull me towards you" - reveals tension between desire and hesitation. It further implies deliberate distance forged between the two. It can also suggest physical distance in the space they are in, trying to not show his true desire to re-connect. “Pull me towards you” reveals his hope that the other person will bridge the gap, showing something is holding him back, possibly fear of reliving past pain despite how addictive their magnetic connection feels.

"But I still pretend, Like I don’t know you" - Despite their history, Loren admits to acting oblivious, suggesting a conscious effort to pull away, perhaps to provoke a reaction or self-protect. This is a common trait within Anxious / Avoidant Attachment styles - having difficulty with intimacy, withdrawing from relationships to maintain their independence but secretly craving connection, hoping to be chased and feel validated.

Alternatively, this line hints at Idealization vs Reality. Sometimes, the idea of someone can be more appealing than the reality of who they are, sometimes it's safer to live in that false world where they meet the potential you have formed in your mind rather than what they are really like. Perhaps him consciously acting like a stranger is his way of ignoring the reality of a damaged past relationship - choosing instead to hold on to the false hope for a new beginning - two strangers meeting again.

“Keep changing your face, No time to be you”- Suggests the person he admires seems to struggle with self-acceptance and identity; caught in a habit of adapting to their surroundings to fit in. The phrase “no time to be you” highlights how this coping mechanism has consumed them entirely though he is still able to see through their façade, knowing this persona is an act, further hinting at previous history between them. This also ties back to the opening line, “I recognize you.”

Despite all these external changes, their emotional bond is still intact. “No time to create, I wonder, do you?” - adding a layer to the theme of emotional exhaustion, it suggests Loren feels drained and can no longer access the creative parts of himself. “Create” could also symbolize rebuilding post breakup: crafting a new sense of identity or forming new relationships. He is wondering if she has found the time or strength to move on from their past in ways he hasn’t, revealing both longing and the fear of being left behind.

"Do you feel the same? Searching for mistakes, Letting them destroy you" Sometimes, when a crack appears in a relationship, it’s easy to place the weight solely on ourselves. In a desperate attempt to fix what’s broken, we obsess over the problem, overanalyse everything and in that panic-state, unintentionally cause those cracks to deepen. This is the nature of self-sabotage.

Here, Loren admits he actively looks for problems which can stem from various underlying issues including insecurity or a subconscious desire to avoid intimacy. It can also satisfy a false sense of safety where he feels comfortable knowing he is always right when he actively looks for the problems he is causing which inevitably ends their relationship. His question, “Do you feel the same?” reveals vulnerability. It suggests he feels alone in this experience, unsure if anyone understands this vicious cycle.

"Comes in waves without warning. That's why I'm lost and you're not here with me" - To me this suggests a deep emotional complexity woven into their relationship. “waves without warning” powerfully captures the unpredictability of mental health struggles, how they can arrive suddenly and at times without reason. The waves are present throughout Loren’s writing as his internal desires are conflicted with his external actions. “That’s why I’m lost and you’re not here with me,” connects his internal turmoil to the end of their relationship, suggesting that his emotional instability drove them apart. Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and stress can contribute to memory loss or difficulties with the brains cognitive functions. It creates a sort of mental fog making it easy to be lost within ones own mind and distort reality. He admits he is still lost, showing he hasn't been freed from his mental haze which has directly caused the distance between them.

“Collect sadness and be free” reads like a confession born from Avoidant attachment. Loren seems to recognise that his self-destructive patterns ends each relationship gathering more sorrow yet with a sense of freedom. “Being free” is usually framed as a positive state, reflecting how avoidant individuals often see relationships as suffocating and so the act of pushing away can feel like the shackles have been taken off, but here it still feels hollow. "That's why I'm lost" shows his freedom comes at the price of loneliness and could be used as an attempt to bury his true feelings.

"I wish you would stay, if I had to choose" - This is a moment of vulnerability, revealing his true desire; that if the decision were his alone, he would choose to hold on. Yet, “if I had to choose,” implies the power is in the other persons hands. Perhaps he feels incapable, or too damaged to hold them together so in the end, he settles for writing their name down, a stark reminder of what could have been.

"I'll write down your name, 'cause I'll forget you."- The act of writing someone's name shows he wants to keep their memories alive to hold on to. Memories are fragile alone, especially in mental fog and so writing their name ensures their time together is never lost.

“I don’t know what’s real, I don’t know, are you?” - This line reflects the blurred line between fantasy and reality. Linking to Idealization vs Reality, it suggests that he may have been so consumed by his idea of who this person was, that now he’s unsure if he ever truly knew them at all. It marks a moment of realisation where the illusion begins to crack, and he's left questioning what, or who was ever real.

At the same time, this line can also be a reflection of cognitive fog created by mental health struggles where ones perception of their own identity and the world around them is warped. Feelings of detachment or dissociation can begin to consume you; The world can begin to feel surreal, and even people once close to us may seem fragmented. In this sense, he’s questioning his own reality. Like the waves he describes throughout the song, he flows back and forth between longing and isolation, vulnerability and detachment. In the end, this is just another example of the ongoing routine of collecting sadness and remaining alone with each potential partner.

From 3:00 to 4:20, the song enters a tender bridge. The music swells and shifts as if you are submerged underwater. Guitars shimmer delicately on top of the mix, while the drums soften and slow down. Loren’s vocals are pushed further back, drenched in reverb as he repeats the chorus. This is a moment of stillness, a gentle contrast to the earlier chaos with distortion. It feels as though Loren’s mind has slowed, gaining clarity before tension builds again into the final verse, back into the emotional whirlwind where he confesses deeply personal feelings.

"I'm slowing down but now the high doesn't phase me" - Reflecting emotional numbness, slowing down could literally signify a fracture in Loren's brains function as he no longer have the same energy, or optimism he once had. The high could represent the thrill of love and connection whilst saying it doesn’t phase him anymore suggests he’s grown desensitized which is reflected in Loren's signature, soft tone of voice when he sings and the choice of submissive language he displays in this track, putting the power in this other persons hands.

“Figure this out, It's telling, I'm the one changing” - "Figure this out" may be directed inward, aware of his current mental condition, he is actively wanting to try make sense of this mess. The word “telling” implies that the signs are obvious or expected, possibly hinting to a toxic pattern he is committed to, regardless, he’s acknowledging that he is not the same person he once was, and that this change is noticeable.

“Wearing our doubts, I'll show you what I've been saving” - Much like wearing your heart on your sleeve, these two ex lovers are openly displaying the uncertainty and emotional strain that’s built between them through their interactions, tension, and unspoken words. On the other hand, it could reflect Loren bearing the weight of the broken relationship alone; while the other person may have let go, he continues to hold on, trying to push past their troubles but it’s becoming too difficult to bear anymore. "Saving" implies that Loren has kept certain parts of himself hidden, possibly out of fear, waiting for a sense of security to allow for true vulnerability to show but it never came and so, in a final, desperate attempt to rebuild closeness he doesn’t want to hold back anymore, hoping that revealing his true self after all this time might bring them back together.

"Am I too loud? Be honest, What am I saying?” - Loren expresses a strong sense of self-doubt and insecurity. “Am I too loud?” can be fear for how he is perceived and if he is too intense which is ironic considering Loren's soft singing voice. It's the kind of question stemmed from insecurity, someone used to being silent or made to feel exhausting, it almost suggests he is willing to change himself to fit the other persons needs even if it kills him.

“What am I saying?” adds a layer of confusion and loss of self — caught in a mental spiral, he’s not sure if he’s making sense or if his words are even being heard at all. Despite how 'loud' he may be, he can't hear himself and so he looks outward for truth instead of inward. It shows that he has completely lost himself, needing both clarity and validation from someone else, he trusts their perception of him must be true, for someone so worried about being loud, he has lost his own voice.

"It's my bad mouth, be sound, Hear all the complaining" - Feeling like a self confession, Loren recognizes his tendency to fall into a negative headspace. It seems he is blaming himself for their separation, downplaying his mental state down to a "bad mouth" or "complaining". It could suggest he’s internalized the idea that expressing is burdensome, possibly reflecting the words he has been told by his ex partner, he could be adopting the persona they have of him.

"Fear I might drown when you're around, Keeps on draining" - Suggests that Loren is emotionally overwhelmed in the presence of this person. Drowning evokes a sense of losing control, of suffocating. Together, these lines express the paradox of craving closeness but also fearing its emotional weight. It's a tug-of-war, a typical pattern in many anxious-avoidant dynamics: “I want you near, but when you are, I can’t breathe."

“The time is now, your move, I'll always be waiting.” - Loren confirms his true desire for a shared future, placing the choice in the other person’s hands though he admits he will always be waiting, “The time is now” creates a sense of urgency, as if this is a final opportunity to reconnect, knowing he may not have the strength to try again, betting everything on this one last chance.

“I'll make you count, I need you more 'cause I'm fading” - “I’ll make you count” isn’t just a promise — it’s a desperate plea almost as if he is trying to convince this person, suggesting a broken past or loss of trust. The final line in this song powerfully reveals Loren's reason for being so dependant. Loren admits that his sense of self is slipping and he desperately relies on them, as if his identity and purpose are tethered to them. Whether it’s because he’s losing himself in the haze of his own mental struggle or he simply feels hollow without their presence, he needs the one person who knew him most to help him.

Overall, Collect Sadness blurs the line between accountability and emotional neglect, leaving you questioning what is real. Loren confesses his damaged mental state and insecurity may have been the cause of the relationships downfall but at the same time, he expresses experiences of emotional neglect and so just like his question, “What is real?”, we’re left asking the same question - was his ex partner justified in their choice to leave because of Loren's bad habits or were Loren's bad habits caused by the actions of his past lover?