(Intro - A slow, thumping hip-hop drumbeat blends into a warm dub bassline. A misty, echoing melodica plays a melancholic tune over vinyl crackle) "Yeah... Ego in the ashes... Let it burn down... Waiting on the smoke signal..." [Verse 1 - Laid-back, slightly raspy and lazy vocal delivery over a steady reggae skank rhythm] I built a fortress made of pride and heavy stone Sitting on a tower, feeling quiet and alone Defending every shadow, every foolish thing I said Trapped inside the noisy architecture of my head So I struck a little match, set the ego to the flame Watched the high-and-mighty titles slowly lose their name The smoke starts rising in a dark and cloudy grey Carrying the arrogance and bitterness away [Chorus - Melodic, floating chorus with spacey dub reverb and lush backing harmonies] Leave the ego in the ashes, let the fire burn There’s a quiet kind of lesson that we had to learn When the smoke signal clears, nothing left to prove Just a heavy dub rhythm making everybody move Yeah, watch it burn down... Lay your armor on the ground... [Verse 2 - Cool, nonchalant talk-singing with subtle synth pads and deep bass drops] Freud said the defense mechanisms run the entire show Always making boundaries where the spirit ought to flow But when the ashes settle and the pride is stripped away The subconscious mind has got a lot of things to say No status, no posture, no trophy on the shelf Just a simple human being coming back unto himself We inhale the clarity and blow away the pride Finding all the answers that were locked away inside [Melodica & Dub Solo - A dazy, ditty-like melodica solo playing over a heavy, spacey dub beat with echoing rimshots and resonant bass sweeps] [Bridge - Stripped-back beat, heavy sub-bass, distant siren FX, and whispered vocals] Blow away the vanity... Welcome to reality... Nothing left to lose or hide... Just the peace we feel inside... (Sound of a slow, relaxed exhale) [Chorus - Full band brings back the melancholic, catchy groove with rich vocal layers] Leave the ego in the ashes, let the fire burn There’s a quiet kind of lesson that we had to learn When the smoke signal clears, nothing left to prove Just a heavy dub rhythm making everybody move Yeah, watch it burn down... Lay your armor on the ground... [Outro - Slow trip-hop beat fading out, echoing melodica notes, and soft vinyl noise] Ashes to ashes... Dust to dub... One love... (Fade out)
