Used to be (EP) - Artificial Incline (Pop) This week we had the privilege to dive into the first EP from Artificial Incline called “Used to be”, which is this artist’s first appearance on our blog. Like most of the works we are drawn to, the tracks on “Used to be” are rooted in specificity of experience—these are human tales that come direct from our artist’s life. Before we dive into this heart wrenching collection, we first dig into a bit about the artist.
Artificial Incline is a Canadian based lyricist focused on combining the power of music and technology to tell emotional stories. Hailing from Strathmore, Canada, our artist uses music as an escape, while at the same time using it to delve into the nuances of the underlying relationship traumas that necessitated the escape—cheating and emotional abuse. As an artist, Artificial Incline is inclined towards the complexities of human relationships, hoping to add their unique perspective to the conversation.
The raw and emotional collection of four tracks that is “Used to be” was born in 2024 after Artificial Incline rediscovered some old videos and lyrics that told a tale of loss, love and heartbreak from experiences that go back to 2017. The spark of those memories became an EP that takes the listener through the mud—this isn’t just the trauma of a breakup, it’s the hard work of putting yourself back together and taking accountability for one’s role in the downfall. This makes the project not only a showcase in vulnerability, but also one of resilience and growth in the face of adversity.
The biggest strengths of the project are the drive imbued into each song—each track has a swelling movement to them—as well as the top 40 catchy sing-along-ability. Also worth noting is the poetry of the lyrics, and so it doesn’t surprise us that Artificial Incline self describes first as a lyricist. While Artificial Incline hasn’t specifically said so, reading between the lines of the artist’s name and the self described leveraging of technology, we think there’s some AI at work here. Regardless of what tools were used to bring the art to life, the passion of the lyrics and beautiful storytelling grounded in the human experience tells us there’s a soul behind the tech.
“Used to be” is rooted firmly in pop ballad, with a tinge of country sensibility here and there as well—though considering how pop country has become, this might just be apples and apples nowadays. “King without a crown” is placed first in the collection to give the listener the current state of affairs—the relationship is over and our artist is feeling aimless and lost. In describing this feeling, Artificial Incline uses the dichotomy of being told in the relationship that they were a king with the post-breakup feeling—how could that be true if I feel the way I do now?
“Used to be”, our title track, then dives right into the emotional core of the project, letting the listener in on the realization that the artist is now forever changed by their experiences. “Far away” takes us from the mourning to more of the details on how everything ended. Importantly, Artificial Incline takes accountability on the track, citing their deceit and unfaithfulness as the reason leading to the end of the relationship. Artificial Incline continues to bleed all over the track, but balances the impact of the fallout they’re feeling with recognizing their fault in the cause.
Finally, “Ink and color” is a tribute to the artistic process and how it has helped Artificial Incline process their emotions. It’s a great coda to the project, summarizing the entire endeavor as a closer.