Imagine: The year is 2080. Mega-corporation iTMRW (pronounced I-Tomorrow) alone controls commerce, politics, and artificial intelligence. 

Now set that narrative to playfully captivating piano, married with Jocie Adams’ range and balladesque carry of lyrics that tell the tale of Robert, captive in a self-driving vehicle bound for corporate headquarters. 

The day prior, he was a typical blue-collar worker, and now he’s part of the enterprise: placing chips in patrons’ brains to push overconsumption through targeted advertisements that reflect each individual’s interests, and plaguing them with “pop-up thoughts.” 

Los Angeles-based ensemble Arc Iris tells this and other stories on their forthcoming futuristic concept album, iTMRW, initially conceived as a 90-minute live multimedia science fiction production featuring video art and contemporary dance elements. As the latest preview of the collection of songs, Arc Iris shares “A Click and A Twitch” with Relix. 

Like a spaceship landing, “A Click and A Twitch” enters orbit with an atmospheric effect before bursting into a pronounced key work, met with Adams’ childlike wonder for playful, descriptive lines and a long-held note. Significant instrumental shifts serve the narrative, mimicking the character’s drastically changing conditions. It’s a vocal exercise in expression that questions, “Who holds the key?” at nauseam during the track’s outro, until met with a sneering synth-driven groove that underscores the Adams’ lyrical sentiment. 

“When we imagine all of the ways that AI can go sour, the future looks glum at best. My hope is that humanity will find its nurturing roots and use them to leverage AI for magic and healing. I’m  thinking… matriarchy?” Adams told us. 

Arc Iris stepped on the scene and offered their initial self-titled debut in 2014, before following up in two-year cycles with Moon Saloon, Foggy Lullaby, and Icon of Ego. In 2023, they released We Found Home, their first set of music following their relocation to Los Angeles from Providence, R.I. 

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