Floater's Lament from Floodshift by Wardshift

The fluorescent hum of the Lameron Memorial break room offers little solace as this track unfolds, its subtle tension building alongside the distant storm. Pill-bottle 808s pulse a raw rhythm beneath the whispered confessions, each hit a stark echo of cumulative trauma from endless night shifts. Wren's production layers genuine break room conversations and tape-hissed ambience, creating an intimate, unpolished soundscape. The unique call-and-response structure allows different vocalists to lead, forging a unified chorus that defines the track: "We float / between the living and the gone / Pill-bottle hearts / keep beating on and on." This lyric speaks to a lived truth, capturing the liminal existence of those who navigate life and loss in the shadows. The track offers a quiet, shared weariness, a deeply felt resonance for anyone carrying unseen burdens, especially as the year deepens into long, draining nights where every internal struggle feels magnified. It’s not about grand gestures; it’s the sound of hands still working, hearts still beating.

Tracklist

2.	Floater's Lament	3:37

Lyrics

Break room confessions, fluorescent glow
Pill bottles rattle like broken souls

Lost another patient at 2 AM
Coding blue until we couldn't save them
Carry weight that never leaves our chest
Floaters know we're all just doing our best
Clock out crying in the parking lot
Heroes? Nah, we're just the ones who showed up

We float / between the living and the gone
Pill-bottle hearts / keep beating on and on
When the system breaks / we're still here breathing
Floater's lament / but we keep believing
(Keep believing, keep believing)

Started young with dreams of saving lives
Now I'm thirty-five with tired eyes
Every shift another story dies
While administrators count supplies
Unacknowledged heroes in these halls
Pick each other up when someone falls

We float / between the living and the gone
Pill-bottle hearts / keep beating on and on
When the system breaks / we're still here breathing
Floater's lament / but we keep believing
(Keep believing, keep believing)

Bruised trap snares mark another loss
But solidarity pays the cost
Shared burden makes the load feel light
Collective grief gets us through the night
Recognition in each other's stare
Understanding that nobody else will care

We float together / never alone
This break room brotherhood / flesh and bone
When Lameron breaks us / we're still here breathing
Floater's lament / but we keep believing
Keep believing / keep believing / keep believing

First power flicker hits the ceiling
But we float on / still feeling

Credits

from Floodshift, released August 2, 2025

License