Fold – In the Goodness of Time

Fusing Eisenhower’s ominous farewell speech with haunting soundscapes to reflect on power, war and peace

At its core, the song explores a haunting sense of dread, anger, and fear—emotions that feel more urgent and relevant than ever in today’s world. The vocal version layers this atmosphere with a powerful sample of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell speech, in which he famously warned about the rise of the military-industrial complex. His words—resonating more strongly today—sound even more unsettling thanks to a groundbreaking audio restoration process, which modernised his voice using Descript’s AI tool. The result? Eisenhower’s speech feels strikingly present, emphasising the weight of his warnings about unchecked military power and its consequences on democracy.

But this isn’t just a history lesson—it’s also a commentary on how those predictions came to fruition. Eisenhower’s administration, while protective of democratic ideals, was also complicit in covert CIA operations that installed oppressive regimes across the globe. This duality is woven into the track’s DNA, inviting listeners to critically reflect on the broader narrative.

The track’s eerie, distorted guitars were recorded in 1998 on a 4-track cassette recorder in a suburban New York basement, giving it an anachronistic, nostalgic edge. The bass was created by pitch-shifting an electric guitar through a Korg Pandora FX unit, and the overall sound carries echoes of Portishead’s experimental 90s influence.

Despite its somber tone, the track ends with an optimistic note, quoting Eisenhower’s own hope for peace: “We pray that in the goodness of time all people will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love.”