Applied Communications Confirms Comeback EP ‘Applied Communications Has a Midlife Crisis’

Applied Communications Has a Midlife Crisis is a comeback EP – 17 years in the making – from Max Wood (a.k.a. Applied Communications). It’s a collection of five alt-pop songs that navigate Max’s journey through depression, gender dysphoria, existential panic, and self-love.

While more accessible and beat-driven than past AC records (such as the polarizing Uhhh Sort Of ), . . .Midlife Crisis remains deeply personal and idiosyncratic.

Max Wood comments on the track “Sinéad”:

“‘Sinéad’ is about a pretty intense mental breakdown I had while visiting Los Angeles for work. I tried to capture the anxiety and mania of those feelings, but also keep the spirit of the song off-kilter and not too serious. I had a version of the song that was more straightforward and poppy, but it didn’t feel right. I then sent it to my friend Emperor X, who did all kinds of bizarre unexpected things to the music. I took his edits, doubled down on them, and ended up with a version that felt way more authentic to the experiences I had that day.”

The EP was mixed by Scoobert Doobert (CHAI, Victor Marc) and mastered by Riley Knapp (Rosie Tucker, Lou Roy), who elevated the sound far beyond previous Applied Communications efforts.

Applied Communications