Arliston’s single “What Did I Think Would Happen,” the opening track from their upcoming album Disappointment Machine, is a delicate yet powerful exploration of unrequited love. The song is wrapped in analog warmth, with its initial clicks and whirs evoking the nostalgic feel of pushing a VHS tape into a VCR—a fitting metaphor for the emotional replaying of past heartbreak. Guided by a repetitive piano melody, the track gradually builds in intensity without ever losing its intimate, raw essence.

Songwriter Jack Ratcliffe’s vocals move between piercing falsetto and a deeper register, amplifying the emotional contrast between vulnerability and guardedness. The track’s poignancy lies in its restraint—an “exercise in holding back,” as the band describes it.

Wheezing brass and discordant piano notes add texture without overwhelming the song’s fragile mood. Much of the recording preserves the immediacy of first-take ideas, giving the track an authenticity that mirrors the unpredictability of real emotions.

“What Did I Think Would Happen” feels like a prelude to something greater, a heart-bruised opening scene that leaves listeners eager for the story to unfold in Disappointment Machine. Arliston masterfully balances restraint and intensity, creating a hauntingly beautiful prelude to their forthcoming album.

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