Every artist has been at that stage in their career where they wonder if all the sleepless nights, soured relationships, and constant struggle were worth it. With their latest single “Waste of Time,” New York-based funk-rock collective Circus Mind delivers a sharply observed and irresistibly groovy reflection on the all-too-familiar feeling of creative burnout.
Equal parts funk rock and satirical soul, the track manages to transform artistic exhaustion into something danceable, humorous, and undeniably relatable with verses like;
“Just like the time it takes writing a song
Hoping that someone will sing along
It’s all a waste of time”
At its core, “Waste of Time” is a tongue-in-cheek critique of the creative grind, leading the charge with a wink and a smirk, and asking the question so many artists have muttered to themselves: Why are we even doing this?
The arrangement is as cleverly constructed as the song’s message. Waste of Time is driven by an irresistible funk groove and an accompaniment complete with crumpets, piano and even an ensemble of backing vocalists. The result is a sound that’s at once vintage and vibrant.
The production on Waste of Time is clean but warm, featuring crisp drums, bluesy guitar lines and rich keyboards. While each instrument is balanced with enough room to breathe, it still retains that natural feel of a live performance.
One of the most striking aspects of “Waste of Time” is how well it captures the existential paradox of being a creator: putting in countless hours, enduring rejection, and sacrificing comfort—all for something that may never yield a tangible return.
“Walking around mowed down by life’s confines
Wandering about the fate of your own designs”
Yet, rather than wallowing, Circus Mind chooses to embrace the absurdity. The groove becomes a form of resistance, a musical shrug in the face of futility.
Waste of Time follows in the footsteps of Circus Mind’s past genre-blending and innovative work, but marks a new level of lyrical ingenuity. It’s witty, funky, a bit cynical, and relaxed all at the same time without ever losing its focus. The track shows that even burnout can be art, and even failure can be fun.