Like thousands of Texans at the start of the pandemic, Justin Sherburn was placed on hold when he called the Texas Workforce Commission.
The state agency handling unemployment claims was slammed with callers. Sherburn is a Austin-based musician and composer, and all he wanted to do was talk to someone about his paperwork.
“Nobody knew what was going on, and all I knew was that I was having my world fall apart and all my gigs canceled," he told KUT.
Sherburn was on the phone for hours listening to terrible music and a robotic female voice asking him to stay on the line when he got the idea for the "Texas Workforce Commission Hold Music."
The project isn't associated with the Texas Workforce Commission. Instead, it's "ambient meditations inspired by the existential dread associated with navigating the corridors of government administration."
He collaborated with his wife Sara Nelson to capture the spirit of the pandemic with cello and synth arraignments.
“It’s reflective of that really disorienting experience of quarantine and being locked down in that static nature — psychological stasis. And just everything, you know, you’re just locked inside this bubble," he said.
The album is online and features songs called "Leave A Message," "The Office Is Closed," and "Exceptionally High Volume."
Sherburn even has a phone number so listeners can hear his music in its true form. Dial 512-559-4739 and stay on hold as long as you like.
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