The song uses the infamous Federal Penitentiary as a metaphor for the psychological "dungeons" created by one's own past and mental health struggles.
The opening lines, "Moving out west, things got lonely / Trying my best, nobody showed me," mirror the twins' real-life move to California and the subsequent feelings of being lost in a new environment.
Albuquerque, New Mexico , the Moore brothers recorded the Hallucinate EP in the back room of a Korean church in
serves as the haunting finale to Oliver Riot’s debut EP, Hallucinate , released in November 2015. The track, written and performed by identical twins Benjamin and Alexander Moore, acts as a raw exploration of emotional imprisonment and the masks worn to survive it. Origins and Atmosphere Originally from
Both brothers have spoken openly about their diagnoses of "Pure-O" Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. "Alcatraz" reflects the disorientation and entrapment of living with intrusive thoughts, portraying a character who is "hiding alone" within the walls of their own mind. Critical Reception
Behind the Bars of the Mind: An Analysis of Oliver Riot’s "Alcatraz"
Los Angeles while Alex lived in a van parked outside. This sense of transient, isolated living is palpable in "Alcatraz," which trades the duo’s usual Gypsy Jazz influences for a darker, R&B-infused folk sound. Lyrical Themes: The Internal Prison