VNV Nation - When is the Future?

"When is the Future?" is taken from the VNV Nation album "Noire"

The video was shot on location in Tokyo, Japan
Directed by Michael Winkler
Produced by Iconographic (M.Winkler / F.Gojana)

[charlesadkins]

I've spent a lifetime in a bad mental place. Only within the past two years have I finally been able and desirous of healing. For over a decade people would ask me, "don't you have any 'happy' songs to listen to?" The answer was always, "no, I'm not sure what I would I would listen to that resonates with me, that I would listen to repeatedly that I'd call 'happy' music. Well, now, VNV Nation has given me my 1st 'happy' music. Thank for that..

[Akiria_]

my mom followed VNV Nation around the country for all the tours while she was pregnant with me, now im here in 2024 and loving them thanks mom for your music taste.

[colinsweet]

I'm a 55 year old man who has just discovered this duo and need to get up to speed quickly.. wow I'm blown away.

[martinolsen]

The last 13 months been the worst in my life, from flare up of illnesses that was close to make me end this life and then recently the loss of my older sister which was not expected, in my darkest moments I turn to music, and many moons ago I lost my heart to VNV (not a spring chicken), and especially this song just pulled me up from the darkness, when you're close ending it all, well those whom been there knows what I'm talking about. Music is good meds, thank you for this masterpiece amongst many. Love to all 🙏❤️🙏

[niktine]

Not sure why this became so popular all of a sudden, but VNV nation deserves it.

[marcohde]

Congrats to VNV Nation for the 5.1 million views, this is not a mainstream band and the numbers reflect that underground music is still alive in 2020

[SugarGlider]

🎵🎶🎶🎵
Stranger in a crowd
Treading fire after dark
Lost in a city
Pulsing to the sound
Of the spirit and soul
🎵🎶🎶🎵
A city that is breathing
Living through the cables
Alive across the wires
Faces without names
Playing devils and angels
Lit up by the strobes
Moving hypnotized
I caught your reflection
In the neon on glass
An electric silhouette
Against the static sky
🎵🎶🎶🎵
It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world I must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future
🎵🎶🎶🎵
We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
The image we create
Now image we designed
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future
🎵🎶🎶🎵
Time moves so fast
In a single direction
Fighting with the present
Racing from the past
🎵🎶🎶🎵
We're searching for something
That can never satisfy
The reality of answers
When lives are on the line
I've waited a lifetime
For the age of wonder
A place that I remember
In a splinter of time
A stranger in a strange land
Caught in the flow
Still searching for answers
Among the neon lights
🎵🎶🎶🎵
It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world we must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future
🎵🎶🎶🎵
We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
The image we create
Now image we designed
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future
🎵🎶🎶🎵
It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world that must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future
🎵🎶🎶🎵
We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
The image we create
Now image we designed
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future
🎵🎶🎶🎵

[silverseraph]

A stranger in the crowd
Treading fire after dark
Lost in a city
Pulsing to the sound
Of the spirit and soul
A city that is breathing
Living through the cables
Alive across the wires
Faces without names
Playing devils and angels
Lit up by the strobes
Moving hypnotised
I caught your reflection
In the neon on glass
An electric silhouette
Against a static sky

It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world that must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future

We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
An image we create
In our image we design
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future

Time moves so fast
In a single direction
Fighting with a present
Racing from the past
We're searching for something
That can never satisfy
The reality of answers
When lives are on the line
I've waited a lifetime
For the age of wonder
A place that I remember
In a splinter of time
A stranger in a strange land
Caught in the flow
Still searching for answers
Among the neon lights

It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world that must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future

We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
An image we create
In our image we design
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future

It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world that must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future

We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
An image we create
In our image we design
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future

[lacruz]

Been listening to VNV for years. Highly, highly underrated. This guy is genius.

[bmradux]

There are few songs I come back to again, and again. This one is so layered, so complex. I find meanings in it every time I listen to it. Rarely, but often.

[darkarmilla]

La Letra: <3

The Stranger in a crowd
Treading fire after dark
Lost in a city
Pulsing to the sound
Of the spirit and soul
A city that is breathing
Living through the cables
Alive across the wires
Faces without names
Playing devils and angels
Lit up by the strobes
Moving hypnotized
I caught your reflection
In the neon on glass
An electric silhouette
Against a static sky


It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world I must survive


We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future


We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
The image we create
Now image we designed
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future


Time moves so fast
In a single direction
Fighting with the present
Racing from the past
We're searching for something
That can never satisfy
The reality of answers
When lives are on the line
I've waited a lifetime
For the age of wonder
A place that I remember
In a splinter of time
A stranger in a strange land
Caught in the flow
Still searching for answers
Among the neon lights


It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world we must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future


We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
The image we create
Now image we designed
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future


It's a beautiful dream
It's a beautiful life
It's just a reflection
A world that must survive
We're children of the past
Who look beyond today
Designing the present
So when is the future


We live in a dream
Keeping visions alive
It's just a reflection
A world that never dies
The image we create
Now image we designed
It's a beautiful life
So when is the future

[Zeheroth]

That one rare time VNV nation does a video and it blows up to 5, 1mill views. does my heart good to finally see in some form of another the message theyve been preaching for years for the good of the people gets to a broader audience

[BrianDicksonRabidslug]

Thank you so much! As a bald middle aged white man who loves nothing more than to walk around large urban metropolises alone, I know I am not alone!

Thank you Ronan and everyone with VNV. I've met you many times over the years and have enjoyed every moment

[Blankstate]

VNV Nation has been my favorite musical group for 19 years. They inspired, motivated, and encouraged me in my youth and helped support me emotionally through some of the tougher parts of adulthood. Absolutely stoked to see them in Chicago again this winter. It will be my third show in Chicago and fifth overall.

[twiggyable]

I've seen VNV live twice. It's almost like a spiritual experience. They're utterly amazing.

[industrialxsurgeon]

I can't listen to this song without getting teary-eyed. Thank you VNV Nation for creating such a beautiful song. 🌝

[archaicpath]

I listen to this song on repeat reminds me of visiting japan & Asia

[danielgyllenbreider]

If you listen to all VNV nations albums you realize what an amazing band they are. Every album has a different style or nuance, yet still maintains that distinct VNV nation style. I would love to see a continuation of that Resonance project they had as well.

[Yakko]

Great song. Very catchy rhythm. Interesting lyrics. Ridiculously underrated artist. I regret only having discovered this artist with his song "Illusion" being used in the game Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. A game that was so emotionally charged I was reduced to tears upon hearing the song.
On a side note, anyone else notice how clean the streets are in Japan?

[akroto]

This song was suggested to me by Youtube a few weeks ago and I fell in love with it immediately, it has become the most played track on my Spotify. I just can't get enough of it.