Reduction in Force arrives with “What’s Next?,” a debut single, a reckoning and a rebirth, alt-rock forged from the ashes of a 25-year professional life that no longer fit. Built by Los Angeles–born, Southern California–raised Mike Mills, the project mixes synths and guitars, tension and release, anthemic builds and bruised confessions. Its musical DNA, with Depeche Mode, The Smiths, New Order, Oasis, INXS, and a touch of Cobain, runs right through the veins of the track. And its worldview? Pure Gen X grit: no excuses, no illusions, no bullsh!t. “What’s Next?” is the sound of someone stripping everything to the studs to start again. Produced, mixed, and mastered by Alex Aldi, with writing, vocals, and all musical performances by Mills, the track matches the introspective punch of the stop-motion music video starring Norman the rat, Mills’ childhood relic, wandering through a room of memories, mixtapes, posters, and dreams that never stopped burning.
Anyway, the song itself kicks off with tight, propulsive rolling drums, full of nervous electricity. Shimmery, vibrant, and bright guitars burst in next, lighting up the edges of the mix like neon reflected on rain-slick pavement. Then Mills enters with his husky, slightly grainy voice, singing tensely, as though he’s bracing himself against the very questions he’s asking. The narrative builds with an almost cinematic intensity, boredom, burnout, aging, ripped-up blueprints, and the growing ache of wondering what comes after the life you thought you wanted.
As the drums rumble harder and the guitars riff and churn, Mills’ voice climbs and soars into the chorus—“What’s Next? (take a breath)…”—a line that lands somewhere between an existential panic attack and a call to arms. The production stretches wide and urgent, echoing classic post-punk tension while keeping the edges sharp and modern. By the bridge, the song shifts from despair to defiance: “Lives are meant to be rebuilt… Passions grow when you shed guilt.”
“What’s Next?” becomes the anthem of someone choosing to face the unknown head-on—and daring the listener to do the same. Check out the music video on YouTube.
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Review by: Naomi Joan