A distinct tape hiss accompanied by a synthesizer reflective of its era, melded with an unplaceable monotonous voice – for an astonishing 17 years, these enigmatic sounds propelled one of the internet’s most captivating global mysteries, a riddle that has finally reached its conclusion.
The saga begins with a teenager named Darius, who captured the elusive track from a West German radio station around 1984. He carefully embedded it within a mixtape that featured other dominating ’80s new wave and pop anthems, a compilation that would be unearthed years later, sparking intrigue.
The mixtape, showcasing instantly recognizable hits like “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr. and Golden Earring’s “Twilight Zone,” left both Darius and his older sister Lydia in perplexity regarding the title and artist of the song marked only with a question mark.
In a quest to unearth its origins, this sibling duo digitized the elusive track and took to the internet in 2007, hoping to unravel the mystery quickly. However, their search encountered a frustrating dead end; no one in the vast expanse of music databases could illuminate its origins, and thus began a nearly two-decade journey. This pursuit would not only illuminate the obscure song but also catalyze a burgeoning music subgenre termed “lostwave,” captivating a diverse audience of obsessive fans, including redditors, YouTube creators, journalists, and podcast hosts.
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Old Audio Cassette Tapes. (Helena Watson / Contributor)
Last week, one significant breakthrough was made.
The enigmatic new wave track previously identified as the “most mysterious song on the Internet” has been unveiled as “Subways of Your Mind,” performed by the obscure German band FEX, who were entirely unaware of the nearly two-decade-long search sparked by their song.
“I’m just glad and relieved the search is over,” the redditor wrote in a post heralding the discovery.
An image of a cassette tape provided by a band member along with links to audio files retrieved from it accompanied the post, marking a significant moment in the investigation.
The poster elaborated that after reaching out to the band member about the song’s status as a notable ‘lost song,’ the member requested discretion until he could confer with his former bandmates. Soon after, the song was registered at GEMA, a platform for music and musicians, leading to widespread revelation. Fortunately, the band members later granted permission for public acknowledgment, marking the official unveiling of the song’s identity.
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Darius and Lydia were promptly informed about this monumental breakthrough, another participant in the thread revealed, anticipating further developments in the story.
Comments on the r/TheMysteriousSong subreddit were filled with joy as members expressed their elation over the resolution of the years-long enigma.
“The entire band is still in contact and happy about the newfound attention? Truly the best possible ending,” one user commented, capturing the camaraderie of the online community rallying behind the search.
Another expressed disbelief, stating, “Visited this sub after a couple of months and this is the first post I saw. Never thought this song would be found.”
“I couldn’t really be happier with this 🙂 It’s pretty much the perfect outcome, for sooooo many reasons,” a third user shared, echoing the collective sentiment.
Michael Haedrich, a former member of FEX who provided the tape and contributed vocals, shared with Der Spiegel, a German publication, that he and his bandmates are “completely overwhelmed” by the unexpected resurgence of interest in their music, according to CBS News.
“I thought it was amazing that someone was interested in music by a band that was only successful regionally, if at all, and that was over 40 years ago,” he reflected, illustrating the profound impact of the discovery.
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In a separate interview with German outlet TZ, he nostalgically recalled the song, saying, “When I hear the song today, I immediately have positive memories of how we tinkered around in the studio and rehearsal room (with the limited technical possibilities at the time). I think the song has a timeless appeal, and I can listen to and play it today with the same feeling that I had back then.”
Before the resolution emerged, Reddit played a pivotal role in catalyzing the mystery’s global reach in 2019. The intrigue piqued the interest of media outlets, including Rolling Stone, which chronicled the so-called “unsolved case.”
To countless fans, it resonated as a familiar piece reminiscent of any iconic ‘80s new wave band, yet the pursuit for answers seemed to yield nothing but false leads time and again.
At one juncture, investigators even reached out to DJ Paul Baskerville, suspected of having played the song, along with archivists at NDR radio station in Hamburg, yet their inquiries bore no fruit.
Dedicated fans painstakingly dissected every aspect of the song, analyzing details from the synthesizer’s distinct tones to the vocal delivery and the recognizable tape dragging, with the hope of pinpointing the year of production or the band behind it.
FEX is reportedly planning a reunion to re-record the beloved track for their newfound fans.
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Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
**Interview with Darius: The Mystery Solved**
*Interviewer*: Today, we’re joined by Darius, the teenager who unwittingly sparked a nearly two-decade-long investigation into one of the internet’s biggest music mysteries. Darius, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
*Darius*: Thanks for having me! It’s been quite a ride.
*Interviewer*: Let’s start from the beginning. You recorded a mixtape in the 1980s. What made you choose to include the track that would later become the focus of such an extensive search?
*Darius*: Back then, I just loved discovering music, especially songs that were off the beaten path. This particular track caught my ear, but I had no idea it would turn into a mystery for nearly 20 years! It just had a unique sound that stood out amongst the other hits.
*Interviewer*: It must have been quite perplexing not knowing the title or the artist. How did that drive you and your sister, Lydia, to search for its origins?
*Darius*: Oh, absolutely! The fact that it was just labeled with a question mark felt like a challenge. We started researching online in 2007, hoping someone would know something. When we hit a dead end on music databases, it became even more compelling—we just had to solve it!
*Interviewer*: What was the turning point in your quest to uncover the song’s identity?
*Darius*: The breakthrough came recently when a Reddit user posted about finding the band, FEX, and the song titled “Subways of Your Mind.” It was surreal! We felt a mix of emotions—relief, excitement, and pure joy that what began as a simple curiosity had turned into such a significant journey.
*Interviewer*: How did you feel upon discovering the band wasn’t even aware of the phenomenon their song had created?
*Darius*: It’s incredible! I can’t even imagine what it would be like to have one of your songs suddenly become a cult hit years after its release. Michael Haedrich from FEX mentioned they were overwhelmed by the newfound interest, which is just heartwarming for everyone involved.
*Interviewer*: The term “lostwave” has been associated with this mystery. What do you think it says about music and culture today that a subgenre like this could even exist?
*Darius*: It really shows how the internet has transformed how we discover and connect with music. There’s a whole community of fans now who thrive on finding these hidden gems. It speaks to a broader curiosity about music history and how much talent can be overlooked.
*Interviewer*: What’s next for you and Lydia now that the mystery is solved?
*Darius*: We’re grateful to have played a part in this incredible journey. We’re in touch with fellow enthusiasts who followed along, and we’re just enjoying this moment. I think we’ll probably dig into more obscure tracks—who knows what other mysteries are out there?
*Interviewer*: Thank you, Darius, for sharing your story. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the world of music discovery, and I’m sure many will be keen to hear “Subways of Your Mind” now that its origins have been revealed.
*Darius*: Thank you! I hope people enjoy the track as much as we have. It’s nice to see the journey come full circle.
