Learning how to do nothing is a profound lesson in a distracted world

Lido uses so many different elements to convey the simple notion of doing nothing in How To Do Nothing. For starters, there is almost no percussion or drums whatsoever. You can hear a faint thrum that sounds like wheels on a train spinning throughout the whole song, but no strong snares, hats, or claps. Impressive because Lido is no stranger to them if songs of his like 3 Million are any indication. The chord progression is consistent the whole song and largely unchanging, just repeating over and over.

As you start listening to the lyrics Lido is addressing someone who's obviously had a deep impact on him: "You taught me how to decorate my mind with new color". It seems like their relationship is greatly misunderstood with lines like:

If you think I want the money back (Swear that I didn't give you that) To hold it over your head

He always comes back to the heart of the chorus: "Thank you for teaching me how to do nothing". In a distracted world push notifications have started taking precedence over thoughts, leaving boredom no room. At times, it takes sitting on a train for hours doing absolutely nothing to realize how much you value someone or something. Just like the song, Lido realizes that there are times for drums, and there are times for ambiance.

As the song ends, you can hear an announcer's voice faintly announcing arrival at Loyola station. Without headphones in or being tied up in any other distraction, you hear the voice pierce through the song. It's like Lido is suggesting we're all missing out on doing nothing.