Homework: Let's dig into National Skyline’s “This = Everything”

Prep work for understanding how Hum’s bassist saw the digital revolution coming

Ever wonder what happens when a member of space rock legends Hum retreats to his home studio with nothing but a vision and a drum machine? Time to find out.

Picture this: It’s 2001, and while the world is still getting used to the idea that Y2K didn’t end civilization, something quietly revolutionary is happening in a Champaign, Illinois basement. Jeff Dempsey, fresh from his tenure as Hum’s bassist, has discovered that you can build entire sonic universes with nothing more than a 24-track home studio, some electronic wizardry, and pure ambition.

National Skyline wasn’t just another side project—it was the sound of the future arriving early. Their album “This = Everything” captures that exact moment when the digital revolution was beginning to reshape indie rock, when bedroom producers could compete with major labels, and when the most interesting sounds emerged from the spaces between genres

The Sound of Tomorrow, Today

If you’ve ever wondered what New Order would sound like if they grew up on Failure and space rock, wonder no more. National Skyline’s sound floats somewhere between shoegaze skies and synth-pop skyscrapers—it’s what you play at 2am when the city lights feel like morse code and every street feels like a tunnel to somewhere else.

The album’s bass-driven arrangements recall Peter Hook’s melodic sensibilities, while the atmospheric guitar work and drum programming create soundscapes that feel both futuristic and timeless. It’s electronic music that breathes, space rock that pulses, and indie rock that dreams.

Your Assignment

Get ready for an upcoming Dig Me Out episode that will explore this forgotten prophecy of what indie rock could become. But first, here’s your homework:

Step 1: The Deep Listen

Stream “This = Everything” in its entirety—preferably late at night with good headphones. This is a 40-minute journey that works best as a complete experience, not individual tracks. Pay attention to how the bass becomes the fundamental instrument, how the vocals float like another synth layer, and how the electronic and organic elements create something entirely new.

Step 2: The Research Dive

Visit the National Skyline Wikipedia page and prepare to be amazed by the band’s fascinating history. From the original 45-minute art project to the rotating cast of Champaign-area musicians, there’s a whole story of musical experimentation waiting to be discovered. Bonus points: Try to find their old GeoCities page via the Wayback Machine—it’s a perfect time capsule of early 2000s internet culture.

Step 3: The Critical Ear

As you listen, ask yourself: What works? Is it the way the bass drives the rhythm instead of traditional drums? The atmospheric guitar work that builds emotional landscapes? The way electronic elements serve the songs rather than dominating them? And equally important: What doesn’t work? Are there moments where the experimentation feels unfinished? Songs that could have been developed further?

Ready for Class?

Come prepared to discuss how this album bridged the gap between the space rock of the ‘90s and the electronic-influenced indie that would dominate the mid-2000s. We’ll explore how home recording technology was democratizing music production, why the Champaign, Illinois scene was so fertile for this kind of innovation, and whether “This = Everything” deserves to be remembered as a lost classic or a worthy experiment.

The future of indie rock was being written in basement studios while no one was watching. Time to give it the attention it deserves.

---