Song history written by TimelandIsWacky

“Lonely Cosmos” is one of a few songs on Phantom Island about homesickness, though its vast space setting makes it the most tragic. We hear of an astronaut flying further and further away from Earth, getting older and older. Throughout their trip they think existentially about the universe – questioning if humanity is alone and fearing their death within the infinite universe, though they eventually come to the realization that they’re only stardust. The song ends 620 light-years away with the astronaut sending mail back to their parents. They say that while they’ve seen something as extraordinary as the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, they still miss home (it’s possible to connect these lyrics to “Kepler-22b” as the planet is 620 light-years away from Earth according to the NOAA, though other sources have different estimates).
Alongside the space-themed lyrics, “Lonely Cosmos” features some of the most adventurous arrangements on Phantom Island – especially with its surreal intro and haunting outro. It was so heavy on the orchestra that Stu went as far as to say it surprised him.