diff --git a/flow-state/index.html b/flow-state/index.html
index e12c4ba..23a5f3c 100644
--- a/flow-state/index.html
+++ b/flow-state/index.html
@@ -18,11 +18,6 @@
                         <div class="dz-hint">mp3 · flac · wav · ogg</div>
                     </div>
                 </div>
-                <div id="analysing" hidden>
-                    <div class="an-title">analysing</div>
-                    <div class="an-step">—</div>
-                    <div class="an-bar"><div class="an-fill"></div></div>
-                </div>
             </div>
             <div id="hud" hidden></div>
         </div>
@@ -56,6 +51,19 @@
         </div>
 
         <aside id="panel">
+            <div id="track-header">
+                <div class="th-top-row">
+                    <div class="th-info">
+                        <span id="th-label" class="th-label">no track loaded</span>
+                        <span id="th-name" class="th-name" hidden>no track</span>
+                    </div>
+                    <button id="btn-change-track" class="th-btn" title="Choose or drop an audio file">choose track</button>
+                </div>
+                <div id="th-progress" class="th-progress" hidden>
+                    <div id="th-step" class="th-step">decoding…</div>
+                    <div class="an-bar"><div id="th-fill" class="an-fill"></div></div>
+                </div>
+            </div>
             <div id="panel-tabs">
                 <button data-tab="look" class="active">look</button>
                 <button data-tab="scene">scene</button>
diff --git a/flow-state/src/main.js b/flow-state/src/main.js
index 374df10..19721b6 100644
--- a/flow-state/src/main.js
+++ b/flow-state/src/main.js
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@ const dom = {
     stage: document.getElementById('stage'),
     overlay: document.getElementById('overlay'),
     dropzone: document.getElementById('dropzone'),
-    analysing: document.getElementById('analysing'),
-    anStep: document.querySelector('#analysing .an-step'),
-    anFill: document.querySelector('#analysing .an-fill'),
     fileInput: document.getElementById('file-input'),
     audio: document.getElementById('audio'),
     timelineCanvas: document.getElementById('timeline-canvas'),
@@ -29,6 +26,12 @@ const dom = {
     panelTabs: document.getElementById('panel-tabs'),
     hud: document.getElementById('hud'),
     play: document.getElementById('btn-play'),
+    thLabel: document.getElementById('th-label'),
+    thName: document.getElementById('th-name'),
+    thProgress: document.getElementById('th-progress'),
+    thStep: document.getElementById('th-step'),
+    thFill: document.getElementById('th-fill'),
+    changeTrack: document.getElementById('btn-change-track'),
 };
 
 const state = {
@@ -52,17 +55,32 @@ const paramPanel = new ParamPanel(document.createElement('div'), onParamChange);
 async function loadFile(file) {
     if (state.busy) return;
     state.busy = true;
-    dom.dropzone.hidden = true;
-    dom.analysing.hidden = false;
+
+    if (dom.overlay) {
+        dom.overlay.hidden = true;
+        dom.overlay.style.display = 'none';
+    }
+    dom.thLabel.textContent = 'loading track';
+    dom.thName.hidden = false;
+    dom.thName.textContent = file.name.replace(/\.[^/.]+$/, '');
+    dom.thName.title = file.name;
+    dom.thProgress.hidden = false;
+    dom.changeTrack.hidden = true;
 
     try {
         await state.show.load(file, (stage, fraction) => {
-            dom.anStep.textContent = stage;
-            dom.anFill.style.width = `${Math.round((fraction || 0) * 100)}%`;
+            dom.thStep.textContent = stage;
+            dom.thFill.style.width = `${Math.round((fraction || 0) * 100)}%`;
         });
 
         dom.audio.src = URL.createObjectURL(file);
-        dom.overlay.hidden = true;
+        dom.thLabel.textContent = 'loaded track';
+        dom.thName.textContent = state.show.fileName;
+        dom.thName.title = state.show.fileName;
+        dom.thProgress.hidden = true;
+        dom.changeTrack.hidden = false;
+        dom.changeTrack.textContent = 'change track';
+
         strip.setShow(state.show);
         resize();
         seekTo(0);
@@ -70,18 +88,22 @@ async function loadFile(file) {
         document.title = `flow-state · ${state.show.fileName}`;
         console.info('[flow-state]', describeLook(state.show.look));
     } catch (err) {
-        dom.anStep.textContent = `failed: ${err.message}`;
+        dom.thLabel.textContent = 'analysis failed';
+        dom.thStep.textContent = `failed: ${err.message}`;
         console.error(err);
-        setTimeout(() => {
-            dom.analysing.hidden = true;
-            dom.dropzone.hidden = false;
-        }, 4000);
+        dom.changeTrack.hidden = false;
+        dom.changeTrack.textContent = 'try again';
+        if (dom.overlay) {
+            dom.overlay.hidden = false;
+            dom.overlay.style.display = 'flex';
+        }
     } finally {
         state.busy = false;
     }
 }
 
-dom.dropzone.addEventListener('click', () => dom.fileInput.click());
+if (dom.dropzone) dom.dropzone.addEventListener('click', () => dom.fileInput.click());
+if (dom.changeTrack) dom.changeTrack.addEventListener('click', () => dom.fileInput.click());
 dom.fileInput.addEventListener('change', (e) => {
     if (e.target.files[0]) loadFile(e.target.files[0]);
 });
diff --git a/flow-state/src/ui/style.css b/flow-state/src/ui/style.css
index 5804a14..3cadeaf 100644
--- a/flow-state/src/ui/style.css
+++ b/flow-state/src/ui/style.css
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 }
 
 * { box-sizing: border-box; }
+[hidden] { display: none !important; }
 
 body {
     margin: 0;
@@ -38,32 +39,40 @@ body {
     overflow: hidden;
 }
 
-#canvas { display: block; max-width: 100%; max-height: 100%; }
-
 #overlay {
     position: absolute;
     inset: 0;
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
     justify-content: center;
+    pointer-events: none;
 }
 
 #dropzone {
-    width: 100%; height: 100%;
+    padding: 32px 48px;
+    border-radius: 12px;
+    background: rgba(14, 16, 22, 0.85);
+    backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
+    -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
+    border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.12);
+    box-shadow: 0 20px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6);
     display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
     cursor: pointer;
-    border: 1px dashed var(--line);
+    pointer-events: auto;
+    transition: all 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1);
+}
+#dropzone:hover {
+    background: rgba(20, 24, 34, 0.95);
+    border-color: var(--accent);
+    transform: translateY(-2px);
+    box-shadow: 0 24px 48px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
 }
-#dropzone:hover { background: rgba(255,255,255,0.02); }
 .dz-inner { text-align: center; }
-.dz-title { font-size: 26px; letter-spacing: .34em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 12px; }
-.dz-sub { color: var(--dim); }
-.dz-hint { color: #4b5563; font-size: 11px; margin-top: 6px; }
+.dz-title { font-size: 22px; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: .28em; text-transform: uppercase; margin-bottom: 8px; color: #fff; }
+.dz-sub { color: var(--dim); font-size: 13px; }
+.dz-hint { color: #5a6478; font-size: 11px; margin-top: 8px; }
 
-#analysing { text-align: center; min-width: 260px; }
-.an-title { letter-spacing: .3em; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--dim); }
-.an-step { margin: 8px 0; color: var(--text); }
-.an-bar { height: 3px; background: var(--line); overflow: hidden; margin-top: 8px; }
+.an-bar { height: 3px; background: var(--line); overflow: hidden; margin-top: 4px; border-radius: 2px; }
 .an-fill { height: 100%; width: 0; background: var(--accent); transition: width .12s linear; }
 
 #hud {
@@ -109,6 +118,64 @@ button.wide { width: 100%; margin-top: 12px; }
     display: flex; flex-direction: column;
     overflow: hidden;
 }
+#track-header {
+    padding: 12px 14px;
+    background: #090b10;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line);
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    gap: 6px;
+}
+.th-top-row {
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: space-between;
+    gap: 8px;
+}
+.th-info {
+    display: flex;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    flex: 1;
+}
+.th-label {
+    font-size: 10px;
+    text-transform: uppercase;
+    letter-spacing: .14em;
+    color: var(--dim);
+    font-weight: 500;
+}
+.th-name {
+    font-weight: 600;
+    font-size: 12px;
+    color: var(--accent);
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    text-overflow: ellipsis;
+    margin-top: 2px;
+}
+.th-btn {
+    background: rgba(74, 222, 128, 0.1);
+    border: 1px solid rgba(74, 222, 128, 0.3);
+    color: var(--accent);
+    padding: 4px 10px;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    font-size: 11px;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+    transition: all 0.15s ease;
+}
+.th-btn:hover {
+    background: rgba(74, 222, 128, 0.25);
+    border-color: var(--accent);
+}
+.th-progress {
+    margin-top: 4px;
+}
+.th-step {
+    font-size: 11px;
+    color: var(--dim);
+}
 #panel-tabs { display: flex; border-bottom: 1px solid var(--line); }
 #panel-tabs button { flex: 1; border: 0; border-right: 1px solid var(--line); background: transparent; color: var(--dim); }
 #panel-tabs button.active { color: var(--text); background: #141821; }