Oh, how we've slipped the surly bonds of earth!
Life is changing, faster than I expected, but no less timely, and no less necessary.  We're opening Year Six with a no-frills trance epic - part long-winded reflection, part ode to the roads yet travelled, and a promise to charge ever higher, ever further, and ever faster as we leave the shadows and chains of the past where they belong. Get in, starfighter - the call to adventure beckons once more!

Escape Velocity

"Wait, huh?"
Yes, I know what you're thinking, but it would appear that I missed a song somewhere down the line - but that's okay, because it gave me the space to do something I've been meaning to do since 2018: rewrite "Penitence", the lost PixiTracker release, in LSDJ. 
Some things have inevitably changed because many of PixiTracker's instruments don't exist in my weapon of choice, but I promised myself way back then that Year One's liturgically-inspired dark jumper would be welcomed into the canon at some point, and no greater moment exists than right now.

Reflect on the original "Penitence" here:
https://soundcloud.com/dmc-daitenshi/penitence

Penitence (LSDJ Version)

In the Troisroden(twah-row-dun) territories, the merchants of the sprawling city-state of Corduroy make their living in the wee hours before sunrise, as its elevation and density make the daytime heat almost fatally unbearable. Much of this aspiring trade hub has flipped its circadian rhythm to match that of its market, not fully coming alive until well after night falls, and culminating in the "Dark Hour Expo" at the rise of every new moon. 
Disparagingly referred to as a "part time city" in the decadent so-called paradise of Cashmere, Corduroy nevertheless embraces its peculiar chronology - and invites travelers from all corners to see what its "morning people" are really all about...

The Morning People

Of Troisroden's four named Territories, Cashmere sits the closest to the vast and arid Silicon Sea, and has amassed sufficient wealth since the Shutdown to present an air of elegance and refinement to the free communes in the distant west. But rumors abound that this gilded settlement is just a "paper city" propped up by the UGI's regional Surveyors, and that its Governor, the self-professed revolutionary monarch "Macedon the Second", descends from a false Greathouse - one run by the Surveyors themselves! 
Enter a city of perpetual masquerade, where the only virtue is vanity -  and veracity its only vice!

Qoheleth (All Is Vanity)

So begins the eighth - eighth! - year of what has become one of my life's greatest works. 

It's been a long time since I threw caution to the wind and wrote an anime-style power track, and at the time of this song's release, it was exactly the kind of chord I needed to strike. I've been going through a lot internally, and much of the road ahead is covered in smoke and mist. I can barely see beyond my own feet. I can't tell if my next step will be on solid ground or a one-way to the abyss.

But what I do have is a plan - and this song became a reminder to myself to summon the courage to follow through with it. We can't know where the future will take us, but if we have something, anything, out there to guide us, we can at least take that next step knowing that we won't lose our way - or ourselves. 

I can see that lodestar in the distance. Let's follow it together.

Lodestar

Those who know me well will tell you that my most powerful songs, though not always popular, were born from strife. This minor-key rallying cry is no different, and is a testament to my refusal to quit, even as demons old and new seek to bring me down in this season of life - unaware of what I have conquered just to show up this day and every day.
On starry nights, especially in the hours before dawn, I lift my hand up to either the moon or the brightest star in the sky, and grasp it in my palm in a symbol of defiance like a true protagonist - a reminder of a long ago oath I swore in my darkest hour: to never fall down, to never fade away, and to never, ever let the demons win.

Raise your arms to the sky, catch the stars in your hand, and together, let us rekindle our oaths anew to a life well lived.

The Promise

Again I find myself in a period of transition, taking off into another unknown - but unlike the unbridled liberation of "Escape Velocity", this new chapter, full of wonder and welcome, comes with care and even caution. This could be the start of something unprecedented, and could lead to profound results in either direction, and so a light touch is needed, even as my hands scream for the throttle. Let's take off together - easy now, steady now - and see where the stars lead us next. ^^

Cosmonautica

There are more varieties of it than you'd initially realize - and there are many people who swear by it to ward off any number of maladies, though too much of it can be fatal. It's a delicate balance that's not unlike other things in life: a new job, a new love, a new lifestyle choice. Waft through the mists of this spiritual sequel to the iconic "Petal Dance" and see where the swing takes you!

Eucalyptus

"I am not done." 
That's what I tell myself.
When the demons start coming in after a long day, or a long year. 
When I start to lose hope that I'll ever conquer the hell of my past. 
When my feelings get the better of me and my traumas threaten to chain me again to a fate I fought with all my might to escape.

"I am not done."
That's what I tell myself when days, weeks, months go by and I can't seem to find the spark to create.
When I wonder if, while still quite young, I've spun all the tales I was given at the start, and voices tell me it's time to pack it in, time to fade away, time to do something else that will never give me nearly as much power, as much purpose.

Four little words. A promise of promises. A single sentence from the depths of the soul that rings out as an everlasting warcry: "I am not done."

That's what I tell myself. How about you?

Inside Voice

We will not be silent. We will not be mute.

I had to wait a while, and think a while longer, before I decided what my next piece would be. The world is not quite what many of us would have imagined it to be, and as the snow falls on a restless planet, it would be so easy to just give in and grind our feelings away. But my sound was made for times such as these - and so this metal waltz stands as I intend to - harmonious and defiant!

Carol of the Strong

"I remember the night I came to believe in the King of the Rave."

"There were five of us on a mission outside Corduroy. We got a distress call about something huge plaguing the mountains to the north, and sure enough, there were these ominous creatures surrounding a makeshift Lumina village in the ruins. We took them down pretty easy, but then one of the guys tapped me on the shoulder to look up at the mountains...and I saw no less than 200 of those things starting down at us with eyes so bright the mountain seemed to glow."

"There was three of us left, myself included, and the survivors, most of whom couldn't fight even if they wanted to. They were sure that we would die. I don't know what came over me right then, but I refused to accept that ending.

I stood up and stared back at that mountain and roared: "Children of light, I ask of you: If you would dare to defy this fate, stand with me! I will not promise you victory, but I promise we will fight like hell for it!"

"Maybe three people answered. But by sunrise, the mountain was silent, and we were all still alive. Tell me again that we Lumina don't carry the Light of the Rave in these veins of ours..."

Resolution

"The Invaders - mindless drones from the center of the Old Galaxy - were released by the nobleman Lord Agala to win a war his people should never have started. For decades, peoples throughout the Vertigo Cluster have had to contend with the reflections of that man's hubris, and now they threaten my homeworld."
"The security squadrons are decimated, and the interplanetary alliance has all but thrown up their hands in surrender, hoping that by sacrificing the rest of us, they can eke out an ignoble living under the thumb of creatures that only know destruction."
"I will not stand for it."
"I am but one pilot in one damaged fighter, but I will not sit back and allow the Invaders to wipe us from existence in slow motion. Not every star has fallen to their hordes...and that means they can be beaten."
"Oh stars, let my fuel carry me to the fray and back as many times as I must! Let my laser fire be the beacon of rebellion against a fate that is all but decided! May the spirit that carries me into battle be one not of a planet's last gasp, but the clarion call of the counterattack - one not seen in our world's history! For my friends and our future, let this be the battle where we take our lives back from those who would devour them!"

Let's go get it, starfighters!!

Signs of Life

The liminal space above a cloudless summer night is a window - literally and figuratively - to the stars; the deep dark spaces beyond mortal hands, that only our metal wings have broached and for which our ceramic ears have attuned, hoping to find some inclination of the great "why" that led to our existence. It stretches on forever, at once beckoning and foreboding, a reminder both of how small a place we inhabit, and a symbol of questions still unasked. It is under this awe-inspiring cosmic tapestry that our years-long adventure continues. Helmets on, friends - prepare for sights unseen and tales yet told.

The Firmament

Three thousand feet below the surface of the ocean, a world of shadow lies hidden from those who walk in the light. The sun cannot reach here, its rays absorbed by the shifting waters closer to the crust. Way down here, only the brave and foolish dare tread. 
Amidst the forgotten monsters of ages long past, a lone sonar cries out, hoping to unravel the secrets of these lightless depths. What will they find - or worse, what might find them? Dive into the dark as FNH Sketch 28 takes its rightful place in the canon!

Midnight Zone

"Cast your fears, your hopes, your wishes and dreams into the flickering light in front of us, and watch as they breathe life into it like a distant wind from over the mountains. Witness the flame ascend, all embers and sparks, swirling and dancing against the void of the night, taking for a moment its place among the infinity of stars. See in its radiant glow that which has lain dormant for so long, patiently waiting for a moment to shine - moments just like this."
"Arise! Take hold of your power, shoulder your purpose! 'Open your eyes, lift your head, raise your arms to the sky,' as The First once said to us long ago. Let the blaze we surround relight the one in your soul, and know that we, the 'children of light', will never, ever be put out!" 

Bonfire

"Step right up!" It's open mic at the "Tavern of the Thousand" - the only public house between Cashmere and Corduroy; one that's only open a few nights a year, but can be heard for miles when the moon rises and the stars come out.
At its center is a curious standing microphone, scrawled head to toe with ancient symbols and wrapped in willowy sashes. It beckons you to take hold, take a breath, and give a little of yourself to the others in attendance, seen and unseen.
That's the only cover charge, you know - step forward and witness what your voice, your body, your spirit can do when freed from its chains. Feel the energies of the countless poets, prophets and bards before you flow through you, envelop you, and commune with you on this most auspicious of nights. And when you've had your fill, be sure to leave a "tip" on the stage for the next wanderer who could benefit from a window into their soul - one thrown open by a thousand voices before them...including your own.

Tavern of the Thousand

Five years ago, at the turn of the decade, I released "Sugar Rave" to herald a shift in the vibe of the planet. A shift in my life, and the lives of those I ran with. Now, in the midst of an improbable tenth anniversary, the vibes are shifting again - and this time it's absolutely seismic.
Can you hear it? Do you feel it? A thunderous breath from the earth that rattles the very foundation of what we thought to be true? What we thought to be possible? Can you see the choice laid bare before you: to be swept away by the sands, and pulled under the shifting soil - or to harness that raw tectonic power to change what we once thought was permanent? 
Do you, once again, feel the Light of the Rave across the surface of your heart? Then  wake up, starfighter - let's jump!!

Earthquake

I'm about 80% self-taught when it comes to music - and most of what I know came from church. It is what it is.

I've always thought that liturgical music has some really sick arrangements if you look hard enough (or look past the "liturgical" part if that's your obstacle). There's so much emotion - joy, sorrow, anger, triumph and everything in between - packed into such deceptively simple songs that no matter what or who you believe in, you can't help but be moved. This remix, inspired by the responsorial psalm of the same name, is the product of one such compulsion.

In a perfect society, we wouldn't need to have songs about the plight of the unfortunate, be it financial, spiritual or physical. But until that day comes, if ever, we still have a duty to include them - and to listen up when they take the stand.

The Cry of the Poor (Daitenshi's Remix)

This song is part of my debut album, "Volume One: Escape",  on Bandcamp! 
https://daitenshi.bandcamp.com/album/volume-one-escape

I remember when Pokemon Go conquered the world seemingly overnight - as do most of us - but we all know things didn't really take off until social media showed off humanity's tribal instincts with the institution of the three teams! While I didn't play it myself for long, I noticed that quite a few artists had come up with EDM themes for each group, and the lack of any chiptune themes at the time was a missed opportunity that I felt morally obligated to fill in. Thus, three of my most popular songs were born, starting with this battle hymn for my favorite, Team Valor.

"Ignis! Virtus! Victoria!"

Conflagration (Team Valor's Theme)

This is now part of my debut album, "Volume One: Escape", now on Bandcamp! 
https://daitenshi.bandcamp.com/album/volume-one-escape

For about three and a half years, Thunder Stone stood as "the greatest song I have ever written". Of the more than 50 songs I've released at the time of this writing, it is the only song to ever pass 1,000 plays - a feat that could only come at the crossroads of god-tier melodies and timely marketing.

Team Instinct got so much hate from both Valor and Mystic simply for being there and for its focus on breeding Pokemon. However, I remember stumbling upon a now-iconic Tumblr fan-comic featuring the team leaders nearly defeated, and Spark - the leader of Team instinct - said as he rose to fight: 

"When all else fails, everyone trusts in their instincts." 

It was at that point I knew what I wanted to write. What I had to write.

This song is extremely important to me. It's not only my most famous song (so far), but it was when I truly crystallized what my sound and character would be about for years to come. It was "Thunder Stone" that really saw the birth of the Chiptune Warrior as you know him today - and turned "battle hymns and war cries" from a cool slogan into a way of life.

Thunder Stone (Team Instinct's Theme)

"Penitence" is a curious case in my journey. Close to the end of Year One, the device I had been using to write up until that point shut down and refused to work again, leaving me without LSDJ for more than half a year. Struggling to find a surrogate, I stumbled upon the PixiTracker phone app through a friend and tried my hand at their 8-bit pads. While they weren't as crunchy - or even as "8-bit" - as what I was used to, I was still able to build one song I was okay with and released it here in those desert-like months.

EDIT: After I returned to LSDJ I never went back to PixiTracker, and the phone on which it was installed has also been lost to history. However, as of Year Six, a hole in Year Five has made the long-awaited LSDJ version of this song possible! Check it out!  https://soundcloud.com/dmc-daitenshi/penitence-lsdj-version

[PixiTracker] Penitence

This high-speed waltz represents the creative "deserts" through which artists of all types endure  - and the flashes of brilliance between them. I was fighting a tremendous writer's block around this time and, ironically, I was working in a place hot enough to be considered a desert, so it all came together in a most unexpected manner. As much as a part of me still wants to revisit and remaster this challenging track, doing so would take too much away from the spirit of the age, so the perfectionist in me will continue to hold.

Unknown Album

The Road to Lhasa

This song is, simply put, legendary.

Year Three was something of a creative desert for me after "The Road to Lhasa", and I was running out of ideas and patience. Some folks in the Soundfly gang started a discourse about found sounds, and one of the more senior folks playfully challenged me to "sample" some of the sounds of the log splitter in this clip (https://youtu.be/3ks_lbtgJSw?t=41). To this day, I cannot tell you what clicked in my head, but within a single night I transformed that monotonous chop into the druidic trap attempt that brought me all the way back out of my rut. If I ever make a Greatest Hits album, I guarantee you that this classic will be there!

The Woodcutter's Tale

What better way to start a New Year - nay, a new decade - than firing on all cylinders! When I released this at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day in 2020, it was my first song written above 160 BPM, my first purposeful key change, and even my first WAV upload! Originally titled "Twenty/Twenty" to signal rebirth and evolution of conscience, this made-for-DDR jam became something totally different when I turned up the tempo - and to date it's one of my all-time favorites! Get some sucrose in your step with this sweet-as-hell power trip!

Sugar Rave

It's the middle of the night...or maybe the middle of the day. Either way, you're in the middle of sometime, somewhere - and right now, you're stuck.
Your eyes won't close. Your brain refuses to slow down. A little melody - just fourteen notes in all - dances from ear to ear, and slowly but surely, your heart is enraptured. 
Your head begins to move, your feet begin to tap, your pulse quickens, and soon you're standing. 
Pacing. 
Running. 
Flying. 
You are restless - and this soca-inspired trance loop is your permission to get up and go. Take it!

Restless

Writing battle hymns and war cries with the power of LSDJ since 2016. (Header, profile picture, and album covers are all by me.)

Daitenshi

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