Progressive Rock

№2

Boomerang

https://bfan.link/kartell-noescape

"No Escape" shows a gloomy and ethereal sighting of my music, balancing a groove leaded bass with darker elements that makes it unique to me. This mix of genres is something I always bore in mind as soon as I initiated this album. Barney Bones immediately captured the energy, adding this nostalgic yet determined veil throughout the track.

Watch / Stream

Kartell - No Escape (Ft. Barney Bones)

* Subscribe for more premieres: bit.ly/2igyosu
* Read more: https://boltingbits.com/kokoro-こころ-batov-records
* Listen on Youtube: https://youtu.be/LACIA6zjp8Q
* Pre-order: https://sababa5.bandcamp.com/album/kokoro

Middle Eastern psych, funk, disco, and Japanese folk and pop, converge to create a mesmerising new sound on ‘Kokoro’, Sababa 5 and Yurika’s collaborative debut album for Batov Records, collecting four acclaimed singles and four brand new songs.

Renowned for their innovative approach to merging Middle Eastern psych, funk and disco grooves, Sababa 5 found their perfect partner in Japanese singer and belly dancer Yurika Hanashima, who having graced stages dancing with Boom Pam and Ouzo Bazooka, found her own voice alongside the group, and together yielded hits "Tokyo Midnight", "Nasnusa," and "Crossroad of Love," earning accolades from tastemakers such as Gilles Peterson, Cerys Mathews, and Jeremy Sole.

In ‘Kokoro’, Sababa 5 and Yurika present a collection of tracks that transcend cultural boundaries and delve into the depths of human emotion. From the nostalgic romance of “Nasnusa" to the carefree "Halilim Halilim", each song on the album tells a story of love, sisterhood, and the journey of the soul.

The title track, "Kokoro", which embodies the essence of the album's musical exploration, refers to the sky, the performers’ journey together, and the moment. Psychedelic soul, with touches of the Mediterranean coast and desert. Opener “Empty Hands” explores Yurika’s theory that “when you have empty hands you get everything”, countered by the hypnotising keys of Eitan Drabkin. over an Afrobeat inspired groove, and bittersweet bassline from Amir Sadot,

The playful and summery “Halilim Halilim” was inadvertently named by Dani Ever Hadani of Middle Eastern psych and surf rockers, Ouzo Bazouka, and alludes to how love enters and leaves our lives like the air blown through a flute. Ilam Smilan’s exceptional guitar playing stands out, as does the unwavering groove and rhythm of drummer Raz Man; recently heard among a coterie of feted studio musicians for Mr Bongo signing Project Gemini. On "A Flower Called Indica”, Yurika’s Japanese vocal pays tribute to the ubiquitous allure of flowers, and the powerful bonds between friends, over Sababa 5’s psychedelic groove.

The second half of the record collects Sababa 5 and Yurika’s earlier and incredibly popular singles. The dance floor smashing “Tokyo Midnight” is an uptempo psychedelic funk ripper, whilst “Nasnusa”, with its walking bassline and nostalgic love story, is the biggest hit in Sababa 5’s repertoire thus far. Love in the moment is a recurring theme as the “Crossroad Of Love” (Ai no Kousaten) delivers another timeless moment of Mediterranean meets Japanese soul.

The attraction of Yurika's mesmerising vocals over Sababa 5's infectious grooves is irresistible across ‘Kokoro’, and the album marks a significant milestone in both their musical journeys. As Sababa 5 continue to redefine their sound, and Yurika establishes herself as a vocalist of note, ‘Kokoro’ stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and the timeless bonds of music, love and romance.

Kokoro - こころ

Kokoro

PREMIERE: Sababa 5 & Yurika - Kokoro - こころ

Fire and water, Yin and Yang,  
The eternal cycle from which life sprang.  
A wild dance in time's embrace,  
Bringing death and new life, an endless grace.

If anyone is interested: This song is a translation and a progressive rock version of my German pop song: "Wasser und Feuer". 
I was too lazy to think of new lyrics. :-)

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Auphonic, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor, VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, Apple's Keynote

Ashes And Rain

In shadows long, the past erased,
From ashes cold, a world misplaced,
Crimson skies light the barren land,
A dawn of hope where ruins stand.

Dawn of a civilization's cry, 
Underneath a fractured sky, 
With every tear, dreams reborn, 
In the light of a shattered dawn.

Whispers echo, ghosts of time,
Silent cities, fate's cruel rhyme,
Mountains mourn in crimson hue,
Chasing echoes of what we knew.

Feel the chill upon your skin,
A fragile hope, the fight within,
Dreams ignite in darkened gleam,
Life reborn from broken dreams.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Volker Redder, Auphonic, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor,  VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, Apple's Keynote

Rise Of Dawn

Night falls, shadows creep,
A strange light, pulling me from sleep.
Cold hands, eyes so wide,
Taken by the unknown, no place to hide.

Alien lights, a frightful sight,
Lost in the void, taken in the night.
Heart races fast, fear in the air,
Abducted by beings from out there. 

Floating high, weightless fear,
Whispers in a tongue I can't hear.
Memories fade, what's real, what's fake?
A nightmare ride, will I awake? 

Alien lights, a frightful sight,
Lost in the void, taken in the night.
Heart races fast, fear in the air,
Abducted by beings from out there.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Auphonic, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor,  VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, Apple's Keynote

From Out There

I was just a wanderer beneath the starry sky,  
When a light from the heavens took me up high.  
Through the cosmic silence, in a ship of silver hue,  
I found myself in places where dreams and fears come true.

They spoke without a language, their eyes a thousand years, 
In their gaze, I saw the wisdom, the hopes, the ancient tears. 

On an alien ship, I learned to see,  
The universe in ways that we could never be.  
They said don't fear, we're watching you, 
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

They scanned my thoughts and memories, my heart laid bare,  
In their gentle probing, there was no despair.  
Days in their care, a strange serenity,  
A journey through the cosmos, my new reality.

Back on earth, the skies seemed closer,  
With every star, a silent whisper.  
They left a message deep inside my soul, 
We are not alone, there's a greater goal. 

On an alien ship, I learned to see,  
The universe in ways that we could never be.  
They said don't fear, we're watching you,
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

So I'll keep looking to the stars,  
Knowing we're not so far apart.  
In the quiet of the night, I hear their call,  
We are not alone, not alone at all.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Auphonic, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor,  VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPt and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, Apple's Keynote

The Next Breakthrough

The Next Breakthrough (Alpha Version)

I was just a wanderer beneath the starry sky,
When a light from the heavens took me up high.
Through the cosmic silence, in a ship of silver hue,
I found myself in places where dreams and fears come true.

They spoke without a language, their eyes a thousand years,
In their gaze, I saw the wisdom, the hopes, the ancient tears.

On an alien ship, I learned to see,
The universe in ways that we could never be.
They said don't fear, we're watching you,
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

They scanned my thoughts and memories, my heart laid bare,
In their gentle probing, there was no despair.
Days in their care, a strange serenity,
A journey through the cosmos, my new reality.

Back on earth, the skies seemed closer,
With every star, a silent whisper.
They left a message deep inside my soul,
We are not alone, there's a greater goal.

On an alien ship, I learned to see,
The universe in ways that we could never be.
They said don't fear, we're watching you,
Humanity's not ready for the next breakthrough.

So I'll keep looking to the stars,
Knowing we're not so far apart.
In the quiet of the night, I hear their call,
We are not alone, not alone at all.

--
Arrangement and vocals: Volker Redder, Udio, Apple's GarageBand
Loops and samples: Volker Redder, Apple's GarageBand, Elevenlabs
Editing and sound design: Auphonic, Sound Studio (Felt Tip Inc.), Unison Sound Doctor,  VirtualDJ, GarageBand
Lyrics: Volker Redder, translated with the help of ChatGPT and Google Translate
Cover design: Volker Redder, Adobe Photoshop, DALL-E, Apple's Keynote

The Next Breakthrough (Beta Version)

Even (with Cat Burns)

Some of us don’t fit the line,  
Some of us slip out of design.  
So does that make us wrong —  
Or just… alone?  

I watched him try to join the light,  
But the warmth was far too bright.  
Not a traitor, not a threat —  
Just a boy who fears regret.  

You call him strange  
But he’s just scared  
And I know, because I’m scared too  

Let him be — let him breathe.  
You don’t know the weight beneath.  
He’s not cold — he’s not cruel.  
He’s just drowning in your rules.  
And if that makes him “lost”…  
Then I’m lost too.  

Being different shouldn’t hurt.  
Being gentle shouldn’t burn.  

Let him be — let him breathe.  
Love’s not always how you leave.  
You don’t break what isn’t you —  
You make room…  
You make room.  

Uranus sits down quietly — and the tear is real this time.  

Titania scoffs — empathy ruins the thrill of the trial.  
Europa clutches her notes — truth finally has an ally.  
The Sun looks shaken — mercy is a chord she isn’t allowed to play.  
The audience murmurs — softness was not what they came to see.  

And for the first time… Pluto isn’t entirely alone.

--
There’s a booklet (14 MB) you can download here: https://tinyurl.com/24r93yse

The Court Of The Sun

The Blue Eccentric (Uranus Breaks The Pattern)

Come Around EP

Alibi

"Redder" is a palindrome. Like "racecar" or "level". These pieces of music ain't.

My name is Volker Redder, online I go by "docredder." It all came about because I studied biology and computer science for a long time and received my doctorate as the crowning achievement of my academic career.
As a child, I sang Bach in the church's „Knabenchor Unser Lieben Frauen“ because my mother thought it was good for my soul. And it was, until, thanks to an excellent teacher, I realized that music is like mathematics. After that, I loved not only music but also mathematics and all sciences based on mathematics: physics, biology, chemistry, computer science. So, I went straight into the natural sciences and engineering. Yes, I studied a lot. However, a university career wasn't for me. I wanted to monetize the findings of the various sciences (you can't live on air and love alone) and founded over a dozen companies. Because who wants life to follow a clear formula? I certainly didn't. In addition to adventurous entrepreneurship, the subsequent career in politics (German Bundestag), and a growing family, I was constantly picking up the guitar or keyboard, which is what you do when you want to escape the chaos of everyday life.
Should I say I'm a virtuoso? No. That would be a lie. I'm just too lazy for that. Laziness, or in modern parlance, "efficiency," is a principle for me. And so I founded my "own studio," consisting of a lot of electronics and software. The hipsters call it DIY. I call it "not wanting to act like a big shot and book expensive recording studios." I'm a one-man orchestra, a chef-d'oeuvre who spends all day producing pop, rock, indie, and ambient mishmash until he finally finds it he likes. My menu? Pink Floyd, Genesis, Supertramp, Muse, Zappa, Miles Davis, and many more. Yes, all at once. I told you: mishmash.
There are guys who write music to become famous. Then there's me. I write music to keep myself from going crazy. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes there's melancholy in it, sometimes it's stories from literature or something sci-fi. Or from Tinder dates my daughters have told me. I mean, who hasn't wondered what "being in Tinder light" is? Exactly. I wrote it down. I use everything I can get my hands on: GarageBand, samples, my voice, AI voices, Udio, VirtualDJ, everything! I don't care if purists say it's no longer art. It doesn't matter, the main thing is that my music feels like a window you can look out of and discover something new again and again.
Every song becomes a little adventure. Sometimes I start with a line, sometimes with a feeling I can't shake. It's like an escape from reality, except in the end, there's no escape. And that's a good thing. This is how I stay grounded. Okay, grounded isn't the right word either. Let me put it this way: I've stayed true to myself. And I'm grateful for everyone who listens, shares, or comments.
It makes me feel like I'm not completely alone in this madness. So if you also like songs that don't follow the rules, I'd be happy if you joined in. After all, the world is crazy enough.
You have to fight that with music. I mean, that's logical, right?