Eskil Varenius (Composer, Keyboards, Bass, Drums), Josefin Attback (Vocals, Flute), ESA prototype (MAP relay clicks). 

This started as a joke, if I could make a song based on the rythm emitted by the relays switching in position to do the "Mains On Applied Parts"-test with the new Electrical Safety Analyser ESA71X. But as I found some inspiration, I did a serious attempt to make something complete based on this simple idea. Josefin contributed the beautiful vocals and flute, recorded in the X-ray laboratory.

ESA: Mains On Applied Parts

Flow

The lyrics are probably reflections from interactions with five different friends in recent weeks. I started writing this song 3 times, and it always diverged to something different. Eventually I just followed flow, and ended up with this:

You move your body as a lullaby to calm my fears,
You free my mind in places I had locked away for years,

You give me focus to endure another night and day,
But can you save me when you lose yourself along the way?

Break free, Break free, Break free
Break free, Break free, Break free

You found your music in another past when life was set,
But when you sing it’s like we always sang a sweet duet.
 
You had a dream I never knew I should be looking for,
until you turned away and left me with an open door

Break free, Break free, Break free
Break free, Break free, Break free

[Solo]

The path we found was clearly made for walking side by side,
We saw the goal but lost our way despite a shining guide
        
You lost the dream of our future that can never be,
But still I hope that I can find a way to set you free

Break free, Break free, Break free
Break free, Break free, Break free

Break free

Wordless song + piano. I got this idea yesterday evening but could not record it. Finally I got an hour during lunchbreak at home today. One of my mic stands are broken, so the piano is recorded with an SM57 lying on top of some clothing - barely good enough, but it got the basic idea captured at least. (My journey to learn how to record vocals has just begun, this time I used my SM58 which was OK.)

La da da da da

Lyrics: 
Walking barefoot in the sea,
just a step in front of me
The evening sun is making shadows dance,
another step, another chance,

We must keep each other sane,
keep the pace and stay in lane
As the shadows reach above the wall,
Dare I catch you if you fall?

You better keep your balance,
or else I’m lost,
We guide the flow,
at any cost
I better keep my balance,
or else we lose
We guide the flow,
the steps we chose

There are winds above the sea,
where the heron can be free,
wings of metal blink at who we are,
even if you are a star,

Rainbow clouds are passing by,
as we run below the sky,
Life is asking us to come and play,
walking barefoot all the way

You better keep your balance,
or else I’m lost,
We guide the flow,
at any cost
I better keep my balance,
or else we lose
We guide the flow,
the steps we chose

One way and back again we go,
with every journey people grow,
Life keeps the secrets we all know,
We keep our balance,
or else we’re lost

We better keep our balance,
or else we’re lost,
We guide the flow,
at any cost
We better keep our balance,
or else we lose
We guide the flow,
the steps we chose
 
We better keep our balance,
or else we’re lost,
We guide the flow,
at any cost
We better keep our balance,
or else we lose
We guide the flow,
the steps we chose

Balance

An example of an evening improvisation. An evening when I'm to tired to make music, and just let the fingers play, without imposing any structure. It is perhaps the background noise in my brain when I shut other things off. This may not mean anything to anybody else, but for me it is a reminder about _________ and to ________ with ________. _________ __ _____ !  _____ ? _____ ... 

Impro 2051

Just 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. More of a brain game than a song, perhaps a revisit to the old soundscape idea 20 years ago. After this 2h creative break, I think I'm back to practicing vocals.

1234567

Lyrics:

Un tallo de flores
florecen, se marchitan
como la vida
en sucesión
ven la luz
una a una
como la vida

la orquídea
en mi ventana
echa raíces
en la sombra
la orquídea
en mi vida
se estira
busca la luz

visión moteada
vetas blancas
pétalos morados
como la vida
una sombra
una parte del arcoíris   
como la vida

la orquídea
en mi ventana
echa raíces
en la sombra
la orquídea
en mi vida
se estira
busca la luz

La orchidea

Before and After

Note to self: Another evening without structure, just me.

Impro 1947

Just a silly blues to celebrate that I've repaired the keys of my XV-88 keyboard, so I can finally play synth with the pitch-bend I'm used to again :). Just an hour of fun before bedtime.

88 Blues

The ideas for this came to me during 3 separate moments in the past weekend. I ran to the piano to record a few seconds of each, before they evaporated. This is just a simple sketch to remember and reflect on, as it only captured the vision in a crude way. It was also my first experience using Logic, as I needed multiple time signatures during this flow. I suspect this piece will evolve once I have the chance to listen to it for some time. Until then, it is just a sketch. I have a nagging feeling there is a voice that wants a place in this, but the words are not yet clear. Time will tell.

Journey (sketch)

To my friends, who make me smile, even in dark times.

Lyrics: 
The autumn rain is falling free,
I make a brew of lapsang tea,‘cause I feel 
Inside is the place to be, and outside
I hear you fumble with the key 

And then I see you smile,
looking at peace
You bring the sun up high
shadows cease
The colors carry hope,
light flying free 
The shimmer grows,
on you and me

The leaves are falling one by one, towards the ground, 
the rain has stopped, I long for Sun, ‘cause now I feel that
Summer fades with every leaf, when the darkness rise outside,
Inside of me, I hide my grief

But then I see you smile,
looking at peace
You bring the sun up high
shadows cease
The colors carry hope,
light flying free
The shimmer grows,
on you and me

Day, night, black, white
the seasons turn, the world is strange 
Dark, light, peace, fight, 
the meaning maker thrives in change
Day, night, black, white
the seasons turn, a war is fought
Peace, fight, dark, light
the life we share as friends is short

But then I see you smile,
looking at peace
You bring the sun up high
shadows cease
The colors carry hope,
light flying free
The shimmer grows,
on you and me

But then I see you smile,
looking at peace
You bring the sun up high
shadows cease
The colors carry hope,
light flying free
The shimmer grows,
on you and me

Smile

This text was inspired by quotes from the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, and related ancient proverbs. It has aspects of Ludwigs original perspective, suggesting that things beyond linguistic expression should be left unsaid, but also of situations where language is fully appropriate to express our thoughts - but we still should choose silence. Or should we?

Lyrics:
Good advice was given long ago
a wise man said to let the silence glow
My mind agrees, but my heart may dare
perhaps the sound of silence should be rare
 
Some risks we never take
Some wows we never break
Some words we never say
If we cannot find another way 

The wise prefer to keep the Pharao's gold
But I will die for any silver sold
The words unsaid, they can still be true
speaking out could break the truth we knew
 
Some risks we never take
Some wows we never break
Some words we never share
As if we cannot feel enough to care

The limits of our language, means the limits of our world
Of what we cannot speak, please leave the silence undisturbed
And while our minds plead caution, our hearts they ache to share, because we care

Some risks we never take
Some wows we never break
Some words we never voice
If we cannot make another choice  

Solo

Some risks we never take
Some wows we never break
Some words we never voice
If we cannot make another choice

Wittgenstein

Incomplete 2h-sketch, but still has something?

Lyrics:
Deep outside
far inside
I will search
can I find
what you need?
in time before I lose my only lead,
we’re running out of time, look for me  

Deep outside
far inside
You will search
can you find
what I need?
in time before you lose your only lead,
we’re running out of time, I find you free

you’re dancing in my mind, inside is key
to tell you when I’m blind, and when I see
myself so far behind, I must be

Deep outside
far inside
we will search
can we find
what we need?
in time before we lose the only lead,
we’re running out of time, we need to 

climb, above to see the stars, a higher 
mind, to jupiter and mars, we climb outside 
we’re running out of sight, a chase into the night,
We gather courage once to dance again, 

Deep outside
far inside
we will search
we will find
what we need
in time before we lose the only lead,
we search and find the dancing spirit freed.

What we need (sketch)

Impro 2019

Two hours of evening fun. I wanted to do something with bass in Gb, and then I found some horns in logic that did not sound absolutely terrible.

Beat it

Constraints: Something inspired by medieval music, in G minor, in 2h.

From before

Wendesday afternoon

Impro2054

Impro2103

Almost too late

This is just a joke. But in C#. December 8.

Lyrics: 
So you’ve something new?
Something real bright,
I better make a brew
and keep the music tight,
‘cause we are going down
an awful long way

You say you only got one file?
A simple minor change? I’m sorry
it will take a while, because
This tool is rather strange, and first we
need to find our way
down inside the rabbit hole

You think you checked your item out?
Prepare for surprise
A sudden error box of doubt
Will come and water your eyes,
You think you see it all,
but the list is to small

We try to press the magic key,
and then again some more
the universal F5 plea,
my hands and feet are getting sore,
Abandon every hope of being smart,
Just close it all and restart

PLM blues

Tango menuett in da house

Too much

Solitude

Impro2145

December 12. F. This just came to me, from first to last note in 25 minutes.

Time for us

December 17. Bbm. Not much time this evening. Luckily I remembered what came to me earlier this afternoon.

Waiting for you

December 18. H (a least part of it). Suddenly I remembered Bugge Wesseltoft 20 years ago.

Floating art

December 18, another one. This time all in H.

Watching you grow

December 19. Cm. This wanted to be five other things, but became neither.  As is.

Impro2154

Close enough

Apart

Two and two by two

Impro1324

December 24. Fm. Last 5 in advance, all in 3h. Phew. Now time for a break.

Impro1330

The melody should probably be sung, but I don't have the voice for it this evening.

Eskil Varenius

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