7R4N517

The coldest feeling, devoid of passion, dead inside. But even the darkest winter of the soul will end… …someday.

A decidedly lo-fi tune trying to reach into the emotional whiteout of a replicant. Welcome to where the ICE (integrated cortical environment)melts, welcome to a world of spliced synapses & transhuman schizophrenia.

Made on a Switch.

Neuronenwinter

Escape Velocity

They say it's the darkest hour and who am I to argue? I do know, however, that each morning holds a promise - so get up, adjust your geAR and enter the Sprawl...

This is the closing track of "Feline Predator" and definitely one of my faves if I may say so. It bids farewell to Neo-Paris, at least for now, and it also hints at a few changes in atmosphere that will show on "Transitions". A new dawn in many ways...

Feline Predator EP

Dawn Cathedrals

>>> Building upon the lore established with the "Feline Predator" EP, "Transitions" follows one of its protagonists from Neo-Paris to Northern Africa.

>>> Casablanca - or hive9, as it's called by now - is one of the largest remaining complexes, harbouring an ever-humming multitude of those walking the blurred lines between devout, disposed of and devious. This is where you go when you have nowhere to go, licking wounds, doing wet work, hatching plans, and searching for that inner signal...

>>> "Casablanca Proxy" is a song wearing its inspirations like a bridal gown: This is Simon Belmont chasing Mummy Man, with whips crackin' & lasers blastin' until the final treasure chest in the darkest catacomb is spilling its contents for purely completionist reasons.

Enjoy!

>>> source pic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/inkomega/ (CC BY 2.0)

Transitions EP

Casablanca Proxy

What could be more tempting than combining your nightly hovercraft ride from Neo-Paris to Nantes with the ghostly chants of a musette? - It started out as a mistake but I love the sweet melancholy of that instrument, even if it's used in a quite joyful way here.

Each song on "Transitions" (the respective EP) explores the concept of journey. They are relaxed, somewhat repetitive and introspective. Perfect for a starlit night without company.

Nantes Noir

Essentially heavy metal, this is the title track and the heart of "Feline Predator". Things turned noir in Neo-Paris and after chasing a nameless replicant through the city's rain-soaked underbelly(which is chronicled in "Ninja Attack!"), our feline predator prepares for the decisive battle...

The song is pretty straight-forward, starting with a nautical reference before picking up those ninja flick aesthetics I truly adore. It was my second piece and it is very close to "Ninja Attack!" in terms of sound and structure. The most angular addition may be the quote BUT I.Fckn.Love.It.

It was also a song that got completely reworked during writing, a fate it shared with "Dawn Cathedrals" (which was like half the speed when I wrote it).

Feline Predator

A rather solemn tune, inspired by a Mayhem live VHS I found on youtube the other night. I see dunes under eternally black skies, there's a decidedly sub-marine sentiment as well, and while bearing the marks of me not being able to fully exploit the Nintendo Switch, I cannot but like what it became.

I thought about editing (and it's likely to happen in the future) but somehow I like the flow right now.

Starlight Redux

In the mood for a banger and there it is - still with a hint of bittersweet, but it's a replicant's life after all.

"Herzplatine" ("heart circuit board", i.e. an artificial or AI heart) has a lot of things I like: Sweeping pads, artificial drums, cheesy Eurodance synths and melancholy draped in video game sounds. I wasn't sure about the combination for a very long time, dropped some parts that just wouldn't click, introduced a new bass line in the very last minute - and played that fckr on repeat while pixeling the artwork.

I really like it. Do you? ;)

Herzplatine

Just a mellow little tune for your favourite elevator ride - here‘s to 2021.

<3

Elevate

>>> 207X

>>> The thin line between man and machine has finally vanished, with the remnants of humanity crowding the bowels and sores of huge industrial complexes. The skies are glowing with feverish dreams, a halo of promise destined to pale against the endless flak of a thousand neon cathedrals...

>>> Jikan was assembled to be a transmission of this imaginary future. Shamelessly exploiting the sentiments of heavy metal, retrowave and oldschool videogame soundtracks alike, this project hopes to pay respect to the timeless essence of anything cyber: From Akira to Ridley Scott, from Neuromancer to Ghost in the Shell, from the visionary work of PKD to the philosophical maelstrom of NGE. This one's for you. <3

jikan207X