Crystal Ball is a collaboration between the producers, singers and songwriters Cliff Barnes a.k.a. Animal Ghosts and Kenneth Estrada y Santiago a.k.a Unkenny Valleys. "Animal Ghosts produces music on a macbook in his bedroom in Portland (US)", Kenneth explains, "I've been following Cliff's music creations for 2 years and always liked that he just started writing and recording music with very limited gear and knowledge. Modern technology makes that possible. But you have to use your ears only and should understand what you're going for. He's very talented and I just couldn't resist to ask him if he'd like to collaborate on one song."

Lyrically 'Crystal Ball' is a question to the personal life motivations of an artist living in the 21 century. It's been written with a melancholic view on the disappearance of alternative rock music from the mainstream and how it feels to grow up in the early 90s and making a living as an alternative rock artist in our modern age. The guitar chords, that slightly remind of 90s rock hit 'Zombie' by The Cranberries and the beat programming that could be an hommage to the song 'The Hills' by The Weekend, give 'Crystal Ball' very unique theme. 

LYRICS

Hey crystal ball
What do you see
Just tell me any prophecy
Why does it mean 
So much to me
There must be more than just

Feeling heroic
Like one of the gods
Being iconic
Like nobody ever was

Gotta find out
What all this is about
That drives me insane
Since forever

Fight and lose it all
Over and over again
So illusional
When it doesn't mean anything

Show me my limits
What is my destiny
I wanna know what it's like

Fight and lose it all
Over and over again

No matter what the future reveals
Ain't been no nadir I couldn't defy
Time is a wave and at the peak I'm gonna fly
Until the day I day I will

Fight and lose it all
Over and over and over
So illusional
When it doesn't mean anything

Fight and lose it all
Over and over again
So illusional
When it doesn't mean anything

Show me my limits
What is my destiny
I wanna know what it's like

Fight and lose it all
Over and over again


CREDITS

Cliff Barnes - guitars, vocals
Kenneth Estrada y Santiago - vocals, guitars, beat programming

Edited and mixed by Kenneth Estrada y Santiago
Mastered by Joe Bandy

© 2022 Pitchbox Music, Berlin

Crystal Ball

Crystal Ball (feat. Animal Ghosts)

In 2016, while reworking and rewriting lyric parts of an older song titled 'Lewdness', I inadvertently penned 'Crawl'. It emerged as a stronger, faster, and more powerful version than its predecessor. The song's protagonist no longer sees themselves as a victim of a toxic relationship, but as someone who chooses their own path and decides to break away from their current life situation. In 2020, I connected with Miles Senzaki (Point Lobo), an animation artist, musician, and songwriter from Los Angeles. His drumming infused 'Crawl' with the powerful energy the song had always yearned for.

LYRICS

"This is ours!" is the sentence
You wish me to state
But I'm still not interested in
Living in your chains

'Cause since the day we met
I saw sly lewdness in your eyes
There's nothing you can get here
You don't even need to try

I won't crawl
By your side
I won't drown
In a counterfeit

No, I don't want to
Wear your chains
I'll be gone
This very day

(Very day)
(Very day)
(Very day)

Look at you
You always seem to be
Beside yourself
A concept, no self-consciousness
Everything is fake

We have nothing in common
But you still want me near by
Looks like you need to get another
Toy as a pastime

I won't crawl
By your side
I won't drown
In a counterfeit

No, I don't want to
Wear your chains
I'll be gone
This very day

I won't crawl
By your side
I won't drown
In a counterfeit

No, I don't want to
Wear your chains
I'll be gone
This very day

Going from you
It's about time
I'll be gone
This very night

Do I love you
Be sure I don't
I don't belong here anymore

(Anymore)
(Anymore)
(Anymore)

CREDITS

Miles Senzaki - drums
Kenneth Estrada y Santiago - vocals, guitars, bass

Drums recorded and performed by Miles Senzaki  a.k.a. Point Lobo
Edited, mixed and mastered by Kenneth Estrada y Santiago

Giant Yellow Eyes

Crawl

Crawl (feat. Point Lobo)

Hung Jury

Yes this is a tribute to SSX3 as well as the album's title if you were wondering (。⌒∇⌒)。

You can download the whole thing here : https://www.mediafire.com/?00brvci0cs94h5n

Or buy a cassette here: https://thenightclubcollection.bandcamp.com/album/metro-city

<3

Snow Jam

Preview from the album!! Sorry if I'm being bad at replies guys, I got myself a mean flu :^( BUT
POCARI SWEAT will always get me through!!! 

POCARI SWEAT は絶対に一番薬だぞ！！インフルエンザがあって、全文頑張ります！！！

Also guys... I have a JellyBon clothing line coming. WHAT?!

P O C A R I 〜 ハート

Al Zanders - Long Gone

Music heavily inspired by Failure, Hum, Filter, Deftones, Violent Soho and a bunch of other legends. Solo project by Ian with the help of others who enjoy my music.

Guitar and Bass by Ian.
With the help of Donny or Emmanuel on drums (Notated on tracks)

Hung Jury

Golden Daggers

Related tracks