Soundtrack to our first video https://vimeo.com/762584534

There Must Be Something More (soundtrack - see Vimeo link)

Greetings and good afternoon to my SC friends. This is the 10th and final song intended for my upcoming album ‘What Color Is Your Paradox’. It is also my 7th mind-blowing collaboration with our dear friend Carlos Vivanco (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com). 

This piece was highly entertaining and challenging to work on. We started with clearly defined regions (mine being the more techno sounding stuff… Carlos building the traditional instrument sections). I then mangled the whole thing, and tried to blur the lines more as the song progresses, until both worlds felt fully merged by the end. At least, that was the goal. I’ll let you decide if the structure succeeds in that regard. :)

The title is also quite significant to me at this point in my life; based on the idea of ‘masking’, and our growing inability to do so. 

If you aren’t familiar with the term ‘masking’, one Mental Health Care website I found defines it this way: “Masking often involves suppressing or hiding true emotions, which can lead to a buildup of unresolved feelings and contribute to increased stress, anxiety, and emotional turmoil in the long-term. In the context of mental health and neurodivergence, masking refers to the actions or coping strategies that individuals use to conceal their genuine thoughts, emotions, or challenges.”

It didn’t really occur to me at first that I was masking when I was younger. I guess that idea doesn’t resonate when you’re deeply lost in the illusion; at least, until something makes it obvious. But in hindsight, I’ve worn many masks over the course of my life (Art Director, Technician, Pre-Press Specialist and Graphic Artist would be some of my professional masks. And I would even go so far as to include Husband, Father and Son, since I was on auto-pilot during the earliest stages of those as well). 

As my life progressed, I felt more and more insincere in those roles. I felt something was wrong. I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Then COVID (something that actually required us to wear real masks. What irony!) came along, and miraculously changed that for all of us. We gained the necessary space we needed, to finally see the illusion more clearly. Now, that illusion grows more fragile and transparent by the day. So while I’m still in the early stages of trying to figure out the new paradigm… I suspect the really critical takeaway at this point is just recognizing when we’re being our genuine selves, and when we’re lost in a role; especially if that role is debilitating to our personal growth and well being.

Another thing I’m thinking a lot on these days…. Society is dependent on me playing those roles. And society doesn’t really care whether I’m happy or not (as long as I keep paying my bills, and buying their products, and believing their lies). So maybe, just maybe, society doesn’t have my best interests at heart (as I had originally hoped). Maybe… just maybe… we’re going to need to redefine who we are personally, as we stop playing along with this globally unconscious and ultimately destructive agenda.

Thick and chunky topic, I know. But that’s the way the world feels to me these days… like we needed a brisk slap across the face to wake us all up. COVID was that slap (and probably just the first of many still to come). It’s time to prioritize our own self interests; because if we don’t, they certainly won’t. So rip off those masks, and let your freak flag fly. It’s our life, and we’ll be the ones sitting on our deathbed, asking ourselves if we lived life true to ourselves…. or if we just fulfilled the role demanded by this illusion.

We hope you enjoy “Cracks In The Surface”; and it inspires you to think about what aspects of your reality are cracking. Keep in mind… if you still have a pulse, there is always time to change things up. :)

Paradox?

Cracks In The Surface | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

Lyrics and Vocals by FRAWSTAKWA
@frawstakwa
Produced by Chief Red Squirrel, Cosmic Keanu

Ambush Of Tigers (FRAWSTAKWA & Cosmic Keanu)

Well ….. synths, composition 

https://on.soundcloud.com/n1u9HxZB74wW7FYv6

Surfers like Us ….. guitar, co-composition

This time our duo invites you all again into space. We suggest you chase the comet, which sparkles with colors and escapes from us to the unknown territories of the galaxy. We hope you will enjoy this atmosphere. See you aboard our spaceship 🌔💫

Chasing a Comet (w/ Well)

Back together joining the wonderful Paul Racle, who has again created such a fun track to share.  Paul's super funky groove sets the tone and lets me play - check out and follow Paul's deep collection of originals https://soundcloud.com/paul-racle
https://soundcloud.com/paploviante2

and for a playlist of over 20 tunes together - https://soundcloud.com/jamie-rhind/sets/playing-with-paploviante

Thanks as always for your generous time listening, for your comments and for your shares

EverGreen - Paul Racle / Jamie Rhind

An Gealladh

Flaying Angels Alive

New song performed by David Cooper.

Written by:

David Cooper - Music

Ron Todd - Lyrics

I was travelling around and I came upon
This little old guy and he was strumming a song,
His fingers seemed to have a life of their own,
They were plucking out a rhythm on his Epiphone

Well I couldn't stop tapping even though I tried
He just stirred up something deep inside
It sent this feeling down to my shoes,
When I asked what it was, he said it's country blues

Chorus

Well it goes great with a glass of rye.
It's an ageing cowboys lullaby,
Gets him out of his rocking chair
When he hears those notes going through the air

Well I’ve heard a lotta rock and I've heard a lot of roll,
Heard a lot of music that gets down to my soul
But this just had that something more
It could burn your feet right through the floor

Chorus

Bridge

Country blues yeah country blues
That's the music that I choose
Strum that guitar beat that drum
And play those blues till the setting sun

Solo

So give me country with that bit of blues
So i can feel those soles coming off my shoes
It gives me rhythm like a train on a track
I can feel this fire blowing out of my stack

Chorus x 2

Yeah Yeah Country Blues

Country Blues (Cooper/Todd Collaboration)

BONNIE X CLYDE - When The Silence Breaks (The Ledgard Brothers Remix)

Made entirely in the box in Ableton with stock devices and samples.

Automatic

This week, I explored the audio filters of Ableton's Live 12, with a particular focus on Overdrive and Phaser-Flanger. When using Overdrive, I intentionally opted for a sparse application, keeping the effects subtle and maintaining the dynamics of the tracks. I integrated the Phaser-Flanger into nearly all tracks of the ten instruments used. By keeping the rate as low as possible, I created an extremely gradual and organic transition in sound. This week's scale is the 8-Tone Spanish.

WAV52 | 46

(Jan 9th, 2025) Just a quick message to let you know I'm not going to be active here for a while. If you need to reach me, you can always message me at GrevusAnjl@mac.com. 
__________________

Welcome to my sonic playground. I don't consider myself a skilled musician. I just sculpt sounds to quiet my mind... often with surprising and humorous results. Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit. :)