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

#hardstyle #hardcore #trance #techno #electronic #ambient

(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. :)

"more fun than i deserve" 
 stepping off the ledge with desire

I create seamless fusions of just about everything. All visceral, atmospheric and psychedelic with hidden depths upon closer inspection. The flow is also important. It exists on a continuum with micro-variations and subtle evolutions along the way.
The music can range from low down heavy darkness to softer and more positive, higher-vibrational new age. Yet even at it’s most crushing and industrial never succumbing to nihilism and instead feeling warm and inviting.
Very often humorous (in the form of deliberate cinematic pastiches), freaky and surreal. Inspired by dystopian sci-fi. Retro-futuristic.
I often wear my influences on my sleeve like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream but at my core I’m still self-referential with my sound. It operates at my own personal frequency.

Thankyou for checking out and enjoying my tracks!

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: "Music is the universal language of mankind."

Info: there is a uli steingruber acc on soundcloud with 3 followers or so.. this is not my account. Some individual ripped my photo from FB and faked my acc. So do not follow. ( yes i contacted sc about this but they did not resolve..)

NO A.I. here and NO , i am not interested in anybody promoting my music , so stop mailing me about that .

Happy New Year to everyone...  :)
Producing pieces of music brings heaven to my world...Now also on Spotify which is a whole new world to me. Hope to see you there too :) :)

Thank you for taking the time to listen and for all your continued support :)
# Power Of Music :)

Unbelieving, you may try it here … and now. 
... just start unbelieving all, it instinctively Voids every institution, convention and law Instantly when applied by one. 
Well,  ... !   Who Then Are The godDamn Light  ?
Welcome [ Invisible witch and denizen of the void ] i hope you are listening to this [ unprovoked microkinetic assault ] over Headphones [ please know unbelieving All is the fucking best ]
Really ... That Is All There Is, and ...  now you too can see it ... when you look inwards you are blinded by light, look outwards and you see the never-ending void of blank nothingness ... Sooooo ... figure it out (no disrespect) :):):) you Know
 what you are Sparky ... You Are the goddamn light

🎤 Dark rock, grunge alternative rock & evocative atmospheres with female haunting vocals.

🎸 EileenNoise is a project by Marco, composer & producer and bassist from Rome. Collaborates with various vocal artists. Sophie is the lead vocalist and guitarist on many songs, but you can also find other vocal collaborations on the profile.

🖤 Inspired by Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Lacuna Coil, Depeche Mode, The smashing pumpkins, The Hole.

🔥 “Burning Inside” featured in SoundCloud’s official Buzzing Rock playlist.

🔗 New tracks monthly. Follow & listen on Spotify
🤝 Open to collaborations – DM me.