Testy Delirium or Dull Decrepitude or What Worse Evil Come

Happy Friday to my SC friends. Today’s musical offering is very special to me because it signifies a breaking away from my old patterns. Long story short… old Justin was pretty set in his music making/production routines (solo work belongs on solo albums. Collab work belongs on collab albums. And never the two shall meet). 

But new Justin is proving to be surprisingly more flexible in his thinking; an interesting (I might even go as far as to say… shocking) result of my new paradigm. And while it might seem like a ‘nothing burger’ to most people… the way my brain is wired, this is a huge change… and one I am grateful for.

So today I happily offer my first collab song, also intended for my first hybrid album. The song is called ‘Life In Twilight’… and my guest artist is our dear friend, Carlos Vivanco (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com), offering up the lovely Alto Sax and Guitar you hear in this piece

If you haven’t already crossed paths with Carlos, you are missing out. He is one of the most prolific people I have encountered in my travels. He plays about 30+ instruments, each with impressive skill. And if the instrument doesn’t exist... he creates it himself. And 'musician' is just one aspect of his inspiring and adventurous life. He is a great example of a person who discovered his passions early, and is now living a beautiful life pursuing those passions. We need more people like him in this world, reminding us of what is truly important.

On a personal level, the stuff Carlos has taught me over the years has helped me ease into this new sober life with tremendous grace. The music theory and instrumental lessons have helped make my sonic worlds more sophisticated (and therefore more rewarding to craft). And the moving and breathing meditations (Chi energy exercises) have proven fundamental to my mental/spiritual well being too. Needless to say, he has been a major influence in my evolving life; and I will be forever grateful. 

Carlos, I am honored beyond words that you are the guest artist on my first hybrid album. It signifies a great new direction for me. I’m excited to be on this path, and I’m glad you agreed to join me. 

To everyone else, we hope you enjoy “Life In Twilight”, the first of two new songs with Carlos that will ultimately wrap up my upcoming album “What Color Is Your Paradox?” 

(And yes... this is the last song I still had in the archives from my little break; originally finished on 1/20/2024. It's all going to be new content from here on out). :)

Paradox?

Life In Twilight | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

Video

Dust

Is it your birthday or someone else's? Either way, crank up this song; it’s just what you need!🎂🎉
https://beatingedge.bandcamp.com/track/birthday-bash
https://open.spotify.com/intl-it/track/0DOVntCrbexH0f4mHuQ5rF?si=e8e4e67d2335467a

Lyrics:

Jump
Dance all night
Gonna make you feel alright
It's your special day
Let's celebrate
With a song that'll make you elevate

Guitar riff
Get the party started
Everybody's dancing
Whole place's crowded
Shout it loud and clear
Let the world know
It's your day
And we're ready to show

Happy birthday
Get up and dance
Feel the rhythm in your bones
Take a chance
Hands in the air like you don't care
Birthday bash
We're gonna share

We're gonna share

We're gonna share

Let's play
Get the party started
Everybody's dancing
Whole place's crowded
Shout it loud and clear
Let the world know
It's your day
And we're ready to show

Happy birthday
Get up and dance
Feel the rhythm in your bones
Take a chance
Hands in the air like you don't care
Birthday bash
We're gonna share

We're gonna share

Happy birthday
Get up and dance
Feel the rhythm in your bones
Take a chance
Hands in the air like you don't care
Birthday bash
We're gonna share

Birthday bash

Birthday Bash

Manual Disconnect

Here is another one of the demos I made with Garageband from the time when I was learning to make music in a DAW environment.

You Are Gone (Demo 2017)

Here's one of the early demos I made on Garageband.

Now Or Never (Demo 2017)

info: I re-replaced the soundcloud-mastered track (which was far too slick) with the gritty, under-produced and more lo-fi original (in which the birds sound more like themselves, at least)

https://www.dw.com/en/southern-germany-hit-by-catastrophic-flooding/a-69239541

method: today‘s field recording (near river Schussen with rain dripping on the umbrella that shielded my recording device) , voice, bandoneon
narration: flooding
image: today‘s flooding of the Schussen – you can hear bells ringing across open space from the village steeple of Eriskirch to your left, copyright jo richter

poem / copyright jo richter:

der regen kam und blieb

selbst die gummistiefel der
bauern – und die bäche – wer
könnte nehmen, all das
nehmen – weg-
gespült, einfach fort-
gespült, die gummistiefel

(viel zu wuchtig an
schlanken reiherbeinen)

eltern setzen ihre kinder
in körbe – die alten
dürfen nicht sterben (wer
könnte bei dieser erde 
ein grab ausheben)

es ist noch nicht ganz sommer
(und irgendwo, in irgend-
einem ozean, wird ein winziger
walfisch geboren)

der regen aber blieb und blieb

interlinear translation:

flooding // rain came to stay // even the wellies of the / farmers – and the brooks – who / could have taken, have taken / all this -  up- / rooted, simply washed / away, the wellies // (far to bulky for / skinny heron legs) // parents placing their children / in baskets – the elderly / are not allowed to die ( for who / could dig a grave in / heavy earth ) // it is not fully summer yet / (and somewhere, in  / some ocean  a wee whale / is being born) // rain, however, stayed to stay //

hochwasser

Mauvais ordre

7th Dimesion (part 4)

We're Done Here

(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. 
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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. :)