A Cosmic Bulwark.

Syaksa (see-ock-suh) is a journey through space and time, but also the beginnings of a sonic universe. I first started Proton Decay in late summer 2021, and initially intended it to be a single. Upon completion, and after sharing it with some friends, I embarked on a journey to create a sci fi concept album that sought to bring esoteric astrophysical concepts together in ways that demonstrated the immensity of the cosmos. From tapping the simple, raw power of black holes via the Penrose Process, to enduring the brunt of Gamma Ray Bursts that should only exist at the edge of the Observable Universe, Syaksa serves as a means to explore the potential of what could exist, and what it means to be part of an impermanent Universe.

This album is one work, each track serving as parts of the greater whole, and is meant (at least once) to be listened to in one sitting. There is an explicit narrative that is continuing to be fleshed out, but until that is complete, I encourage you to go on an introspective journey of your own, letting the music be the soundtrack to your imagination. The narrative I have in mind is baked into each track, both sonically, and with the art accompanying each individual track. I leave it to you to fill in the gaps, and hope you enjoy the experience.

Subsequent releases will take place within the universe of this megastructure, exploring the myriad of environments, cultures, and histories that make up the Penrose Engine known as Syaksa. This album serves as an introduction, and I hope you continue to follow my releases as I explore the beauty and mystery of this strange Universe we find ourselves in.

If you've made it this far, thank you, and I hope you enjoy.

I // P

Syaksa

"She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It dominated their field of view with its rings within rings, all precessing around the center of the void they orbited. Remembering discussions she'd had back in university, she recalled a class of Dyson Sphere that was built around black holes, which afforded the civilizations that built them access to immense amounts of energy for an unimaginable amount of time. A Penrose Engine. One of the most stable and advanced forms of energy generation in the universe..."

M=E/c^2

Penrose Engine

"Passing the threshold revealed a scene that was intensely agoraphobic: the trek here had all been done in corridors and transports, caves and submarines. Bounded. Confined. To the left and right lay a view similar to looking out the window descending into Challenger Deep, punctuated every so often with more incandescent pillars. Fear forced confinement to where one could see their own shadow in this strange place, but fear would soon force them out of this exposed position, down the stairs, and into the relative darkness of the strange Forest that lay ahead..."

The Forbidden Forest

It begins! The first single off my upcoming album Syaksa is now available on all streaming platforms. Be sure to follow me elsewhere to see other fragments of the narrative unfold as each track gets released over the next few weeks! https://linktr.ee/isydia

Thank you for indulging me in this creative hobby of mine, I hope you enjoy the coming adventure!

Art by Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock.com
---

"The system seems nominal, no data across the array shows any sign of corruption" said Naomi. Her voice broke the oppressive silence of the ocean floor. Sound traveled much better in water, much further, yet down here the only things audible were the occasional whale call, and geologic activity. Darkness swallowed her headlamp, only illuminating the scant flakes of marine snow a few feet in front of her. Looking up, she flipped to infrared and saw dim silhouettes in the distance undulating. Waiting. She felt more comfortable in the dark and tried not to think too hard about the isolating nature of deep ocean trenches.

"That's good" Kai replied, validating the sister vault. His diagnostic progress was passing 47%. "Less for us to do. I'd rather not be down here longer than necessary. Let's collect our samples then be on our way".

A small stream of silvery liquid had collected in a small depression below the data vaults. It flowed down from the basalt walls of the continental shelf with a powerful slowness that dragged the otherwise motionless water into a weak current. "Don't you think we should find the source?" Naomi's gaze followed the stream as it disappeared into the dark. "Whoever this belongs to would probably like to know, especially if it could avoid another expedition down here. You don't store something in an ocean trench if you want people knowing about it, and you for sure want the peace of mind that nothing will damage it". 

"Our instructions were to verify the integrity of the vault and the data it houses, we've done that" Kai's diagnostic ticked to 100% "and now we can go home, where the probability of me getting crushed by an ocean's worth of water goes back to what it should be."

Naomi walked alongside the stream, ascending the several meters to where sand met rock, each step dislodging sand. The break in the cliff face framed her shoulders, just wide enough for her to enter. "Careful over there, I have you on FLIR but you're too far. We should leave and get it analyzed", Kai warned. "I'll be fine, it seems to be denser than water. Anyway, I want to get a sample as close to the source as possible". Kai begrudgingly stored a few milliliters in a compartment on the side of his calf, and propelled himself towards the silhouette of Naomi's suit.

Stream

Portal

"...The machines guarded the path opposite the ledge, where the mist seemed to originate. It pooled in the clearing before continuing on into open air, a river of fog. A low hum emanated from each of them, with pulsing light from where the two bulbs met. The ambiance was broken with the sound of a rock tumbling onto the gravel behind me. Turning around were the two humanoids from earlier, now crouched on the ground, motionless...."

---

Art: Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock

Stream elsewhere: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/isydia/atomkraft

Fall

Atomkraft

"̷C̸o̸m̶e, we must find shelt̸e̷r̸. The s̷t̶o̷r̴m is almost upon us..."

---

Art: Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock.com

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/isydia/astraphobia

Astraphobia

"...cycles of cycles. How could anything be sustaining if there was an end to the process?"

Listen Elsewhere: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/isydia/bulwark-astraphobia-pt-ii

Art: GrandeDuc/Shutterstock.com

..from the Noise

Bulwark (Astraphobia Pt. II)

"..it was often prudent to remain silent in the face of the Dark Forest. Even so, the forest itself will decay, and lay bare those hidden amongst the remains."

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Stream elsewhere: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/isydia/proton-decay-epilogue

Stream the full album: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/isydia/syaksa

Proton Decay (Epilogue)

The goal of Isydia (ih-city-uh) is to deliver deep, intricate, narrative driven sci-fi music. Immerse yourself in beautifully cold soundscapes layered with  mysterious melodic lines and disjoint percussive samples. Each track tells a story, what will you hear?

Inspirations are wide ranging, but center around Captain Panic! & Systek's 'Monolith' album and the Dune Saga by Frank Herbert.

Contact:
coronalmus@gmail.com