Ostrea

The Strength of Civil Resistance

Our time has a ominious yet unnoticable narrative of detachment when we look at new technologies' effect on us, how its run by a marketfundamentalist system where its propaganda about being a progressive consumerist is part of the definition of being modern, and those who show scepticism and reluctance are falsely assumed to be socially less intelligent.  Whenever a new techological device -whether for practical or social use - is launched on the market; the ability of being critical towards it strands. The history of technology is also - equally to its successes, yet more understated - one of blindness, misuse and unforseeable consequences. And all of it has had and will continue to influence our mindset as soon as it becomes part of our culture and everyday lifestyles and, thus, builting the reception for the next invention advertised to be good in itself simply because it is new. The beauty of 21st cenury tech is that it is increasingly acessible to everyone and improve our lives. However, when advertised as "necessities", it is also causing problems for the environment and for life quality. Moreover; our time to think  about this is replaced by its excessive use and the frequency of pouring out new such products.

The Peachy Decadence of Technotopian Aspirations

The title of the track is taken from the coming of age/ crime novel "Mengele Zoo" written by the Norwegian environmental activist and author Gert Nygårdshaug. The story follows the character "Mino", a boy indigenous to a tribe in the Amazon rainforest. He is the only survivor after witnessing that his whole village is killed by a corporation's paramilitary. The company is, as many real life companies, greedy and shun no means in order to take out resources for profit and destroy the rainforest. Mino survives and on his own he runs away. Growing up , constantly on a journey, where he meets people and places he learns about the outside world and the global injustice and the many atrocities conducted by big corporations. He understands that the genocide which he experienced as a little boy was just a fragment of the cruelties which is done to  indigenous people and environments everywhere on the planet, all just for profit. Gradually he radicalize, and form a group of political activists which is willing to end the whole system trough extreme means.  Mino compares the big companies view on the world as if it were a Zoo, A world that exist only as an object, a notion of property and for the sake of exploitation and that the "proprietors" behave like the infamous psychopathic nazi doctor Mengele.

The recordings of the voices are from interviews of the native latin american human rights activist Patricia Gualinga and of people from the organization "Earth First!" - an environmental activist group situated in the U.S., which are reputed for tree hugging and sabotaging bulldozers, logging machines and so on.

The disaster is neither fiction nor history - it continues to this day, in other wrappings and in a different scale. More provocatively the perspective can be; We're all - in the western developed societies - like folly nazis, whether we know it, want it - or not, the corporations above morality, like Mengele and "der Führer" is the global destructive market fundamentalist system.

Also check out the awesome  Elektric Surgery versioin here; https://soundcloud.com/elektricsurgery/jostein-kihl-svarthe-mengele-zoo-elektric-surgery-remix

Mengele Zoo

Andante elettrico con Brio

Allegretto elettrico con Moto

Larghetto elettrico pesante

Vivace elettrico con Gioioso

Heresy's Ignite

Восток, pronounced "Vostok", means "east" in russian. The title is a tribute to the spacecraft Восток-6 and its pilot; Valentina Tereshkova; the fifth russian cosmonaut and the first woman in space. 

This expedition was the sixth of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics' space program manned by humans. It was launched on June 16, 1963 12:30 (Moscow time) and is, although  successful, a not very well known program where Tereshkova orbited the Earth 49 times - 1,250,000 miles - in two days, 22 hours and fifty minutes with an average 88.3 minutes for each orbit. She landed safely by parachute two days later in Kazakhstan, several hundred miles from where she had taken off.

The radio conversation in the midst of the track is between Ms Tereshkova and that time's USSR- leader Nikita Khrushchev. He congratulates her on her achievement and speaks of his "fatherly pride" for her.

She held the world record of the longest flying cosmonaut/ astronaut until year 2000.

Восток-6

Lyrics: Sebastian Schönfeld/ Owl Yeah
Voice: Ari
Music: Jostein Kihl Svarthe

Review

before us there have been younger suns
plants and bones, cozy homes, hired for yet another year,

but- tired of waiting- we dug them out:
proofs of death, well-preserved by our very own....

and so we left: roads and borders, restored values,
bit by bit our parental gifts. thats fine, so far,

we loose no more, sacrefying soley to the greater plans, we are:
worth it all for sure.

Review (feat. Owl Yeah)

This tune is an Ode to Hieronymus Bosch's painting  Tuin der lusten, or in english; 'The Garden of Earthly Delights' (1490- 1510). 

If you want to find out more about this masterpiece, I'll recommend this excellent webpage; https://tuinderlusten-jheronimusbosch.ntr.nl/en

Tuin der lusten

THE Chimney Sweeper

A little black thing among the snow,
Crying "'weep! 'weep!" in notes of woe!
"Where are thy father and mother? Say!"--
"They are both gone up to the church to pray.

"Because I was happy upon the heath,
And smiled among the winter's snow,
They clothed me in the clothes of death,
And taught me to sing the notes of woe.

"And because I am happy and dance and sing,
They think they have done me no injury,
And are gone to praise God and his priest and king,
Who make up a heaven of our misery."

A Poem by William Blake (from 'songs of Experience', 1794)

THE Chimney Sweeper

Eppur si muove

The Rebellion of the Remences was a popular and probably one of the most successful revolts in late medieval Europe against seignorial pressures that began in Catalonia in 1462 and ended a decade later without definitive result. Ferdinand II of Aragon  finally resolved the conflict with The Arbitral Judgment of Guadalupe, a legal resolution dictated in the Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe, Extremadura, 21 of April of 1486 to liberate the Catalan peasants who were subject to serfdom - the land of a gentleman (payeses of remensa)- from their obligations in exchange for a payment and to abolish the "bad uses" of the lords.

(This track was published February 4th 2017.)

Revolta del remences

(This track was published February 5th 2017.)

The Omnipotent God and The Judicial Disqualification of Common Sense

(Published April 7th 2017)

Yet the concept of Infinity is prevalent in the world religions and in the science of the Universe it might provide deceptive and even dangerous interpretations for the human mind. The Universe  may be infitite but its matter is rare and unique - its more intricate structures even more so. And like the story of Elijah and the widow of Sarepta where God caused the flour and the oil never to run out, and with the ideas of immortality, eternal deities or hell or heavens, faith can often overshadow reason. But perhaps this is more a condition of human's limited perceptions regardless of religions and that religions are mere facilitators of this flaw? As Simone de Beauvoir so elonqюently put it; "I am incapable of conceiving infinity, and yet I do not accept finity". However, we know by now through the science of evoloution, the science of environment and modern economics realisation that all races of competition are finally races towards an empty bottom and that we live in an finite Earth.

Jar of Sarepta

(Published April 7th 2017)

Dedicated to The American Railway Union (ARU), its leader Eugene V. Debs and the workers who fought and to those who lost their lives for the cause of justice in the nationwide railroad strike in the United States on May 11, 1894, known as 'The Pullman Strike'.  

The Pullman Strike became a turning point for US labor law. It pitted the ARU against the Pullman Company, the main railroads and the federal government of the United States under President Grover Cleveland. The strike and boycott shut down much of the nation's freight and passenger traffic west of Detroit, Michigan. The conflict began in Pullman, Chicago, on May 11 when nearly 4,000 factory employees of the Pullman Company began a "wildcat" strike in response to recent reductions in wages. The arrival of the military and the subsequent deaths of workers in violence led to further outbreaks of violence. During the course of the strike, 30 strikers were killed and 57 were wounded.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman_Strike

Fornax

(Published April 25th, 2017)

The  Russian social scientist Peter Kropotkin's (1842-1921) research and theories has not been as much acclaimed as it deserves and does still contradict the dominating political liberal elite consensus (i.e. marketliberalism and in modern day politics the basis of right winged parties such as both the two dominating ones in the U.S.. and in The U.K.)At the time Kropotkin wrote his 'Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution' (1902), his contemporary and more famous british collegue Herbert Spencer had allready made interpretations of Darwin. Quiet narrow and cherrypicked interpretations actually; Spencer exploited 'The Origin of Species' as a tool for his political "liberalist" theories. There is a line from Spencer's famous phrase "Survival of the fittest" to the Wall streeter who for a few years back received ovations for blatantly  declaring on TV that "Greed is good", rephrasing the fictional character Gordon Gecko from the film 'Wall Street'. The view on Nature and Social structure as a pyramid where someone are always bound to be on the top of any food chain and to exploit those who are weaker (Or having a less aggressive instinct) beacause that is the natural order is the most vulgar, narrowminded and yet most influential perspective on how - in their opinion - society should reflect nature. In reality there is much more to it than competition and unnecessary pervertion of it, and Kropotkin knew this. Cooperation among humans and among animals is an equally important factor to secure advantages for both the pack or community and for the individual. These facts is of course dangerous for the liberalist (marketfundamentalist) elite to admit and thus disturbing their self content myopia, because it contradicts and cracks this bubble of imagined legitimity of self interest. Moreover it might lead people to embrace communism or even worse; anarchy ( the latter concept has for some reason successfully convinced people to believe is synonymous with 'chaos' . Two words which has nothing in common). Some of the reasons why struggle for survival is the dominating pattern in the World of power of today is that it is so integrated in the global economic system and well indoctrinated in the oppressors minds that that's how it is played, its misinterpreted as a natural order. Kropotkins social theories offers another take on it. Mutual aid, respect, symbiosis and collaboration is and has always been an equally important key to the survival of diversity. Who wants to favour a certain kind of mindset, social class, race, gender, faculties? Or specie? It seems like our leaders are attracted to the powerstructures due to its function, reflecting their subliminal notion of refined but heartly orthodox socialdarwinism. This might also explain why so many politicians has a lower level of empathy then the average and why most people would find the idea of becoming a politician a fairly unpleasant one. Theres no-one above or anyone more valuable than others. That is the true nature we should reflect in our society. Kropotkin was one of the main inspirators of the Anarchist movement. This great influential Surge  cleared the political landscape from elitism's unqestionable domination, on the brinks of the 19th century, and gave room for new inspiring ideas for the masses to aspire. It gave way for worker's rights and democracy to grow stronger roots.

Kropotkinian Surge

Lyrics/ Vocals: Fornicata https://soundcloud.com/fornicata
Music: J. K. Svarthe

TAINTED CENTURY

we threw it all away
we filled the oceans with our waste
the water's poison now
there's nothing left to taste
we threw it all away
while education laid in wait 
the screens were selling lines 
of words anchored in blind faith
we threw it all away 
we choked the skies with distaste 
we threw it all away 
replaced our love with all our hate 
we threw it all away
now we're smothered in debris
killed our only home
in this tainted century
we lost at life
and we can't be saved 
we're living underground
sleeping in our grave

Tainted Century (feat. Fornicata)

Арктика

The Paranoctambulism of Lamia

Sonnenwende

Uchronia

All Is Grist That Comes To The Mill

Gang Rinpoche; Pilgrimage

Gang Rinpoche; Meditation

Life on Earth is in crisis: scientists agree we have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown, and we are in the midst of a mass extinction of our own making and the time is running out.

At the same time killings of environmental defenders have doubled over the past 15 years to reach levels usually associated with war zones. At least 1,558 people in 50 states were killed between 2002 and 2017 and many more were criminalized for working to protect the land, water local wildlife and other vital resources. A new report from Global Witness found that three environmental defenders were murdered every week in 2018. Most of these were in the global south, particularly in Central and South America. Particularly in Brazil where president Bolsonaro has taken power with a promise that indigenous people must adapt to the majority or disappear. He is putting exploitation of the environment first. 

In the global north, Extinction Rebellion is increasing their pressure on corporations and central governments with risks of being arrested, charged and prisoned. In less than a year, XR has grown to over 70 countries with more than 650 groups at local, regional and national level.

This tune is a salute to all people who form the very frontline against destruction, who put life on Earth before themselves, the frontline of our time.

We need to accomplish the following;
1. Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
2. Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2025.
3. Government must create, and be led by the decisions of, a citizens' assembly on climate and ecological justice.

In order to continue the pressure we need to help out economically those being arrested and charged, so that the governments  trying to serve the corrupt destructive powerstructures will feel there is no use trying to criminalise those who defend life on Earth. For donations, go to this link;

https://chuffed.org/project/xrinternational

Hourglass

Lyrics/Voice: Simple Circuits https://soundcloud.com/simple-circuits
Music: J.K. Svarthe

Lyrics:
Coveting something that I never had
Started with something before it went bad
Left this illusion and stood at the glass
Pondering silence, reflecting the past
Spreading your wisdom to master and fool
Scattering pearls to the koi in the pool

Scavenging through your mind
Stumbling back in time
Body possessed, trying my best
With my fingers to untie
This tangled ribbon of time

Sent to the center, went forth from the start
Call on the rank and the troops to depart
Suffer delusion and languish in ache
Hiding the fortunes that I knew they'd take
Started with nothing, the nothing went bad
Coveting something that I wish I had
Solving their riddles, dissolving your pain
Walking alone in the cold of the rain

Scavenging through your mind
Stumbling back in time
Body possessed, trying my best
With my fingers to untie
This tangled ribbon of time

Remember the moment you treasured the most
Focus your mind on the one that you chose
There in the distance and pale like a ghost

These faded memories
These faded memories
Scavenging through your mind
These faded memories
Stumbling back in time
These faded memories

Hamartia (feat. Simple Circuits)

Hope you're all hanging in there, coping with this pandemic. I wish everyone the very best and that you all take the precautions necessary to keep safe and sound, and don't forget your neighbour. This is my contribution to the Darksiders' Ostara- themed playlist for 21st of March 2020, hosted by Fornicata. https://soundcloud.com/fornicata

Check out the whole playlist here; https://soundcloud.com/fornicata/sets/ostara

Spring of Trickery

Music/ instrumental : J.K. Svarthe
Lyrics/vox/additional sounds/ editing : Fornicata https://soundcloud.com/fornicata

Lyrics:

Spending days in robotic games
Ones and zeros replacing human names
I can't recall when i was flesh and blood
Stimulation replacing all i loved
The bitter sweet poison that i drink
I'm complacent when i don't have to think
Locked in the grid, it's a living hell
I'm dead alive in this cyber cell 
It's been a while since life felt really real
Distant circuits as currents turn congealed 
No more hiding, the colors are revealed
I'm wide open while the culprit is concealed
The bitter sweet poison that i drink
I'm complacent when i don't have to think
Locked in the grid and it's a living hell
I'm dead alive in this cyber cell

J.K. Svarthe

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