Set against a backdrop of urban decay and lingering threats, the song delves into the emotional aftermath of a cataclysmic event. The "children of silence" navigate a world scarred by broken promises and pervasive fear. Despite the "shadows of tomorrow" and the "dancing with sorrow," the lyrics focus on an internal quest for light and peace as the foundation for overcoming adversity. The journey towards finding inner peace is presented as crucial for forging connection and collective strength ("Together we’ll rise, together we’ll stand"). The song concludes with a sense of cautious optimism, suggesting that a new era of harmony can be reclaimed from the remnants of the old through healing and unity.

Shadows of Tomorrow V2

Now, I wouldn't claim to possess any remarkable musical gifts, save for a decent ear and a rather handy knack for picking things up. My musical education is nothing to write home about either – just the standard school curriculum, you see, plus a handful of piano lessons with a jazz fellow from Parma.

All the same, I've always had a soft spot for music, the whole kit and caboodle, and I can usually find something to appreciate, some spark of talent, in most genres (though I draw the line at trap, which, by its very definition, seems to thrive on a distinct lack of it).

I have a bit of a tinker on the piano, my guitar playing is frankly atrocious, and I can coax some vaguely agreeable sounds out of a saxophone. But now and then, if the mood takes me, particularly when faced with those black and white keys, something – a little idea, perhaps – manages to surface.

Of course, there's a world of difference between that and producing a proper tune, which demands proper talent, technique, instruments, know-how, and, crucially, a jolly good amount of time (technical note, mind you: synthesisers, digital instruments, sampling, and loopers are now part and parcel of the 'traditional method').

Perhaps one of my few genuine talents lies in a comfortable familiarity with all things technological, meaning I can generally get technology to do precisely what I jolly well want it to.

Nowadays, there are some truly astonishing tools about, based on this so-called GenAI and these 'AI agents' which, to put it simply, in a great many applications, take on (rather effectively, I might add) all the tedious, manual labour involved in proofreading a text, or generating a video, or producing music.

An artificial intelligence, whether used to create or to pilot sophisticated instruments, does our bidding if you feed it the right ideas, the right starting material, and the right questions (in other words: if you establish the correct context and the desired outcome).

My Monogatari project is intended to be a bit of a social experiment, really. Aside from finally bringing some long-held ideas of mine to fruition in a reasonable timeframe, I'm keen to understand the genuine impact of this technology on a distinctly creative and artistic field.

That is to say: is artificial intelligence merely a substitute, or is it simply an exceptionally advanced expressive tool?

The streaming platforms will deliver the verdict, I suppose.

Shadows of Tomorrow V2

The Monogatari Music Project