(Free WAV Download available here under '••• More'; and eventually as part of my BandCamp PWWO #07 album)

Happy 2023 everyone. I hope your year is starting off positive, creative and brimming with potentiality. Mine has definitely begun on a high note, getting to collab with our dear friend Carlos Vivanco (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com/). And after a full year of music lessons with this kind and generous soul, I’m finally feeling quite good about my music theory and piano skills (knowing full well, this is just me happily floating on the tip of the proverbial music theory/musical instrument iceberg). :)

This one in particular (for those of you who might be interested in the specifics) started with Carlos providing an impressively wild drum track, and a warm, rich bass track playing Ostinato in E (I wasn’t familiar with that term at first. But it means playing a singular note rhythm as a foundation for the rest of the song). From there, E Aeolian (or Natural Minor) felt like it provided the nicest fit to Carlos’s stems. I was able to play out many of the melodies you hear in this song with just a few takes, and very minor MIDI note adjustments after the fact. That is exciting beyond words.

So without further delay, I joyfully offer you my first collab of 2023 with one of the coolest folks you’ll find in this grand music community. Carlos and I hope you enjoy ‘The Nine Sentinels of Aeolis’. :)

PWWO07

The Nine Sentinels Of Aeolis | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

(Free WAV Download available here under '••• More'; and eventually as part of my BandCamp PWWO #08 album)

Over the past few years, Carlos (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com/) has helped me navigate a mountain of information on music theory, and taught me some basics on playing the piano as well. Our collaborations are always a great opportunity to cement those ideas into sounds. 

For our 5th collaboration, he sent me a very cool Harmonic Cadence foundation (piano, cello, drums and xylophone), moving the tonalities by 5ths along the way. He also explained that all I needed to do was refer to my lessons on Minor Pentatonics and transitioning by 5ths to fill in the gaps appropriately. I’m thrilled to actually understand what that means now. :) 

Plus, he provides me creative counting methods (that I might otherwise overlook). This is an 8/8 song, but the count is 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2; so I get to use mathematics to place my notes at key points along that count. I get to combine the best of both worlds (mathematics and creativity) into one space… and that’s a lot of fun. 

So Carlos, thanks for being such a positive influence in my life. I’ve learned so much from you. I am truly grateful for your time, your teachings, and your friendship. I love working with you, and I love how this song turned out.

And to the rest of our Soundcloud friends, we hope you enjoy our 5th collaboration, ‘Twelfth Knight’. :)

F.W. Friends

Twelfth Knight | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

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

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. :)

Cracks In The Surface | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

(Free WAV Download available here under '••• More'; and eventually as part of my Foul Weather Friends album)

Greetings to the music community. I’m glad you stopped by. Today, I have the privilege of sharing another collaboration (#8 in fact) with our ever inspiring friend, Carlos Vivanco (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com). I always get stunning results, working with this fellow. :)

But first, the haiku that inspired the title:

O snail,
climb Mount Fuji,
but slowly, slowly
- Kobayashi Issa

I literally discovered ‘O snail’ as Carlos was sending me his guitar elements. The timing was too coincidental (thus the title).

As you may well imagine, the haiku of the Snail climbing Mount Fuji implies patience, perseverance, and remembering to enjoy the journey. But we never understand the trials of the snail; only his speed limitations. I feel like it’s good to face some truths about ourselves that might be interfering with our journey; and hearing someone else share their challenges has often helped me not feel so overwhelmed by mine.

For example, I have a strangely persistent ‘low self-esteem’ issue that has been with me for as long as I can remember. There are numerous childhood experiences keeping that thinking alive. But if I’m being completely honest with myself, they are all just part of my story… and the majority of them are not even happening to me any more. Yet despite 55 year old Justin’s accomplishments, that dark little fellow shows up from time to time, to… I don’t know… put me back in my place? Or something?

And here’s the annoying thing. There is an abundance of evidence indicating I’m a good person, living a worthwhile life, doing good things. I’m a highly logical person; and the math on this is pretty solid. This should be a breeze to overcome.

Surprisingly, it’s not. 

So clearly, there are certain perspectives that simply defy logic. And I suspect many of us carry similar thoughts and feelings deep inside; those annoying little clingers-on that defy reason, and fight to keep us down. That part of us that always wanted to be accepted by and fit into something that never really matched our shape to begin with. 

This is ultimately about us realizing that we are ridiculously amazing beings. Higher minded Justin truly believes every one of us is fundamentally perfect (and perfectly capable), because we are here right now… living this. I believe we are all in a very advanced class (or at the very least, approaching finals on a very rigorous curriculum), and we wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t met the prerequisites. We stand here right now (although I'm sitting as I type), with purpose and opportunity coming at us full steam. It’s going to be an amazing, sometimes horrifying, sometimes beautiful beyond words experience. And we all get to do it together. Wild ride, right?

The bottom line is… it’s time we gave ourselves a break, and loved and accepted ourselves… as is. That is so key to the rest of it working out for us, and it’s truly worth prioritizing. 

Also, what if we try our hardest to honor and respect each other’s paths. Every path is sacred… even if some seem harder to understand. And they all combine to make up this story, which would not be so poignant (or easy to learn from) if not for the extreme light and extreme dark elements giving us such wide angle perspective.

Carlos and I hope you enjoy ‘Climbing Mount Fuji With My Snail.” :)

Climbing Mount Fuji With My Snail | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

(Free WAV Download available here under '••• More'; and eventually as part of my next mystery album)

Happy Monday everyone, and welcome to installment #9 in the ever-expanding collection of Carlos Vivanco (https://soundcloud.com/carlosvivanco-1, https://carlosvivanco1.bandcamp.com) /GrevusAnjl soundscapes. I love working with this guy; and the results are awe-inspiring, if I do say so myself. :)

Now on to today’s relevant conundrum. 

There is an old story from India about Brahma (the God of Creation) and Maya (the Goddess of Illusion), that I absolutely love. I first discovered it in the book ‘The Mastery of Love’ by Don Miguel Ruiz (great book. I highly recommend it). This is my personal embellishment:

As the story goes, before anything else exists, Brahma is pretty much alone and utterly bored (makes sense. The internet and smart phones aren’t a thing yet), so he creates Maya. Brahma then tells Maya “I am so very bored. Please do something to entertain me.” And Maya replies “I have an idea for a game. But you have to do exactly what I tell you.” 

Her first request is a space for the game to play out; so he creates the whole universe. He then fills it with swirling masses of stars and planets, with all their complex variations. And finally, he focuses in on the Earth and sculpts a majestic world filled with great mountains, dense forests, vast deserts, and unfathomably deep oceans; all teaming with life, both fauna and flora.

Maya says, “This world of illusion you created is truly beautiful.” She then asks Brahma to create a kind of animal that is so intelligent and aware that it can appreciate his creation. So Brahma creates humans… and now the stage is set for the game.

Maya then shatters Brahma into billions of teeny, tiny pieces; then puts a piece inside every human (right around that heart region) and says, "Now the game begins! I am going to make you forget what you are, and you are going to try to find yourself!" Maya created the Dream (also called the veil of illusion); and to this very day, Brahma is still trying to remember who he is.

That’s one of my favorite creation stories discovered from around the globe, because it elegantly reminds us… we are so much more than we realize. I honestly don’t know what that is exactly. None of us do. But I do love to speculate. I know I feel different energies coming at me and flowing through me, depending on what I’m putting out. And I also feel the quantum physics stuff goes a long way in proving we are connected to something larger; that the atomic level will serve (and has served) other purposes throughout time itself. The idea that I currently have almost 0% of the atoms I started with demonstrates that these ‘best if used by’ body costumes are more complex and more connected than we imagine.

I honestly find peace in the Brahma and Maya story. To me, it means we are here specifically for the search. We are here to find our purpose; and perhaps while working on that, we discover greater truths. 

But we probably need to face a nasty truth first. Ultimately, we (the human race) are here now because we collectively made too many of our choices in fear. My early life was filled with fearful choices; I did my part to poison the collective well. But we can always turn that energy around. It may require using a different collective mindset than the one that created this mess in the first place. Like Einstein once said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

So as we approach our future choices (including elections), the key message I hope you take with you is to remember you are so much more than this illusionary game wants you to believe. A good rule of thumb… when it comes time to make your choices, the loving choice is always the higher choice. Leave those fear-frosted fritters on the tray where you found them. You’ll thank yourself later.

Carlos and I hope you enjoy our latest musical adventure, ‘Oh Me, Oh Maya’. :)

DL on SC :)

Oh Me, Oh Maya | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

(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. :)

New tracks tagged #CarlosVivanco