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. :)

Paradox?

Cracks In The Surface | Carlos Vivanco & GrevusAnjl

Musica inspirada por y dedicada a Luis Alberto Spinetta.

Publicada como sencillo en 2022:
https://open.spotify.com/track/60fEMyWX882r131Am20Gd4?si=a0e9e16462574c9e

Rock instrumental, un tanto progresivo, 
Compuesto y tocado por Daniel Diaz (guitarras, fender rhodes, bajo, bateria, synth)

Parte 3 aqui:

https://soundcloud.com/daniel-diaz/spinetta-parte-3

Spinetta (parte 1 & parte 2)

Unreleased duet, live in the studio, performed by
Bobby Rangell: flute
Daniel Diaz: electric bass
Recorded in Paris, early April 2024.

Edited, mixed, and shared on May 2024 for this haiku:

heat in waves ̶
in the stones
angry reverberations 

By Katō Kyōtai 

Photo by DD

@naviarrecords

Stone Reverberations (flute and bass live duet) naviarhaiku541

A "Continuous Flow" of music from different instruments live violins, violas, flutes and synths.

Continuous Flow

(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

electric guitar
electric bass
sparse synths
several pedals

Tempest

Elmi Aldepo - Morning
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All instruments played by Elmi Aldepo.
- Duduk
- Cister
- Ukulele
- Foot Tamburin
- Hurdy Gurdy
- Vocals
- Kontak 7 Intruments: World Percussion, Voices of Gaya
- Softinstruments: ia808
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(c) 2024 - rock flexible / elmi aldepo

Elmi Aldepo - Morning

Honest Little Man" is a deeply personal story, born from a single moment that changed how I saw my father.

During a video call, I told him, “I’m busy, Dad. I’ll call you later.” He paused, then said something I’ll never forget:
“When you were little, I used to count down the hours at work just to see you. Now you’re too busy for me.”

His words hit me harder than I expected. After the call, I couldn’t shake them. A few days later, I stumbled upon an old pen drive filled with childhood videos. As I watched, I saw my dad in a way I’d never seen before: the way he held me like I was his whole world, the quiet moments that said everything he never did.

"Honest Little Man" is a tribute to my dad and every father who shows their love in quiet, powerful ways. It’s a reminder to stop, reflect, and cherish the bonds that shape us before time slips away.


Honest Little Man


I just bought a new second hand organ that gave me this idea and blast 

Ouw£ - Happy 2 Be (2025) Official Mix

This instrumental reggae-ish song, is one version from a couple of versions of this idea were I was goofing around with back in the day, at march 10, 2010... There is an radio-friendly version of this song in my archive, written for guitars, with lyrics. More to come on this musical piece!

Brandon Commandeur - March 2K10 theme

Free Milk is the late-night text you absolutely shouldn't send... but do anyway.

Tie Me Up Tight was written under moonlight and mild existential crisis — a frustrated-with-the-Universe kind of moment. Gritty, slow-burning, and a little seductive, it blends indie rock with the smoky ache of folk and the lipstick smear of grunge.

🎙️ Written & performed by Dorrie Donovan + Mikala Thompson
🖤 For fans of: The Cranberries, Mazzy Star, Big Thief, Fleetwood Mac, Sharon Van Etten
📍 From Colorado with chaos

💋 Find us on Instagram @freemilkband or grab a shot at freemilkband.com

Tie Me Up Tight

Lead Vocals: Olivier S-C & Valerie Eisen
Guitars, Bass, Drums: Olivier Santoni-Costantini

Music and Lyrics by Olivier Santoni-Costantini
Produced by If Yesterday Was Tomorrow

Can you change... In your society... What you see... as Inequalities... Looking for... Social equity... With some kind... Of young naivety

Should you trust them... Can you trust them

Did they change... The world economy... Still having... lots of poverty... Did they get... prime publicity... Shouting out... fake apologies

What you want... is your life to be free... What you feel... confusion, deception... What you see... is who they want you to be
Equity can’t be free

Is the fight... for their community... A real ground... for more equality... Sounds like... their own realities... Are serving... their own cupidity

Did they get... more visibility... Promoting... dear diversity... Increasing... profitability... For business... insatiability

Should you trust them... Can you trust them

Did you give... Possibilities... Since you took.... The Opportunity... Once looking at... Inclusivity... Now looking for... Exclusivity

What you want... is your life to be free... What you feel... confusion, deception... What you see... is who they want you to be
Equity can’t be free

Can you change... In your society... What you see... as Inequalities... Looking for... Social equity... With some kind... Of young naivety

Did you give... Possibilities... Since you took.... The Opportunity... Once looking at... Inclusivity... Now looking for... Exclusivity

Equity

[Verse 1]  
You say you love the lost, but you don’t take the calls,  
I knocked, I bled, I told it all.  
You smiled like you meant it, then backed away slow,  
Like my pain was somethin’ you didn’t wanna know.  

I ain’t beggin’ for a pulpit or a stage,  
Just someone who won’t run when the truth turns gray.  
You sing about grace like it don’t get stained,  
But I found it in the ashes callin’ my name.  

[Chorus]  
You preach it ’til it’s pretty,  
You post it ’til it sells,  
But when a man walks outta Heaven,  
You leave him by himself.  
You talk about revival,  
But you don’t know how it feels —  
Don’t say you believe in fire  
If you won’t preach it ’til it’s real.  

[Verse 2]  
You got a verse on a post-it by your desk,  
But you can’t look me in the eyes when I confess.  
Said your God saves, said your door’s open wide,  
But I watched you lock it when I stepped inside.  

I came back burned but breathin’ air,  
With a heart still beatin’ and a thousand prayers.  
I ain’t here to fit your mold,  
I’m here ’cause love wouldn’t let me go.  

[Chorus]  
You preach it ’til it’s pretty,  
You post it ’til it trends,  
But when a man walks outta Heaven,  
You don’t call, you just pretend.  
You shout about the miracles,  
Then ghost the ones who heal —  
Don’t say you believe in fire  
If you won’t preach it ’til it’s real.  

[Bridge]  
One breath from gone, one foot from grace,  
You’d think that would change a man’s face.  
But truth cuts deep, peace comes slow,  
So I’ll sing it loud — even if I stand alone.  

[Final Chorus]  
You preach it ’til it’s polished,  
You quote it with a grin,  
But when the grave lost its grip on me,  
I saw where grace begins.  
You talk about the Spirit,  
Now I know how it feels —  
Love don’t hide from the broken,  
It heals us ’til it’s real.  

[Outro]  
Don’t preach it — unless you mean it.  
Real.

Preach It 'Till It's Pretty

[Verse 1]
Woke up starin’ at an old notepad,
Half a verse and a thought I had.
Same four chords and a cheap red pen,
Tryin’ to find that feelin’ again.
Ain’t got nothin’ left but time and strings,
Guess that’s where the truth still sings.

[Chorus]
Yeah, writin’ songs ’bout writin’ songs,
’Cause I ran outta women and things gone wrong.
Can’t fake the pain, can’t force the muse,
So I just write ’bout the truth.
Just… writin’ songs ’bout writin’ songs.

[Verse 2]
Every dream I’ve chased has paid in tabs,
Barroom lights and broken cabs.
Some nights hit, some fade away,
But I keep pickin’ what I can’t say.
If I ever get a hit, don’t blink—
It’s just another line in ink.

[Chorus]
Yeah, writin’ songs ’bout writin’ songs,
’Cause I ran outta women and things gone wrong.
Can’t fake the pain, can’t force the muse,
So I just write ’bout the truth.
Just… writin’ songs ’bout writin’ songs.

[Bridge]
Maybe one day I’ll find that spark,
Chase it down through the neon dark.
But ‘til that muse decides she calls,
I’ll be spillin’ my heart on these four walls.

[Final Chorus / Outro]
Yeah, writin’ songs ’bout writin’ songs,
Still tryin’ to right what the world got wrong.
Can’t fake the pain, can’t force the muse,
So I just write ’bout the truth.
Just… writin’ songs ’bout writin’ songs.


Writin' Songs 'Bout Writin' Songs

m9,redpungent,toobad

I’m JD Hodge — Oklahoma-born, red dirt-raised, and songwriting for over 30 years.

In 2024, I flatlined on an operating table. Cardiac arrest. Everything changed.

When I came back, the words came with me — like they’d been waiting their turn. Since then, the songs haven’t stopped. I write what’s real: struggle, hope, grit, and grace — stories meant to be felt.

You’ll hear pieces of my past, my people, and the kind of heartland truth you can’t fake. These songs aren’t just mine — they’re for anyone who’s fought through silence and still found a voice.

Retired • Lyricist • Country • Americana • Acoustic Soul
Oklahoma, USA

Rock Flexible is a spare-time guitar player, multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer based in Berlin, Germany. 
He is much interested in the technical and production side of things and he will immediately stop making music as soon as he has achieved his final goal: Creating music in the quality of the ones producing for Radio and commercial CDs :o)
His other projects like the Electronic Music project based on KORG's Volca stuff can be found here https://soundcloud.com/rock-flexibles-elektro.
Rock has done many tracks based on Lyrics or piano pieces of the fantastic Jaime J. Ross which can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/jaime-and-rock.  
His seasons of the "The Great Conqueror" epic instrumental series is available under https://soundcloud.com/the-great-conqueror .
Here on this profile his favorite songs and new releases can be found ...
The latest project is based on an own Modular Synth RF has started to set up. So, hopefully interesting soundscapes to come :)
Hope you enjoy ... 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rock owns a small home studio - the "CandyLand Studio" in Berlin. He uses the following - not complete - list of equipment to record and mix his music:
- Guitars: Fender, Ibanez, Schecter, Charvel, Ovation
- Guitar FX: Eleven Rack, Boss GP-10, NI Guitar Rig and a modded CRATE Amp
- Mics: Neumann KM184 MP, Shure SM57, SM58, SM7B, Brauner Phanthera
- Outboard: WA76, Joemeek VC1, SPL GoldMike, TC Helicon Voice Live Rack
- Electronic: KORG Volca Bass, FM, Sample and Keys, NI Maschine, Roland TR-09, Kaoss Pad 3+, Arturia Drumbrute + Beatstep Pro, Roland MX1, Pocket Operator PO-35 und PO-14
- Eurorack Modular with modules from Doepfer, DreadBox, Mutable Instruments, MakeNoise, SSF, TipTop, EoWave and Manhattan Analog.
- Interface: RME FireFace
- Monitors: ADAM A7X
- DAW: Logic Pro X and Ableton Live 10
- Software: NI Komplete Ultimate, Several Waves Plug-Ins, Melodyne, u-he Podolski, Toontrack EZ-Drummer 2 & EZ-Keys
- Flutes, Whistles, Clarineau, Duduk
- Percussion (quite often I use real percussion over ready-2-use loops)
- Hurdy Gurdy

multi-instrumentalist & composer.
Genre fluid music for images / instrumental / contemporary post-fusion / experimental jazz / electro acoustic ambient / melodic noise / neoclassical / naive hard core / cosmopolitan world music.

bio here:
http://dedeland.com/daniel-diaz-bio/


In some words:
Composer, arranger, producer, multi-instrumentalist. Born in Argentina,
I studied music in Buenos Aires, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Paris.

For 20 years, I developed an important career as a session and backing musician in Argentina and Europe, playing, among other instruments, the bass, touring and recording with many jazz, rock, fusion, world, Latin and tango bands.

At the same time, I worked as an arranger, producer and musical director with many projects and artists in the USA, Argentina and Europe.

From 1992 to 1997, I performed my compositions live with my own band in Buenos Aires and began a solo recording career with the worldwide release of my first album "The Years Alone" on the North American label Green Linnet/Xenophile. On this album I arranged and performed 11 of my songs written between 1986 and 1993. I played most of the instruments, but included guest appearances by some great South American players.

My recording career continued with "Segundo Ciclo" (1997), released worldwide by Timeless Records, and 12 more albums released between 2000 and 2016.

Currently, I work as an on-demand film/TV composer while continuing to play live and produce.

2026 Update

Hello, my friends. As many of you may have noticed, my SC days are behind me. But perhaps not for the reasons you may imagine. Honestly (I’m a pathological honester. It’s a blessing/curse of my autism), sober Justin couldn’t keep up with the social world drinky Justin had created; and I had to honor sobriety, and the changes that required. I do apologize to the community. I loved my time here. I just couldn’t keep up anymore. 

But… everything is great in my world. I’m finding my center through my Chi exercises/meditations. And I still produce music at a reckless pace… and possibly weirder sounding than ever before… but it’s only landing on Bandcamp these days. 

I wanted to mention that because you may have noticed all my solo works have disappeared from SC. I did this because I want my now-free SC page to honor all the awesome collabs I did with this community over the years. 

You can always find my solo works on Bandcamp (still free to listen to and download from there). And all those earlier works still contain the original write-up I posted with the song… so those have not been lost either. :)

I hope you’re all navigating these turbulent times with all the love and compassion you can muster. I have a feeling it’s integral to a better future. :)

Hugs from your (now semi-reclusive) friend,
-Justin (GrevusAnjl)
GrevusAnjl@mac.com
__________________

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. :)

Loves to write songs, playing the guitar and singing a bit. 
working on new material.

If Yesterday Was Tomorrow (ifYwasT)  is a progressive/art rock music project started in 2020 by Olivier Santoni-Costantini. Olivier S-C is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, bass and drums. He composes and produce original songs, occasionally collaborating with other musical artists from San Francisco to enhance the diversity of the project.

Personnel:
Bill Lupo: Lead Vocals
Olivier S-C: Lead Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Drums
Valerie Eisen: Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Thomas Wihlbiller: Piano, Keyboard

Original songs by “If Yesterday Was Tomorrow”
Mixed and produce by Olivier Santoni-Costantini

Hi guys! 
What's up ? 

I am Ouw£, a Belgian DJ-producer who blends genres — from deep techno and melodic trance to raw hip-hop and experimental beats. 
His musical journey began at a young age, when he was constantly creating melodies in his head. But due to the challenges of ADHD, it remained ideas and dreams for a long time ... 
It was only in 2024 that Ouw£ took the step to really commit himself as a musician. That years of internal creativity now translates into a unique, genre-less sound that knows how to touch both the underground scene and the dance floor. Ouw£ makes music for people who feel — and for people who want to escape this reality into soundscapes and frequency ranges! 
Ouw£ released his first EP under the label of Electric Eden Records in January 2025. In the meanwhile he released 2 other EP's as well and isn't going to stop now ... !!!
In July 2025 his 1st solo track 'My Point Of View' is released under the Behavior Recordings label!

I've been creating music for over 30 years.I make a variety of projects that I have labeled 'conceptual instrumentals'.Experimentation is the core principle in my compositions.

I create all of my own audio and visuals.

(Modern-day expiremental noise compositions)

New tracks tagged #RealInstruments