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« Into The Ashram » is the first chapter of the « Entering The Stream » trilogy, which also comprises « The Chrome Lake » and « Leaving The Ashram. »

The composition is intended to depict the progress of an individual getting fed up with their day to day life to the point of taking an extended time off for reflection and introspection.

The piece is an instrumental which counts the following four movements :

• The Ordinary
• Running Out Of Breath
• Dweller On The Threshold
• Jambudvipa

In the cosmology of Buddh

("Underwater World" by Felipe Skroski)

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process that we affectionately refer to as life.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach th

("Enigma" by Matías Argudín)

The third and fourth parts of “Leaving The Ashram” are respectively entitled “The Tabla Master’s Enigma” and “The Ordinary II.” Our unidentified introspective hero has completed his retreat and is going back to ordinary life.

As I now leave behind the echoes of complaints
The struggles of ego in the hall of constraints
I recall my time here one of introspection
Of intense pondering and of liberation

Long I sat by myself in silence and darkness
One by one noticing the causes

(Based on « 4D virtual 3x3x3x3 sequential move puzzle, scrambled » by SpinningSpark)

« Integration » is the seventh and final chapter of « The Chrome Lake. »

This instrumental section starts on a chaotic solo piano part which is soon backed up by the rhythm section that plays up the oddness and dissonance. The intent here is to convey the impression of having too many pieces to fit in a puzzle, combined with an urge to complete it.

The disarray slowly gives way to order and steady forward movemen

(« Stromschnelle » by Gerhard Rießbeck)

In « Rapids, » the third part of « The Dam, » the protagonist/narrator is being carried from a mostly disappointing river straight into an heretofore unseen dam.

The intent behind this instrumental section is to convey a feeling of being taken ahead by an unrelenting force, and to let the listener reflect on the discourse presented in « River. »

In the storyline, the rapids represent the rising tension which accompanies the recognition that one's chosen cours

("Stromschnelle" by Gerhard Rießbeck)

In « Rapids, » the third part of « The Dam, » the protagonist/narrator is being carried from a mostly uneventful and rather disappointing river straight into an heretofore unseen dam.

The intent behind this instrumental section is to convey a feeling of being taken ahead by an unrelenting force, and to let the listener reflect on the discourse presented in « River. »

In the storyline, the rapids represent the rising tension which accompanies the recognition th

("Surface Tension" by darkmatter)

In « Surface, » the sixth chapter of « The Dam, » the protagonist/narrator is gradually returning to activity after having transformed into who he feels like being, and will ultimately reach the surface where he will properly begin his new existence.

In the storyline, this step marks the end of a long process of metamorphosis wherein one has endured many transformations and shed that which belongs to their former way of being. Once released from the demanding tr

"Introspection II" is the fifth section, and second with vocals, of "The Chrome Lake." And as is the case for its almost-but-not-identical twin "Introspection I," the subject matter is pretty much self-explanatory.

Verse
I see you feel restrained, mechanized, dehumanized
I see you feel estranged, incomplete, dissatisfied
Anything for a refuge, an island for your mind, a flight, a break
No amount of diversion or substance will ever dissolve the lake

Low confidence, you can't make a move without a guide

("Introspection" by Alberto Baumann)

"Introspection I" is the third part, and first vocal section, of "The Chrome Lake," which itself constitutes the core middle chapter of the "Entering The Stream" trilogy.

The title of the whole suite was inspired by Voivod's "X-Ray Mirror" from their "Nothingface" album :

I can't believe I am the image
Within the mirror
Into the chrome lake
The glass is broken
But I look the same

The present part's subject matter is, as implied by its title, looking into oneself. Her

(Globe of Integration by Eugen Hofbauer, Herbert Kalleitner, and Susi Müller. Photo by Manfred Kielnhofer)

“The Chrome Lake” is the core middle part of “Entering The Stream,” the trilogy which begins with "Into The Ashram" and is completed by "Leaving The Ashram."

Lasting a little over 12 minutes, the suite comprises seven sections identified as follows :

• 1. Introversion
• 2. Intervention
• 3. Introspection I
• 4. Introspectrumental I
• 5. Introspection II
• 6. Introspectrumental II
• 7. Integration

“Integration” sta