Blog Posts

("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

(Detail from "Lenticular cloud")

Given its structure and contents, the second part of “Leftoverturned” could have been entitled “Informaëlstrom II” (ref: "1000 Radios"), but because of the undeniable influence of Modest Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” the full title finally evolved into “Atmospheric Disturbance Over Balkanian Mountain.” Please don’t ask. But you’re welcome to enjoy the clip.

(... continued from "Leftoverturned part 1")

At first I blamed the offenders
Until I came to recognize

(Detail from "American quilt" )

When I complete a composition there are often unused ideas left. Some of those I find actually pretty good but if I can’t see how to fit them into the piece then there’s not much choice but to discard them. For a while.

I rarely delete stuff, I archive. Once in a while I browse the archives and listen to such ideas in no particular order, and sometimes I get to see a way to combine some of them. Then I have the seed of a new composition.

“Leftoverturned” is a rehash

(Detail from a Postcard, Unknown Artist)

“Leaving The Ashram” is the third chapter of "Entering The Stream," a trilogy describing an episode of intense introspection that will most likely open our second album.

An instrumental suite in four movements (Meditative Walk, Running The Last Stretch, The Tabla Master’s Enigma, and The Ordinary II), it was originally put together in 2004, way before the other two chapters, “Into The Ashram” and “The Chrome Lake.”

Once reflection and healing have taken p

(Polygraph from U.S. Patent 4,333,084)

The first part of "Polygraph" is entitled “Exposition” and aims to evoke a somewhat peaceful and relaxed dialogue, before the relationship slowly degrades to the point of sourness as personal values and beliefs are questioned and subjected to criticism.

The Discipline-era King Crimson influence is undeniable here, and to my ear the second variation sounds like something from Steve Reich’s “Drumming.”

I have a particular fondness for that piece of music. One f

(Dante and Beatrice gaze upon the highest Heaven by Gustave Doré)

"Waking In Heaven" is a relatively short composition that starts with a minimalist approach, goes to the grandiose, and then takes a leap for the celestial. An irresistible mood lifter for me, it works well on its own, but I have a feeling that it could end up as the concluding part of a suite.

Once was a time I can recall
Before the spring after the fall
Far from the glory of it all
Distressing doubt was standing tall

Every morning I