Probes

When Ivan1984 dives into an album I also know that the music will be fascinating and amazing. I would like to see the cinematic results of an Ivan1984 screenplay with this album as the soundtrack. Thank you for the fantastic and metaphoric tone poems. This is the experimental stuff that keeps me coming back to Jamendo for. Now, I'll quietly move into the 7th dimension and listen for a moment......

The Beginning is the beginning of a little story, and it's a good start. It sets the scene for the musical drama that is about to unfold in time and space. Appropriately stellar in its intention, there is even the intimation of strange and unusual creatures, environment and a perhaps impossible perception of such entities. Entering this musical territory is bound to open a can of possible wormholes. As a piece of music, or a collection of sounds, the expression at least, is actually quite ambient and 'natural'.

The Probe is more technical than the previous track, it has to be and the ambience seems suitable to the limits of my imagination. This is the interface with the alien technology and its own level of organicity. There is almost a sense of it not being the first time, maybe it is confidence. The track is quite light in places with a curious Eastern twang. Then, it changes, which is suitable as the need for movement perceived is critical to the story. There are structural changes and 'familiar' sounds that engender the point of interface with the world we know so little about anyway.

The Response again feels quite technical, these are not ethereal probes methinks, but ones with flashing lights and moving parts. I think there is an attempt at capturing a sense of fear here as well, fear of the unknown is enough to unbalance most minds. Suitably that the track changes so often, but still hangs onto an essence of ambience, just slightly darker, even as the track develops and the pace gently picks up. Hunter and prey? Then a dramatic ending answers the question.

The Abduction has a sinister ring to it in a very appropriate manner. There is a heartbeat rhythm and all the drama, the build up overall is more noticeable here. The probe seems more organic here, less beeping perhaps and more musical movements of reasonable intent. This track has a more obvious sense of transportation or perhaps an intimation of transcendence.

The Exam is getting darker, the transcendence flowing through levels of consciousness and awareness. It has to be an unusual, strangely filled ambience, with peaks of realisations and hopes that its all just an odd dream. Technicalities begin to be re-introduced, it's almost like being at the dentist at times or having a brachioscopy without sedation. Has a sense of sadness as an afterword.

The Fear is the screaming cacophony of a very busy head, inner turmoil beyond tolerance. Some of the sounds reflect this well. With an ever changing background like fear, developing and evolving, revolving around a core of anguish. The structure here is more discernible being more accessible to us human beings. After all what emotions could you imagine an alien probe having? Dark and ominous towards the end.

The Escape seems to reflect the throbbing heart of seeing the slightest opportunity to evade further probings. As it quietens the chance becomes more of a reality and the potential freedom is on the brink, of success it seems as movement seems evident in the development of the track, with as many variations as such a flight might involve. Truly a story told in instrumental terms. Halfway through, or thereabouts, the track changes completely. Nice rhythmic structures and a curious sensation of melodies. The variations in this track alone, are indicative of the ups and downs of a journey in a thirteen and a half minute long track of musical magic, that peters away into the distance.

The Doubt is suitably edgy and slightly uncomfortable, with a sprinkling of devastating incredulity that such a thing could have gone on. Surely not, though apparently so...

The Solitude is painful. It is a difficult blend to create unless you have some real sense of it, somewhere in the past maybe and also in reception. It's like having a migraine headache and forces you into modes of consciousness that you would rather leave well alone and avoid if at all possible.

The End sees the aliens leaving the insignificant test subject to their own self-imposed, and societally constricted wreck of a life, while they move on, assimilating data and ruling the universe in a way that is beyond our own capabilities. I mean we can't even get a mirror straight sometimes.

As a concept album I think it works and I think without going through the preamble, I would have picked up on some of the sense of it, especially the more humanly accessible tracks. Try not reading the story and listening to the music first and see if it works.