An Investigation into the Death of Professor Bergman

Preface

This is the second entry in an ongoing story that I am literally making up every time I sit down at the keyboard (the one with eighty eight keys). Being my 3rd musical project, I am learning that these notes are more than sounds produced from a speaker; they are my sounds. They represent my emotions and my thoughts, and these I share with you. Why? Because I hope that you will discover what represents you, and then share that with another. Enjoy.

The Story

Singularity.

The point at which man and machine will meld together. Science said it couldn’t be done. Oh, did science deny me my right to hypothesize and dream and desire for something so impossible. But science is not man’s only tool in his quest for knowledge; emotion has carried my existence farther than fact. With this in mind, I begun my trials.

I will not list the details regarding my experiment in this report, because the world is full of thieves and fools who would wish to recreate this, and I cannot bear the possibility of one using this for selfish gain. If my calculations are correct, then I will assume the responsibility of being the one who brought the divine and the digital together for there is nothing, at this present time, that can do so. Of course it would be the synergizing of sound and silence that transfers the soul from body to build. But, I realize that an invention untested will never grant rest to my imagination; and in the shadows lurks a greater evil, the envious man.

The man who tried to steal my plans is now dead, but I fear that I will join him. It’s ironic, the dagger that will inevitably be the death of me is the same tool keeping my blood from leaking out of my punctured heart. And how fate loves to flirt, I have just put the finishing touches on my new invention. I call it the “phonetic transcriber“.

The device itself is compact, about the size of the average typewriter, but by utilizing a key biochemical byproduct, the machine is somehow able to separate the soul from the body. Hypothetically, at least. However, the time for hypotheses and calculations has passed, and action is required for I feel the cold tendrils of death looping around my neck.

Liv, although you’d probably tell me I’m a fool for doing this, I must take the risk; what else is there left for me but the eternal void? Heaven or hell may await me, and I fear neither of them. I am terrified, however, of leaving this earth without knowledge that my device worked.

With death on my doorstep, I have to take the risk: I will test the phonetic transcriber on myself.

*non-distinct static and digital downpour erupt from the device*

I declare that on October 9th, 1851, the first step towards the Singularity was conducted by I, Professor Cedric Bergman; may the world forget that this was also the day that I drew my last breath.

P.S. Liv, I hope you find your happiness.

Listen

Black Dwarf: A Playlist for Alice on Alpha Centauri

Foreward

Let it be known that I make music for myself, and for no one else, so what you are about to listen to is definitely for me, and it’s up to you as a potential listener to see if it is for you as well. What does one think of when they gaze into the void above, into the black twilight known as space? I have often pondered what lies out there, and this is where this project began. This is the soundtrack to the space terror that I have yet to write. 

The Story

Log Transmission: Nanophycisit Dr. Aurelius
Date: The 18th Cycle of the Ghoul Cluster, 20993

Alice,
I love you. It…it doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to keep my promise. Something happened on our voyage…we were attacked by a giant ship as soon as we reached the Caesarian nebula, but then we took a prisoner on board who helped us defeat them. I should’ve known that was a bad idea because shortly after we had faults in our electrical systems, and the prisoner…well he’s gone. But he left something here, something horrible; we’ve called it the Omega-9. It infected my nanobytes somehow, and ever since then we’ve been battling for our survival. The crew started…mutating, and we’ve lost so many of them. It’s all hard to explain but, somehow, I made it to the Captain’s Cabin. There is a phonetic transcriber in here, so I’m going to write it all down, and hopefully you will receive this message. Look, remember when I said if I ever had the chance to be a hero, I would do so without question? Well, that time is now. I just…wish it wasn’t after we got married.

*Self-Destruct Sequence Activated*

Alice. My constellation, Alice. Not a day went by that I didn’t wish to be back on Alpha Centauri, in your arms. I always felt safe there. I don’t know why, but I kept replaying this one memory during  hyper sleep. It was that trip we took to the Chronos Cluster, and we watched the Narwal Nebula turn into a supernova. It looked like a school of flying fish, cosmic dust and energy rain; and, then you told me something I’ve never forgotten.

*5* “You said that-”
*4* “The stars don’t com-”
*3* “-pare to the”
*2* “constellation in my”
*1* “corazon.”

10101A10100101010
1010101010LI1010101
1C10001010110110011
001101010100101E01

–Transmission Lost.

Black Dwarf

Haunting Harmonies

Sounds and Screams

Disclaimer. I am not a trained musician/lyricist. All songs were recorded in my closet with a camera microphone and instrumentals made on GarageBand 2014, so I apologize for any issues with the quality.

What is it about a sound that affects us so much? Auditory sensations can have a significant effect on our being to the point that music can calm a restless child, can entice an amorous feeling in lovers, and can even bring tears to eyes at a funeral. So continuing my study of fear and being, the next topic to unearth is sound. Can these same sensations and sonic vibrations send shivers down our spine? If music is the language of the soul, then it is quite possible that agonizing screams and cries of terror could somehow communicate with the soul. What, then, would your being say when it heard the snapping of a jaw or the tale of a cannibal on a dinner date? And what of the lyrics? If terror and fright are somehow weaved into a poetic tale, gracing a complimenting instrumentation, would we accept them as music? I present my own answers to these questions with the work that I’m bringing on this week of Terror Tuesday. Somehow, I’ve picked up my musical habit ( I was a trumpeter for one year) and have begun creating my own sounds. The songs you may, or may not depending on your patience, listen to are written, composed, and produced by yours truly ( you can tell by the quality). However, if you choose to engross your ears, then look past the technological shortcomings and listen to the language of my soul.

 

 

Thirty Tapes

At the beginning of 2016, I told my best friend that this would be the best year for music we’ve seen in years. As this rollercoaster comes to a close, I can say, despite all the other nonsense that happened this year, good music saved all of us. I can’t stress the importance of synchronized sound and silence in our lives; but I will attempt to with this list. Below are thirty albums that made their way into my life this year, and healed/helped in an unique manner. I’m going to avoid big name ones such as TLOP, Starboy, Birds in the Trap etc., because you’ll probably read enough reviews about them. Instead, I plan to focus on artist and names you may or may have never heard about, previously before this list. Without further ado, I give you my Top Thirty Tapes of 2016 (in no particular order).

Also, below the list a playlist (Spotify) with one song from each of the albums. Enjoy. 

Princess – Abra

• A sexually-charged disco wonderland courtesy of the first lady of Awful Records.

House of Diamonds – Angelo Mota

• Poetry in real time sprinkled over fresh beats.

The Altar – BANKS

• A self-expression of darkness and the hope that resides within it.

Freetown Sound – Blood Orange

• The sounds of New York City  during the summer.

22, A Million – Bon Iver

• The croons of a man living in harmony with nature.

CDW – Charlotte Day Wilson

• The passionate voice of a fresh face coming up for air. 

“Awaken, My Love!” – Childish Gambino

• Modern existential funk.

*Pilgrim’s Paradise – Daniel Caesar

• *This album actually came out in ’15 but it was so good that it deserved an honorary spot on this list.

The Getaway – Red Hot Chili Peppers

• Legendary Rock & Roll. Nuff said

Blonde – Frank Ocean

• Love letters  written on a tab.

Ology – Gallant

• Best Tape of 2016.

Energia – J Balvin

• Dat fuego reggaeton.

The Colour In Anything  – James Blake

• Mechanized sonnets written by lost astronauts.

It Is. – JMSN

• The jazz that you’ve been missing.

Witchcraft – Lord Narf

• Chants and hexes from Awful Records’ Sorceress.

The Divine Feminine – Mac Miller

• Sexy bubblegum beats and romantic raps.

Game of Thrones Season 6 – Ramin Djawdi

• The Medieval Apocalypse.

Westworld Soundtrack – Ramin Djawdi

• The REM recordings of robotic dreams.

Secrets – Rendzevous At Two

• The musings of millenial lovers.

Monday – StarRo

• A fantastic smattering of Soundcloud legends

Thierry Disko – Sunni Colon

• Miami Vice in the morning.

(m)edian – Ta-Ku & Waifa

• Five songs to help you fall in love.

There’s Alot Going On – Vic Mensa

• The private confession of a pro-black artist.

The Everlasting Wave – Xavier Omar

• That “you don’t know nothing about this” R&B

Chapters – Yuna

• A storybook with pop-up emotions.

*Good to Love – FKA Twigs

• Only a single, but well worth it.

I’m a Piece of Shit – Father

• American Grime.

Reflections in Real Time – Kilo Kish

• Timeless thoughts translated over tunes.

Majid Jordan – Majid Jordan

• The first mixtape you sent to your first girlfriend.

Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin – Kid Cudi

• HMHMMMMMHMMMmh

 

 

 

William Blake Came Through The Window

First time on the track so call me a verbal virgin

Hands up dont shoot

My boys be squirming