FAWM: "Fractured"

Fractured

Skirmish: take a look in the mirror (@fairplay)

Liner Notes

Late to the game --and to the #skirmish by about 35 minutes--, this piece is the #firstfruits of this year for #lookinthemirror.

As I was trying to fit in a late night skirmish, I decided to create the track entirely using my voice and body and then process certain parts to achieve a particular effect - a goal for this FAWM, actually.

I put in the bassline first, and then the descant, followed by tthe an #improvisation for both the lyric and melody. I guess the vocal line would be an #acousticonetake since I left it entirely alone, other than throwing some processing at it. (Does that still count?) Added percussion (snap to the cheek!) and then doubled and dropped the descant to destabilize things before letting them resolve to "normal."

As I sang, I was thinking about pieces of a broken mirror - you can see the overall reflection, but it's also multiplied in strange ways. Overall, the piece is a little #ambient and #experimental which feels about right for this year. I'm trying to come at things without expectation.

This was a good topic to kick things off for me.

Lyrics

Hello? Hello...Hello?
Are you there?
Hello...hello?

Look,
I see a face that isn't mine.
It was before --
the eyes are kind,
but tired,
awake too long.
Fractured and broken,
singing in the dark
this song.

Do you ever look at...
Do you know who you are today?
Have you seen her?
The one who
long ago lost her way?
How, how can you find her in the dark,
there where the mirrors are shattered?
Sparks flicker,
a thousand pictures
are looking at me
like I can set myself free.
free
free
free

Can you let me in?
I don't know
who's looking back at me
it's been so long
since I looked in the light
when I could see
all of the might
I used to be
when I was young,
when I was free.
free
free
free

Comments

@sheslin 2w

Wonderful vocal layering. The percussion sound is so cool and the slow crescendo was excellent. It percussion sounds brittle and choppy like a broken mirror would be. The melody is so compelling and pretty - beautiful vocals. The chunky phrasing makes me think of pieces also. I think your experiment achieved great results and I bet it was fun too!

@berni1954 2w

Intriguing experiment. The multiple voices echo the fragmented reflections in the broken pieces of mirror. Fine main vocals and lyrical development.

@ragbag 2w

This is atmospheric and haunting. Really cleverly put together and so on prompt. what a great experiment. love it. :-)

@wylddandelyon 2w

Oh, nicely trancy! I enjoyed listening.

@fairplay 2w

…great play between the fractures-image and the kind of broken echoes - deep and inspired lyrics - i like the rhythmics & percussive action in the background and the minimalistic approach - well done…