Chill

The Cosmic Blink Expands

Within the grand sweep of the universe we occupy an invisible amount of space, and an even smaller moment in time. "The Cosmic Blink Expands" explores the possibility of taking the mere blip of a second we've been given -- widening it, delving into its finest details, imbuing life with meaning and a kaleidoscope of color.

This track plumbs a discovery of the unknown: music sung with tenderness for a child new to the world, conveying care and the promise of exploring the cosmos together, no matter how dark it may be. A musical adaptation of a Pleiadian folk song, "The Cosmic Blink Expands" offers homage to Maurice Ravel and Bill Evans, spoken from the quietude and vastness of space. Its title illuminates a distinctly Pleiadian perspective: life’s limitless possibilities blossoming from the single blink of a moment we have each been gifted.

— Making of / Behind the scenes —

the first time I performed this song live, the audience reaction was a surprise.

to tell the story right I'd like to go back to the beginning.

around christmas in darkness of winter lockdown, I sat in front of a piano to play one note -- causing the following melody to unfold by itself. it was one of those songs nearly fully formed upon arrival, which happens occasionally. but this song felt beamed from the skies, reminiscent of a dream.

the time came to choose songs to debut on tour with Alex Wong. I hesitated to pick this at all. its quietness and lack of rhythm made me wonder about its "show-appropriate"-ness. but I thought about how it had been written during a songwriting sprint, how out of dozens of songs born that week I kept returning to it again and again. how love letters to Ravel and Evans are bookmarked inside its sheaves. how its power, for me, comes from its resolute tenderness.

hearing listeners respond with "I am floating in space" and "I want this mood to continue forever" was deep catharsis. though the music came from mysterious origins, to me these words somehow also said: "message received".

I'm excited to present this song as the first statement of LULLABIES OF THE PLEIADES -- all songs and more about the project will be revealed soon, including lyrics for this one.

it's an honor to work with Brian Trahan for his expert assistance through the recording and mixing journey, Keith Zarriello for the impulse and guidance to embark on this whole adventure in the first place, Alex Saltz of APS Mastering for his exemplary skills and aesthetic sensibilities. thanks also to Kyle McEvoy of Sonder House, and the team at Falling Sea records for the co-release.

much love and gratitude to Juliette Viger for the visionary artwork <3

Eric Pan

Ballet of the Mariner

// Station 1 // Lore

Once, in a faraway place and time 🌊

there was an endless ocean lit by three moons –

Dewporoi, the constant moon of the High East
Herrinrisi, the fast moon of the morning starfalls
Valiyi, the hidden moon of the buried sands

– Our story begins with the mariner, Riwai 🛶  –

Each day, Riwai sails the endless ocean
on a boat made from living trees

the sea is quiet and calm
but usually too dark to see

You see, the constant Dewporoi always glows blue
enough to illuminate the ocean's ripples
but not the strange creatures living underneath...

It is rare for all three moons to overlap 🌔 ☾ 🌑
...but under their concurrent light
there is a certain dance
(learned by all children)⠀
that when danced⠀
navigates any wanderer to her place of birth⠀
⠀
how to recall a dance from distant childhood?⠀
⠀
well, singing the notes of this lullaby 🎶⠀
welcomes, somehow, a revival of forgotten movement⠀
allowing the body all by itself⠀
to channel memories kept safe⠀
to summon ancient wonders to life
and illuminate the sea-path towards home.

// Station 2 // Collector Perks

This is a 1/1 Catalog NFT song pressing originated by Eric Pan (pandelic.eth).

Every owner of an Eric Pan (pandelic.eth) Catalog NFT also receives unlimited, "golden ticket" download access to Eric Pan's entire published music catalog, in resolutions up to MP3 V0 and lossless WAV. As of this pressing, this includes the following:

+ Travel Poems . Chapter 1 . Secret towns (LP)
+ Travel Poems . Chapter 2 . The night sea (LP)
+ Travel Poems . Chapter 3 . There is no path back (LP)
+ Lullabies of the Pleiades (EP)
+ goodnight margaret wise brown (single)
+ the year the shipwreck became beautiful (single)

Every collector with "golden ticket" status also has access to Eric Pan's future albums as they become published. Collectors ready to redeem current and future music as downloads should email gm@ericpan.org for access, as well as in case of any questions.

More expansive perks will be unveiled over time.

Home by Snowlight

// Station 1 // Lore

A lullaby about a child of the Pleiades
traveling home through hills and across frozen lakes —

Usually the journey is calm but
on this foggy night
the snow seems especially mischievous ❄️

// Station 2 // Field Notes

"Home by Snowlight" seems to vary widely across local cultures, its themes collected in different ways under a range of different titles. Common to all of the versions that we found, however, is that this lullaby is often sung on the darkest of nights, or when fears are the greatest. The storyteller, usually a caretaker, seems at liberty to add details into the song which might address the child's fears — especially, we noticed, by highlighting the skills, inventiveness, and creativity of the hero.

(The child does, after all manner of dangers and trouble, arrive home safe and sound.)

As such, our attempts at transcription include improvised melodies in its middle section, in order to best represent this space for spontaneous story-making. Performances of this lullaby, as we witnessed them, often were accompanied by dance or pantomime.

// Station 3 // Collector Perks

This is a 1/1 Catalog NFT track composed, performed, and pressed by Eric Pan (pandelic.eth).

Every owner of a pandelic.eth Catalog NFT also receives unlimited, "golden ticket" download access to Eric's entire published music catalog, in resolutions up to MP3 V0 and lossless WAV. As of this pressing, this includes the following:

+ Travel Poems . Chapter 1 . Secret towns (LP)
+ Travel Poems . Chapter 2 . The night sea (LP)
+ Travel Poems . Chapter 3 . There is no path back (LP)
+ Lullabies of the Pleiades (EP)
+ goodnight margaret wise brown (single)
+ the year the shipwreck became beautiful (single)
+ Extras: full-resolution cover art, liner notes, music videos

Every collector with golden-ticket status also has access to Eric Pan's future music+extras as they become published. Collectors ready to redeem downloads can email gm@ericpan.org at any time for access, as well as in case of any questions.

More expansive and exclusive perks will be unveiled over time.

The Undersea Carousel

// Station 1 // Lore

This old melody spins a fable about an ancient carousel, nestled in the ocean depths, covered with glowing, vibrating plants 🌿.

It is said to bring good luck and spirits, especially if discovered spinning from underwater currents. Its location is a mystery.

// Station 2 // Field Notes

The lullaby describes “The Undersea Carousel” with a hallowed air, its lyrics illustrating in gorgeous detail not only the legendary object, but also the wonder and fortune bestowed upon whomever might encounter it.

Curiously, though the song is well-known, especially in rural areas, we found it quite difficult to ask about its truth and history. We attempted questions about whether the carousel actually exists, on which planet it might be, around when it might have last been visited, and so on – and were unable to find residents who had any interest in discussing such matters.

One group of elders suggested, not without twinkles in their eyes, that if we wanted to know more about the carousels (notably, spoken of in the plural), we should ask Thuvratioow. This is the nickname of an old god no longer worshipped, who last held sway some sixty thousand years ago, when none of the outer Pleiades had yet been inhabited.

We began to discern a collective understanding among the Pleiadians, that these mysteries were themselves part of the lore. That such secrets held beauty, and even commanded power, in remaining secret. That inquiries made in pursuit of precision could, in certain situations, prevent the attainment of a greater knowledge.

At least, the puzzle of the song's story is perhaps outdone by the story surrounding the song.

// Station 3 // Collector Perks

This is a 1/1 Catalog NFT track composed, performed, and pressed by Eric Pan (pandelic.eth).

Every owner of a pandelic.eth Catalog NFT also receives unlimited, “golden ticket” download access to Eric's entire published music catalog, in resolutions up to MP3 V0 and lossless WAV. As of this pressing, this includes the following:

+ Travel Poems . Chapter 1 . Secret towns (LP)
+ Travel Poems . Chapter 2 . The night sea (LP)
+ Travel Poems . Chapter 3 . There is no path back (LP)
+ Lullabies of the Pleiades (EP)
+ goodnight margaret wise brown (single)
+ the year the shipwreck became beautiful (single)
+ Extras: full-resolution cover art, liner notes, music videos

Every collector with golden-ticket status also has access to Eric Pan's future music+extras as they become published. Collectors ready to redeem downloads can email gm@ericpan.org at any time for access, as well as in case of any questions.

More expansive and exclusive perks will be unveiled over time.

fetishizing struggle #4


I’m Hayley. I’m from flat, cold, wonderful, Winnipeg and I live in LA. I’ve been doing some amount of this music stuff since I was a very tiny person. 

For the first time in a very long time, I am in a healthy relationship, and it’s been interesting to navigate my relationship to releasing music in the process. I don’t yet feel compelled to write about being in healthy love. My instinct is to continue diving into my pit of wounds, just sloshing around in the sludge that is my dating history rather than embracing where I am now. 

I’ve spent so much of my life being attracted to men who make me feel like garbage. Fetishizing struggle is my investigation into why that pain means so much to me, why I keep circling back to it, dipping my toe into it, dancing around in it.

Enjoy and take a picture of yourself crying. You know you want to. 


Hayley Gene Penner

I'm Sorry #9

My name is Mark Johns, I’m an artist living in LA and have been making music since 2015.

I wrote this on the piano in my room a couple years ago and immediately ran downstairs to bang on my neighbor Brenton’s door. He was in a session with our friend AO beats and I basically hijacked it, begging them to help me turn the piano into guitar. We recorded the whole thing in less than 20 minutes. I cried a bunch and that was it.

Anytime I wanted to put it out I was talked out of it by somebody telling me that there wasn’t enough in it to latch on to. What even is the hook here, there’s no drums, the guitar sounds like ass etc etc etc. I had no interest in changing it so I just never released it.

It sucked cause songs like ‘I’m sorry’ are the songs that I feel like a part of me is embedded in. They are the ones that take 20 minutes to write because you don’t need to think when you’re telling the truth.

Feels special for this to be my genesis NFT, and I truly appreciate every single one of you who takes the time to listen.

Mark Johns

Bad Days #8

I wrote "Bad Days" with tears in my eyes.  It's a pretty blunt song cause I didn't plan on sharing it with anyone at first.  But I changed my mind after showing it to a friend who silently listened, crying only several lines into the song.  

I feel like no one giving a shit about us is something we've all felt.  Especially living in a world of constant self comparison via social media.  So hopefully this can help someone out there feel a little less unseen.  

After making a voice memo recording on the stoop of my house in Nashville, I took the song to my friend Spencer Rabin who helped me bring it to life.  Matt Chancey played the guitars, and the incredible duo, Shaan Ramaprasad and Juliano Bitonti recorded the strings.  Ben Kessler later put his touch on it with the mix.  

Collectors of this song will be included in a personal telegram chat, where I'll be sharing new music, and videos before they release. The golden egg winner will also receive a one off piece of “Bad Days” merch.

--

No one gives a shit about me
That's how it feels some days
When I try to call my friends, but they all say the same

Sorry I'm too busy
But I see on their stories
People I know having the time of their lives

Should I stay home
Or should I go
Will I fit in, or will I just feel more alone

Will I bring the party down
No one likes to be around
Somebody sad, but I don't know how to get out of these bad days
These bad days


Camden

Fourteen Hours #17

Today is Aug 12 2021. 

It’s 10am, I’m currently sitting at a bar drunk. I just got broken up with, I never understood what heart break felt like till now. I’m heading out to Dean Street Studios in London to meet Mr. Hudson right now for our first session. 

We wrote this on George Harrison’s piano, and did this song in one take. Before I had to catch a flight. I haven’t written a song in 10 months, today inspired me to write one in 10min. This song is called fourteen hours. 

This is my genesis music NFT and my first release as an independent artist. 

Harry Hudson

If I Could Say #8

Hi, I’m Kacy Hill. I’m from Phoenix, AZ, now based in Los Angeles. 

Back in 2014, I signed to G.O.O.D. Music and released my debut album, “Like A Woman” three years later.  While I’m thankful for the crash course in the inner workings of the industry my major label experience gave me, I ultimately wanted out (badly). After almost a year of quite literally following Kanye West around to try and get a meeting, I was finally dropped and have been releasing music independently since 2018.

With each of my subsequent album releases I have experimented more with production and the amount of freedom I give myself to make mistakes. In my second album “Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again”, I was able to dictate the sounds I heard in my head to collaborators, though rarely sitting down at the computer to dig into the engineering of those sounds. My most recent album, “Simple, Sweet, and Smiling”, was a window into engineering and producing my own music, partially fueled by lockdowns and the inability to actually collaborate in person. 

“If I Could Say” is the first song I’m putting out into the world that I’ve produced and written (and played saxophone on!) entirely on my own. I’m less focused on perfection these days and more interested in what feels most fun and fulfilling to me. I love making music and at this point in life, I pursue whatever will allow me to keep loving the process. 

Kacy Hill

best or worst? #12

Hello hello, I’m Kathleen! 

I’m a Boston born independent singer/songwriter (go pats), currently residing in Nashville, TN (yeehaw?) I’ve been actively releasing music for about 10 years, but really just got into my own groove over the past few. Growing up in Massachusetts, I was deeply inspired by Irish and folk music. My dad introduced me to Alison Krauss and I’ve been writing sad shit ever since. 

This is my very first drop with Sound.xyz but my introduction to web3 came a little over a year ago. During the pandemic, I had a few sessions via zoom with my friend Matthew Chaim. At that point, his idea for Songcamp was really brewing and I could tell how excited he was for what web3 could become for independent artists. I didn’t want to miss out. I was then a part of Camp Elektra as well as the most recent camp, Camp Chaos. Songcamp became the ideal playground for me to learn & experiment in this space alongside this group of people, whom are now my family. 

I wrote this song a few months back while on tour in The Netherlands. I was experiencing, for the first time, being away from a partner and having it feel really healthy. Before this, I wasn’t used to the idea of someone fully supporting my wandering spirit or the fact that my career can take me elsewhere for weeks at a time. I also hadn't found this time away in the past to be very successful.. had been cheated on multiple times by the first guy I ever fell for, blah blah good timesssss my dudesss

“best or worst?” is my talking through that pessimistic side of me.. when I don’t mean to self sabotage, or talk myself out of enjoying the present moment.. but I do! At times when my life is going really well, I find myself being scared to get tooooo happy. It’s like my “what’s the catch?” mentality creeps (hey, therapy!!). Anyway, life is full of the push & pull of inner thoughts and I wanted to be honest about that. 


Thank you so much for being here,
and thank you Sound.xyz team for the platform x
KR