(Untitled Artwork by Fred Bonneau)

« Polygraph » is intended as a portrait of human relationships turning to the sour, hinting at the necessity of constant genuineness. The composition lasts a little over 10 minutes and is composed of the following four sections :

1. Exposition
2. Confrontation
3. Consideration
4. Vindication

I have a particular fondness for that piece of music. One fine evening many years ago, the TV was on to Robert Lepage’s movie « Le Polygraphe » as I stumbled upon the main motif while trying some tapping patterns on my classical guitar. When time came to sequence the motif, the music reminded me of the movie and so I named the file « Polygraph. » The band was still looking for its name at the time, and I felt compelled to add this peculiar word to a growing list of potential names that were submitted weekly to the boys at rehearsals. An awful lot of names were suggested during that period, but « polygraph » was the first to which nobody voiced any objection, so we gratefully jumped on it, and the rest is history...

The introductory movement of the suite is entitled « Exposition » and aims to evoke a heated yet still somewhat civilized exchange, not reaching the point where the relationship degrades to lower and better left undescribed levels of disrespect.

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

The lyrics to this first part are now, if not complete, at least pretty much done, as I have a feeling that I will revisit and tweak some of them before they are granted the seal of definitiveness.

One says dark
One says light
Who's telling lies ?
Who's feeding the fight ?
Truth is on their side
Or so they proclaim
Both have their pride
And when they collide
It's no more a game

One says black
One says white
Their exchanges
Are far from forthright
Trying to corner
And manipulate
Shame dishonor
Demean the other
Or they will checkmate

One says day
One says night
Hurtful replies
Are no oversight
Clever and nasty
Words don't betray spite
Yet they carry
All their enmity
Both can feel the bite

(« Magnetic field of two bar magnets with unlike poles » by Alexander Wilmer Duff)

« Come Back » dates back to the epoch of The Fall Children, the band that was supposed to be but never really was, and whose unexpected but timely demise cleared the space which Poligraf needed to come into being.

This is an enigmatic piece for me as both music and lyrics have been reworked and reorganized many times over the years, yet I’m never completely satisfied with the end results, which is kind of strange for a piece which is basically a simple song with an extended instrumental ending (as opposed to a lengthy suite for instance). That being said, as it stands now, I find the music convincing, except for the choruses which need an arrangement.

The song depicts the circumstances of a person hoping to reunite with a long-lost loved one. I'm currently working on lyrics with a view of including the piece on Poligraf's third full-length album tentatively entitled « Zen and the Art of Navigating the Cosmos. » Therefore, I'm trying to tell the story from the point of view of someone who uses their own feelings and visions along with traditional divinatory tools (such as astrology and tarot) in order to reach the desired future, pretty much as a pilot would use their instruments to reach their destination. Hopefully this new angle will provide enough inspiration to bring the piece to a satisfactory completion.

Here are parts of this work in progress :


Walking at night through the city
Miles away from your stare
Absorbed in memories of you
No distance I can't bear

My Evening Star for you I long
This love knows no delay
Dark of the moon, the feeling's strong
To be with you I pray

Still have this flame burning inside
Bright as the light of day
Lately the signs have multiplied
Hope tomorrow's the day

How time flew by, yet in hindsight
Few beats did not belong
My mind never figured I could
My heart knew all along

(« Guardian Angel, » sculpture by Josep Llimona, photography by P. B. Obregón)

« On The Wings Of My Guardian Angel » is one of the rare pieces of the Poligrafic repertoire which follows a traditional song form. It was written in less than two days, during times of uncertainty and need, and is intended to evoke a mood of persevering optimism which eludes the weight one's own regrets, an attitude thanks to which one can successfully move past trying circumstances.

Both the music and the words came out at the same time, which is also exceptional inasmuch as I generally finish the music first, and then strive, wait, struggle, and hope for the right lyrics to finally come into view.

The music is based on a simple chord progression that I used to play on the classical guitar, but until that flash of inspiration I had never really heard the interest of it. Some of the words are actually excerpts from Jonathan Cainer's astrological forecasts, which I consulted on several occasions over that particular weekend.

Do you remember when
Things would happen
Have we wandered since then
Far from heaven ?
Seems to me

Roads to hell and
Good intentions, oh anything
For a taste of liberty
And a kiss from my
Guardian Angel

The door opens again
I still want in
If I had known back then
The price of sin
C'est la vie !

Blindfolded
But the seer says everything
Is the way it needs to be
On the wings of my
Guardian Angel

And if at first you don't succeed
Just wait for the tide to recede
You will get everything you need
Just in time

Though you don't see where it will lead
Your heart knows which calling to heed
And in due time you will be freed
Just in time
In time

I remember when
Things would happen, so many things
I should have known by then
I had heaven
Blessing me

Still no sign
Yet the seer is repeating
All is the way it needs to be
On the wings of my
Guardian Angel

And if at first you don't succeed
Just wait for the tide to recede
You will get everything you need
Just in time

Though you don't see where it will lead
Your heart knows which calling to heed
And in due time you will be freed
Just in time
In time
You will have your time

(« Two portraits of Ryogen » - Author Unknown [Copyright Holder is Kiemon Tsuruya])

« Creeper » is an allegory wherein destructive mental processes are compared to creeping plants. It depicts a confrontation between creeper and host in four stages : introduction, growth, conquest, and extinction.

Although the piece was not constructed as a suite, but rather as one long song, I present it here in two parts. The second part comprises the main instrumental section, the bridge, and the finale. This corresponds to the stages of conquest and extinction of the sabotaging parasitical vine.

Having won the final confrontation, the host confirms their triumph by revealing the modus operandi and nature of his opponent :


Paradise awaiting / Because your constant voice
(All your doom scenarios never come to pass)
Always analyzing / Undermines every choice
(Expected catastrophes never come to life)

Creeper now I can see / You sabotage my dream
(All your doom scenarios never come to pass)
Yet share its quality / Thus ends your little scheme
(Expected catastrophes never come to life)

While the lead singer plays the part of the host, the backing vocalists repeat a victorious mantra.

The plant then makes a few attempts to rise from its ashes, but all are short-lived as they are rapidly recognized and subdued by the conqueror.

(« Aurora Borealis » by Frederic Edwin Church)

« Child Of The Sky » is a lullaby for grown-ups, sung from the point of view of Mother Nature.

The song is arranged for voices and acoustic instruments, namely, guitars, string quartet, flute, piano, clarinet, and percussions.

Here are the lyrics :

I am a child
Of the Sky and the Stars
Loving and sweet as Venus
And fierce as Mars

I'm lucky as Jupiter
Each brand new day I
Bathe in a meteor shower
Under the Milky Way

Brothers and Sisters high
In a round of light
We paint the aurorae
On the canvas of the night

I am a child
Of the Sun and the Moon
I sustain the gull in flight
And soothe the crying loon

Porcupine petting - And
Rhinos meal at noon - Then it's
Off to the desert 'til the evening
Shift to shape the dunes

And I am the walrus
And the oysters too
If you don't care for us we don't mind
We still carry you

I am a child
Of the Stars and the Sky
Rock-a-bye baby I am
Wind in the rye

Children be careful
Or the fields will die - If there's
No food on the table
Children will cry

When the news breaks
Shadows will fall
Down tumbles children
Mother and all

I am a child
Of the Sky and the Stars
Some of my children
Have forgotten who they are

Children of the Sky
Children of the Sky
Children of the Sky
Children of the Sky

I've been nearly completely inactive in my social networks since mid-July or so. Not that I wouldn't have liked to participate, but I have been engrossed in the redaction of the above essay.

When I tackled the project, I thought it would take a few weeks at most, and that I would be able to maintain my regular pace in other activities. However, I soon realized that the endeavour required great amounts of attention, and that the most efficient way of discharging the task was to dedicate as much time as I could to it, as quickly as practicable, so that it wouldn't drag on forever.

I finished the first draft a little over one week ago, and the final revision was completed yesterday. If the process was more protracted and demanding than originally expected, it nonetheless led to some very interesting insights and discoveries, notably in terms of the implications of the oneness of all things and beings, and with regard to the existing initiatives and organizations that work to improve the conditions of creators and inventors.

Essentially, the document elaborates on the points that I had attempted to convey in concise form through several conversations held in June and July, which in retrospect weren't the best context for such an exercise. In hindsight though, there was clearly something impelling me to finally voice my position on the question, after I had silenced it for too long. Given all that is expressed in the text, I doubt that it would have been possible for me to come up with an effort as exhaustive any sooner. So, perhaps the timing was perfect, or at least better than I reckoned when I began writing.

I am glad that the undertaking gave me the opportunity to explain my conception of art and of its nature, value, and function, as I had tried to achieve this in the past, but circumstances had ultimately prevented me from attaining the objective.

Hopefully, the perspectives that I offer on the issue of illegal file sharing and its consequences in the lives of downloaders, artists, and the whole of society, will prove useful and enlightening to many readers.

To access the essay, simply click in the embedded reader above to enter the full page view mode, or follow the « Read on Issuu » link if you want to download it for free.

The description follows below. I wish you a most enjoyable reading !

Over the last decade or so, file sharing has become a widespread phenomenon. As much as having the possibility of exchanging information almost instantaneously can represent a blessing in terms of communication and progress, it obviously opens the door to pursuits that enjoy a far less angelic reputation.

Still, the overall picture suggests that a significant number of internet users participate in such ill-famed activities. Considering this state of affairs, could illegal file sharing actually be a positive process for those downloaders, and for the collectivity alike ?

The question is generally approached from the angle of its economic impacts, but there is evidently more to the issue than its pecuniary dimension.

« Takers Economy » proposes an alternative look at illegal file sharing in light of the role of art in society, and in the context of the oneness of all beings and things.

In addition, the inquiry explores the global picture from which the circumstances emerge, and attempts to characterize the underlying culture that gives rise to them.

Finally, the essay introduces a philosophy of endosymbiotism that aims to foster attitudes and behaviours that accord with the ethics of the inherent unseparateness of being.

(« Climbing Plant » by Popperipopp)

« Creeper » is directly inspired by the following aphorism from the Dhammapada :

The streams flow everywhere; the creeper, having sprung up, becomes established. When you see that creeper sprout, sever its root by intense insight. – (XXIV. Craving, #7)

and its accompanying translator's note :

The « creeper » is insidious suggestion, rooted in ignorance and craving, developing into bondage, aggression, and folly. To sever it the moment it sprouts is what the Tao Te Ching refers to as doing what is difficult when it is still easy. This is the purpose of vigilance, so highly recommended by Buddha.

The composition forms an allegory wherein destructive mental processes are compared to creeping plants, and depicts a confrontation between creeper and host in four stages : introduction, growth, conquest, and extinction.

Although the piece was not constructed as a suite, but rather as one long song, I present it here in two parts. The first part comprises the introduction and verses, which correspond to the first two stages.

As the lyrics suggest, the creeper represents worry, negativity, or doubt, which are generally rooted in ignorance or craving, and can act as magnets to undesirable and weird experiences when pursued intently.

Insidious suggestion
Difficult to contain
Tendency to worry
Threatening to bloom in pain

Stemming up from a doubt
Burgeoning from a no
Better sever the sprout
Or a vine could follow

Creative energy – Unleashed upon itself
Subtle adversary – Not yet under control
Creative energy – Cynical of itself
Unforeseen enemy - Between here and the goal

Coming back from the past
Sinister memory
Craving for attention
The voice of gravity

Surely as it will rise
Before long, paralyse
Surely as it will grow
In a spiral, down you go

Creative energy – Unleashed upon itself
Subtle adversary – Not yet under control
Creative energy – Cynical of itself
Unforeseen enemy – Between here and the goal

(« Ratha Yatra Festival in Puri, India » by James Fergusson)

The third part of « Juggernaut, » entitled « Procession, » evokes the arrival of the crushing force before it unleashes into a frenzy of steamrolling.

The title and music of this section are both inspired by the origin of the word. From Wikipedia :

The English loanword juggernaut in the sense of "a huge wagon bearing an image of a Hindu god" is from the 17th century, inspired by the Jagannath Temple in Puri, Orissa, which has the Ratha Yatra ("chariot procession"), an annual procession of chariots carrying the murtis (statues) of Jagannâth (Krishna), Subhadra and Balabhadra (Krishna's elder brother).

In the storyline of the suite, the third section corresponds to the entrance of the team of workers led by the not-totally-honest designer. At first, the spectacle is orderly and even admirable, but as questionable deeds are committed by both camps, relationships degrade and things go awry.

This procession thus represents the series of signs which slowly become manifest as marks are missed, the cortege growing in strength until the tipping point is passed and all hell breaks loose.

To illustrate this musically, I've tried to come up with something that evokes the ceremonial and majestic grandeur of the original chariot procession which suddenly escapes control before turning into to the catastrophic crush of the stampede that reaches its climax in « Steamroller. »

Here's the poetry complementing this instrumental section :

where does this thing come from
it was not here before
obstacles make me glum
does this maze have a door

why doesn't this work out
it should be straightforward
leaving me in much doubt
how this have i incurred

what is this sensation
how come i feel so low
deflation impression
what is causing this woe

why are you mean to me
what have i done to you
why all this cruelty
and challenging undue

why is this happening
don't i deserve better
you claim to be loving
free me from this fetter

here an irritation
more annoyances there
push and prod vexation
is more than i can bear

distraught and deep in thought
drowning in resentment
confused and overwrought
and deaf to the moment

a lifeful of pointers
unfolds before my eyes
useful indicators
intended as allies

blinded by the blinkers
i do not recognize
lost in all that occurs
i avoid and despise

discounting as bothers
what's meant to make me wise
i deem as imposters
those wanting me to rise

inexorable force
standing tall on my course
inspiring my remorse
pointing me to the source

the calf on the altar
i respond in anger
unaware the mirror
heralds a steamroller

·

« Juggernaut » is a suite which clocks in at a little under 18 minutes and comprises six chapters.

The composition was originally inspired by a most painful experience involving a rented house shared by six young and not-so-young adults, unannounced extensive renovations, and frictions and miscommunications of all sorts. It’s intended to illustrate the hamartia/metanoia principle :
« Missing the point. Yes, hamartia which meant missing the point, missing the mark. Now that got translated as sin. And repentance was metanoia, meaning a transformation of the mind, and got translated as pain, right? Penitence, repentance. The point is that repentance is merely to understand that you missed the mark, you see? (laughter) Therefore evil is missing the mark, basically. It is confusion, right? Its ultimate source is the kind of confusion I described about thought. » - David Bohm, Unfolding Meaning

(« A Little Boy Riding a Donkey » by Niko Pirosmanashvili)

« Ignorant » is one of my first compositions ever, and was originally written for acoustic guitar and vocals.

The general idea behind the piece is that of lack of knowledge, and how it can lead to damage, even in the absence of ill-intentions, by leaving a door open for misguidance to come in.

The song culminates on a call to integrity, hinting at the idea that happiness does not need to come at the end of a relentless pursuit, but rather that it is always available along the way to one whose thoughts and deeds are in alignment with their values, hopes, and dreams, and who remains true to their heart :


Back to when I was ignorant
Simple child, open, wild, and free
Sun and shine never went for long
Clouds and rain never cared for me

Then I heard what you said and mistook it for real
« Pursuit of happiness is the highest ideal
Here's what you have to learn, here's how you should become
So you can get your share of the wealth that's out there »

Unavowed as your confusion
Was the truth I needed to see
The answers that your principles
Can’t provide to anybody

Had faith in what you said, are you sure it is real ?
I can’t reach happiness please tell me what’s the deal ?
All that I seem to find is more doubt in my mind
What am I doing wrong ? Have you lied all along ?

Say, have you considered
Before you taught me of your way to see reality
I can't make any sense in having all the world to me
When I just need to be

Back to when I was ignorant
Simple child, open, wild, and free
Tell me just how could I have guessed
The ignorance of those guiding me ?

There's so much to unlearn, now I see it’s not real
As empty as the words in that hollow ideal
How can one aim to find what comes in its own time ?
Leave your concepts behind and you'll find peace of mind

Say, how often do you wonder
If everything you’re working for
Is worth all that wait

Say, how often do you ponder
Pretending that all is fine
When you can’t bear your fate

Say, have you ever loved
Or are you waiting for the day
When it’ll be too late ?

(Based on « 4D virtual 3x3x3x3 sequential move puzzle, scrambled » by SpinningSpark)

« Integration » is the seventh and final chapter of « The Chrome Lake. »

This instrumental section starts on a chaotic solo piano part which is soon backed up by the rhythm section that plays up the oddness and dissonance. The intent here is to convey the impression of having too many pieces to fit in a puzzle, combined with an urge to complete it.

The disarray slowly gives way to order and steady forward movement until the piece concludes on a peaceful release signifying the successful completion of the integration.

Perhaps we'll add vocals to this one. In any event, here are the accompanying verses.

a time i can recall
when everything fitted
symmetry wall to wall
no pieces omitted
not

the whole code i had cracked
the sky i was kissing
unaware of the fact
that something was missing
then

coming back from the past
forgotten episode
left me torn and aghast
made the structure implode
boom

out of place in my quilt
this memory unheard
everything i had built
had to be dismembered
doom

alive and dissected
the puzzle a complex
which parts were infected
the process did perplex
pain

constantly suffering
a life disassembled
an entire being
so horribly scrambled
death

from the insanity
a new picture emerged
enhanced humanity
and composure resurged

revealing the affair
clarity had returned
no punishment unfair
but healing i had earned

lotus out of the dirt
graceful evolution
letting go of the hurt
careful reconstruction

the sand in the oyster
seed of pearly treasure
soothing words of nacre
poetry of nature

patient needles of time
all of the stitches knit
until moment sublime
when all the pieces fit

·

« The Chrome Lake » is 12-minute long suite in seven sections that constitutes the core middle chapter of a trilogy entitled « Entering The Stream » which depicts a life-changing retreat of soul-searching, triggered by a one-too-many outburst of accumulated dissatisfaction with the way one's life is going.

The title of the suite was inspired by Voivod's « X-Ray Mirror » from their « Nothingface » album :

I can't believe I am the image
Within the mirror
Into the chrome lake
The glass is broken
But I look the same

(« SubjeKctiv » by Christopher Stewart)

« SubjeKctiv » was put together in July 2004 for « The 2004 ProjeKction Music ProjeKct. » Participants were invited to submit music that included at least one of the many audio clips provided by the project initiator, ProjeKction's Darren Lock. An album with all the submissions is still available for free download here.

The title comes from the recognition of subjectivity as a fundamental principle of human experience. Thus, the piece can function as a reminder that experience is subjective.

Here is poetry complementary to this instrumental composition :


Continuous unfolding from origins own
No one else can ever stem from where I was sown
On the way of knowing the meaning of to be
Through this peculiar individuality

Determining choices shape my trajectory
No one else can ever see the vistas I see
On the way of knowing my true identity
The road unparalleled of a peerless journey

Significance of seen is function of seer
Yet the sum of observed impacts on observer
How can one ever be identical to me
Singular history mindset uniquity

Similar events in dissimilar order
Emphasize attitude and ascertain nature
Polarize opinion and viewing preference
My settings and options don't fit your sentience

Networks of experiences for living browsers
Oceans of perceptions human navigators
Relying on beacons can only lead so far
Time comes when there's no choice but trust inner radar

He and she in a crowd hear attraction loudly
You and me have no clue but they feel it strongly
Their eyes had never met until this now moment
Of all gathered only two know the sentiment

Even that which is shared is viewed differently
Often there's no choice but agree to disagree
For some hell is found in another's paradise
And sincere happiness in another's demise

Unaware of the roles we play for each other
And how what we convey is not what we utter
It's a marvel we can communicate at all
That some differences are more magnet than wall

Though objects look the same meanings are exclusive
Our worlds are matchless but they're coextensive
A miracle of overlapping symmetry
A formidable sensory thaumaturgy

Navigate the six streams oceanic master
And abide the torrents until there's no error
If you run out of steam let the flow carry you
If you run out of dreams I have plenty for two

To keep an open mind is feat of great merit
Guard what you have garnered but do not cling to it
Please provide what I miss I'll return the favor
Each of us here to learn better share the labor

Though it may not seem much you have to play your part
For we require it to draw a better chart
Of this expanding space and time continuum
All of us here in this enlightenarium

The piece kept on evolving along the years, gaining a bridge with a brilliant solo that pushed the whole to new heights. This is Poligraf performing it live at La Ninkasi du Faubourg on May 16, 2008 :

(« Wilesco D36 steamroller » by Morn)

« Steamroller » is the fourth chapter of « Juggernaut. » In the storyline of the suite, it represents the apex of pain, and the metanoia.

The instrumental is one of the most busy pieces of music that I’ve written up to now, and features a personal record for odd meters with an organ riff in 23. It is intended to hit hard and convey a feeling of inexorable mercilessness.

I have no plans to augment the composition with vocals at this point, but here's the poetry I wrote to complement the music.

how have i slipped this time
how have i missed the mark
no reason nor a rhyme
i am left in the dark

how did i end up here
when all was flowing well
what have i failed to hear
why did you not foretell

you've pushed me didn't you
you've tripped me i recall
you've crushed me i hate you
and by anger i fall

forgetful of the threat
now i cry like a loon
and my fault i regret
moonchild on a full moon

i may have crossed some lines
that i must have misread
oblivious to the signs
i ended up misled

too caught up in the run
too hungry for the fruits
in striving for the sun
i neglected the roots

though the lesson is hard
there's comfort in process
and so i raise my guard
and resume my progress

i can't go wrong for long
that you course-correct me
i am blessed by your song
musical sympathy

whenever i do need
proof of divinity
this caring i do heed
restores my clarity

·

« Juggernaut » is a suite which clocks in at a little under 18 minutes and comprises six chapters.
The composition was originally inspired by a most painful experience involving a rented house shared by six young and not-so-young adults, unannounced extensive renovations, and frictions and miscommunications of all sorts. It’s intended to illustrate the hamartia/metanoia principle :
« Missing the point. Yes, hamartia which meant missing the point, missing the mark. Now that got translated as sin. And repentance was metanoia, meaning a transformation of the mind, and got translated as pain, right? Penitence, repentance. The point is that repentance is merely to understand that you missed the mark, you see? (laughter) Therefore evil is missing the mark, basically. It is confusion, right? Its ultimate source is the kind of confusion I described about thought. » - David Bohm, Unfolding Meaning

(« 
Informaëlstrom » by 
poligraf)


1000 Radios is a two-part piece which explores the relationship between an individual and their reality, a subject and their objective world.


The second part, « Informaëlstrom, » aims to depict this reality gone awry, a maelstrom of information as it were, and the struggle of the individual endeavouring to escape the chaos and finally break through the confusion to revel in understanding and effortlessness.


The piece is an instrumental, but I thought I'd write some related poetry to it, if just for the fun of it :



It started as a feel
And turned into an urge
A persistent appeal

To evolve on the verge

This I could not abide
Without means of living
Seemed safer to divide
Sustenance and calling

At first it was pleasance

As the streams were shallow
But with time turbulence
Got the best of the flow

Between who I could be
And what I was doing
Was a man lost at sea
And tides were conflicting

Thus was born this whirlpool
Against which I'm fighting
Subjected to its rule
Perpetually straining

At once be everywhere
Steady multitasking
Everlasting affair
At once be everything

Vortex unrelenting
Sensory overload
Incessant processing
Get me out of this mode

How on Earth could this be
The place that's right for me
Tell me when will I see
The time of your mercy

Chaos may be the bulk

Of my experience
But I won't end a hulk
I still feel transcendence

And in this simple fact
There is enough I find
Motivation to act
And tolerate the grind

From these thoughts appeasing
Though the pressure remains
My revel is stemming
As I unbind the chains

Until there is calmness
This passion will not fade
And in effortlessness
I pursue the crusade



And here's an idea of what it sounds like when performed live by Poligraf :


(« Introspection II » by Christopher Stewart)

« Introspection II » is the fifth section, and second with vocals, of « The Chrome Lake. »

The chapter is an almost-but-not-identical twin to « Introspection I. » And again, the subject matter is pretty much self-explanatory.

Here are the lyrics :

I see you feel restrained, mechanized, dehumanized
I see you feel estranged, incomplete, dissatisfied
Anything for a refuge, an island for your mind, a flight, a break
No amount of diversion or substance will ever dissolve the lake

Low confidence, you can't make a move without a guide
Right now should you laugh or cry ? Live or die ? Can't even decide ?
The choice is so easy if only through my eyes for once you'd see
You can break down your wall or endure all that will be

You wanted advice ?
It's about time you showed

Another you - the true you
Afraid of the way they will see
The one who hides inside
Another you - let them see
The flame in your heart
Shine
If you try you can end your misery

·

« The Chrome Lake » is 12-minute long suite in seven sections that constitutes the core middle chapter of a trilogy entitled « Entering The Stream » which depicts a life-changing retreat of soul-searching, triggered by a one-too-many outburst of accumulated dissatisfaction with the way one's life is going.

The title of the suite was inspired by Voivod's « X-Ray Mirror » from their « Nothingface » album :

I can't believe I am the image
Within the mirror
Into the chrome lake
The glass is broken
But I look the same

(«Radio Station from the German Federal Archive » by Unknown Author)

« 1000 Radios » is a two-part piece which explores the relationship between an individual and their reality, a subject and their objective world.

The first part, « Countless Questions, » illustrates the evolution of the thought processes of the individual who, immersed in an overwhelming and chaotic world oversaturated with information, vacillates between confusion and clarity.


There’s a thousand radios playing in my mind – Radio’s
And I can’t tell which wave is mine – Wave
Should I turn them off if they have me bound? – Bound
Or were they meant to make me sound? – Sound

A thousand pictures moving in my head – Moving
Remains of stories unsaid – Stories
Should I paint them all for you to see – You
Or were they meant just for me? – Meant, just for me

There’s a billion providers with access to my mind
Uploading the reflections of futures left behind
Should I deny the requests? Could they set me free?
Disconnect them once again or let them alter me?

Radio why are you here, why do you play for me?
Is there something I should see?
Provider it isn’t clear, what do you want from me?
Show the place for me to be

Flow through my eyes, the dreams of another
Flood in my mind, the views of another
Flow through my eyes, the needs of another
Throughout my life, our lives altogether

Countless questions behind those eyes
Burning while I analyse
The design of the line between the world and I
An existence to justify

Too many references enfolded in my head
Who’s to blame for silences? Who’s to blame for what is said?
Redirect me into truth, I’ll strive with all my might
The path is clear yet undefined and there’s no end in sight

Radio why are you here, why do you play for me?
Is there something I should see?
Provider it isn’t clear, what do you want from me?
Show the place for me to be

Flow through my eyes, the dreams of another
Flood in my mind, the views of another
Flow through my eyes, the needs of another
Throughout my life, our lives altogether

The audio clip is an excerpt of the demo we recorded for our EP, « CONGA 2008 Demo. » The following video was recorded later that same year.

(« Surface Tension » by darkmatter)

In « Surface, » the sixth chapter of « The Dam, » the protagonist/narrator is gradually returning to activity after having transformed into who they feel like being. Ultimately, they reach the surface where a new existence properly begins.

In the storyline, this step marks the end of a long process of metamorphosis wherein one has endured many hardships and shed that which belongs to their former way of being. Once released from the demanding transition period of the immersion, they are free to emerge and revel once again, safe in the knowledge that a necessary rite of passage is now behind them, and that they have reached the beginning of an inspiring new phase of their life.

This wasn’t intentional from the outset, but the first part of this chapter turned out to sound quite a bit Pink Floydy. Not that I'm complaining or anything...

The piece is an instrumental, so I've written the following poetry to accompany it :

the dam has disappeared
the obstacle is cleared
the dreamer persevered
a new way pioneered

goodbye to the cocoon
engineered to attune
ablaze is the maroon
delighted by the boon

submarine observer
the barrage i ponder
and question its nature
a past to decipher

attracted to conflict
an affliction addict
inclined to self-inflict
dignity derelict

adept at self-torment
self-loathing abhorrent
self-image delinquent
self-esteem deficient

outflows and transgressions
and self-degradations
dreadful expectations
auto-mutilations

magnetic inceptions
of foiled aspirations
and divine deceptions
self-annihilations

in self-hypnotizing
of prize undeserving
the hope undermining
the dream abnegating

behind i left my plight
obvious in hindsight
a shindy for the blight
was hindering my flight

bright light above liquid
the way up is limpid
confident and lucid
i rise in the fluid

further elevation
impending progression
triumphant emersion
sheer rejuvenation

remedy artistic
tethys therapeutic
water sympathetic
poetry prophetic

i'm on the other side
no more jekyll and hyde
i'm ready for the ride
the tide i will abide

« The Dam » is a 22-minute long suite in 8 movements that uses the metaphor of water flowing from source to ocean to illustrate the process of individual growth.

As the title suggest, the focus is directed on one major obstacle/life-changing experience, symbolized by a dam on the river, which the protagonist/narrator has to conquer in order to reach their intended destination.

The storyline is inspired by my own life and struggle to reach the goal of earning a living through my artistic output, as opposed to working a day job to support myself and invest what’s left of my energies in artistic pursuits on a part-time basis, as I’ve done for the most part of the last twelve years or so.

(« Confrontation » by cordalth)

« Polygraph » is intended as a portrait of human relationships turning to the sour, hinting at the necessity of constant kindness and genuineness. The suite lasts about ten minutes and is composed of the following four sections : « Exposition, » « Confrontation, » « Deliberation, » and « Vindication. »

While the introductory movement describes a heated yet still somewhat civilized exchange, the second chapter, « Confrontation, » aims to depict the often difficult yet cathartic experience of having to stand one's ground and defend one's views when criticism or outright attack threatens one's balance and inner peace.

The section was originally conceived as an instrumental wherein a dialogue between guitar and saxophone represents the conversation as it devolves into somewhat of a shouting match. Eventually though, I experimented with replacing the already written notes with words, more as a literary exercise than in an attempt to convert the piece into a sung duet. The undertaking proved harder than I had expected, but in hindsight that's what made it even more worthwhile. The lyrics are presented below, and assuming the HTML is preserved as posted, the replies of the guitar should appear in black on the right side, while those of the saxophone should be seen in white on the left side.

(« Introspection » by Alberto Baumann)

« Introspection I » is the third part of « The Chrome Lake, » and its first section with vocals.

As implied by the title, the piece is about looking into oneself. More precisely, it speaks of having the courage to look at the places which have been hurt, despite the pain, for this is part of the healing process.

The chorus hints at the empowerment that comes from exposing oneself, including one's areas of vulnerability. Finding the strength to bring to the outside what is hidden inside allows for a successful completion of the self-therapy.

Here are the lyrics :

I see you're down you know you can always confide in me
Over your head in haze, I will always reflect the true story
The picture that I see may not be complete but just the same
Since you don't open up, I'll start, it's a part of our game

The one I see before me is lost, it's not a pretty sight
A living dead, a ghost, a black hole starving for some light
I see you feel ignored, exploited, always out of breath
I see you feel damaged, depressed, contemplating death

It's too hard on your nerves to recall who you must be
The way you must behave to please, please everyone you see
You don't know who you are, you just try to fit their scheme
You even let your mind become slave, slave to their dream
Looking for advice it's about time you found

Another you - the real you
Afraid of the way they will see
The one who hides inside
Another you - let them see
The flame in your heart
Shine
Only you can end your misery

·

« The Chrome Lake » is 12-minute long suite in seven sections that constitutes the core middle chapter of a trilogy entitled « Entering The Stream » which depicts a life-changing retreat of soul-searching, triggered by a one-too-many outburst of accumulated dissatisfaction with the way one's life is going.

The title of the suite was inspired by Voivod's « X-Ray Mirror » from their « Nothingface » album :

I can't believe I am the image
Within the mirror
Into the chrome lake
The glass is broken
But I look the same

(« Goldfish Pulling a Snail Cart » by James Pollock)

« Perseverance » is the fourth of the series of segues composed to join the tracks of an album together into one continuous piece of music.

Each of the junctions highlights a specific quality or knowledge that turned out to be crucial to the completion of a project that demanded many years of sustained striving. As the title indicates, « Perseverance » evokes the capacity to keep going at those times when efforts seem insufficient, and success appears unlikely.

Those of you familiar with the repertoire of Poligraf will possibly recognize some of the themes that are revisited in each of the transitions, and will thus perhaps be able to guess the whole, along with the respective roles of each of the segues. Assuming most things unfold according to plan, the title of the overall resulting piece will only be revealed at the time of its unveiling.

Like its predecessors in the series, the demo is instrumental. Here's the associated poetry :

it's curious how it creeps into reality
insidious it just seeps through my leniency
i transgress by neglect not so deliberately
then comes the redirect that dispels apathy

others in selflessness offer their perspective
their seeming carelessness has me introspective
reflections of the part of me that's defective
upset my applecart corrective collective

chaos augurs the chart moon is square to neptune
the stones also disheart thurisaz baleful rune
no point in blaming them for all the misfortune
their gifts do not condemn they are meant to attune

the needle in the red i'm running on empty
the voices in my head they sing of tragedy
i just can't go forward father don't preach to me
my prize is far onward oh good lord have mercy

an absence of reward is no reason to brake
they'll only have you floored do misgivings forsake
know that lack of success does not a failure make
perfection is progress so do the next step take

focus on the process don't let the doubts beset
tasks at hand do address do not repine nor fret
you carry no shackle you are under no threat
you face no obstacle you just are not there yet

have no more attachment to scenarios of gloom
make no more investment in destinies of doom
leave dismay to its night rest despair in its tomb
fulfillment is in sight prospects are in the womb

advance and be fruitful on you go thoroughbred
of your heart be heedful by thought don't be misled
achieve and be peaceful apprehensions do shed
always remain hopeful the stars await ahead

(« The flying » by Anchise Picchi)

i remember, once, i couldn't walk
sure, i could move by myself
but i couldn't walk
perhaps, i didn't feel the need to
possibly, i was happy crawling on hands and knees

yet, i could see
and from what i could see, others were walking
obviously, they had stood up, and they were walking
and i was not, but hey, i was happy crawling

and then one day, i don't remember why
i tried to stand up, but i couldn't and fell down
and so i kept crawling
i could move by myself after all

still, i could see

and then, on another day, i felt the need again
and i tried to stand up again
and i almost did, no, in fact, i did
but not for long, it seemed my legs were too weak
and so i fell down again
and i kept crawling
but, i knew something had changed
something had changed, i knew

and then, on many other days, i feel that need again
and again, on many other days
and i stood up, and i stayed up
each day a little longer

and then, when i would stand up
i could move my legs and take a few steps
before falling down
and then i would stand up right away
and i would keep on taking a few steps
before falling down

and falling down was frustrating
and sometimes even painful
but taking steps was so fun
every day i could walk a little further
every day i could walk a little faster

and then one day i noticed
that i didn't even notice when i walked,
and you should have seen how fast i could run !
i could really move by myself
but i couldn't fly
perhaps i didn't feel the need to
possibly, i was happy walking

yet, i could see
and from what i could see, others were flying
obviously, they had jumped up, and they were flying
and i was not, but hey, i was happy walking

and then one day, i don't remember why
i tried to jump up and fly, but i couldn't and fell down
and so i kept walking
i could move by myself after all

still, i could see

and then, on another day, i felt the need again
and i tried to jump up and fly again
and i almost did, no, in fact, i did
but not for long, it seemed my wings were too weak
and so i fell down again
and i kept walking
but, i knew something had changed
something had changed, i knew

and then, on many other days, i feel that need again
and again, on many other days
and i jumped up, and i stayed up
each day a little longer

and i can remember
the day that you joined us
and together we flew
and reached ever higher