Peer Review Among Me, Myself & I
Brief comments on my first 59 albums.
V.1
This volume consists of some of my earliest works dating back to as early as 2013 or 2014, before I came to the U.S. As an aspiring vocalist and songwriter, my main goal at that time was to perfect my fundamental skills in rap, beatmaking, and audio production. Although these works seem naive when compared to my later works, they were critical in the sense that they demonstrated my unique gift for music and potential for growth, which gave me the confidence to move to NYC to pursue my ambition of becoming a great musician.
V.2
This volume includes some of the early works I created shortly after I came to the U.S. Receiving influence from local musicians of various genres, I was inspired to expand Hip Hop beyond its existing boundaries. I started exploring abstract vocal improv and incorporating alternative elements into beatmaking. A unique musical language of my own began to emerge as I combined these new possibilities with my skills as a rapper and Hip Hop producer.V.3
Included in this volume are some of my first masterworks. The creation of “Light Up the World”, “Revisiting Pascal” and “Don’t Call Me Modernism” around late 2015 was a critical turning point in my musical journey. These works are sophisticated technique-wise, emotionally profound, and brutally unique. The intense self-expression in these works reveal the painful internal struggles I was going through as I searched for my true identity while adapting to the new environment of a foreign country.
V.4
Following the path paved by my first masterworks, I set out to further explore the alternative possibilities of vocal performance and beatmaking. The series of works entitled “Hip Hop Symphony” marked my complete departure from the existing norms of Hip Hop music. The unexpected success of these early experiments enabled me to set foot on a vast unknown territory where countless invaluable treasures and gems were waiting for me to unearth.
V.5
This volume includes the first two series of works I created in the format of the suite. “Beautiful Gift”, “Song of the Moon” and “Wonderland” can be seen as a continuation of “Wishes”. Similarly, the five compositions in “Winterreise” largely share the same musical structure. I did not compose these two suites on purpose. After I finished recording and producing “Wishes”, I found myself so compelled by the work that I had to keep exploring the musical ideas by expanding it into a suite. The song “Lullaby” also gave rise to the suite “Winterreise”. What is particularly charming about these two suites is their warm and child-like style, which echoes some of Bach’s and Mozart’s works.
V.6
This suite is arguably my most important work from this period. No words can properly describe the sublime bliss in this series of compositions. A set of modern electronic sounds magically blend together like alchemy, creating a tranquil yet euphoric aura while invoking a spiritual state similar to ancient religiosity. In these works, the listener is indeed invited to go on a spiritual journey where the mind freely transcends the constraints of time and space. While doing so, the listener also finds himself joyfully immersed in the graceful and effortless flow of authentic musical ideas, ascending into the Heaven of Art.
V.7
Unlike the three suites that I previously created, this series of compositions do not share a lot of structural similarities. I was taking a class on the Italian Renaissance at that time, and was inspired to create a series of works to capture the fascinating imagination expressed in Renaissance oil paintings and frescoes. As a result, I composed and performed this suite in a very playful and humorous manner. As I had a lot of fun creating these works, I hope the listener will also have a lot of fun listening to them.
V.8
These compositions are largely inspired by John Zorn’s “Cobra”, a game piece where a group of musicians spontaneously form small ensembles of duos and trios to improvise with each other for either long or short periods of time. In a sense, each performance of the piece is entirely created by the performers themselves as they perform it onstage. In the works included in this volume, I also experiment with the idea of creating a composition solely by quickly muting and unmuting different samples and sounds. Are these great works of art or a pointless game? Who knows? Who cares?
V.9
This is a continuation of the previous volume. “The Tangible World” almost takes the idea of turning musical creations into a game to the extreme. There seems to be no cohesive structure or theme in this piece, but only seemingly random sounds and samples popping up one after another. However, almost miraculously, the whole composition flows very smoothly just like a movement of a concerto. In other words, the randomness of the piece may turn out to be deceptive, because each element, each compositional decision, and each smooth or abrupt transition between different scenes and sections are actually the results of precise calculation.
V.10
This series of works can be seen as a suite, although each piece also has its own unique character. Similar to the works in Vol.5 and Vol.6, the instrumental parts of these compositions mainly consist of sample loops created with electronic sounds. In other words, Hip Hop was still the most fundamental component of my musical language, although I had more often been straying away from Hip Hop stylistically. The last piece “Nirvana Is To Live As a Conqueror” is significantly different from the rest of the series. The extremely intense and powerful vocal performance in this piece as well as the large amount of distortion added to the voice would become essential elements of a lot of later works.
V.11
This series of works was excluded from the Studio ZFT Remastering Project in 2019, probably because I thought their style was too strange and intense. For example, in “N.I.G.H.T.M.A.R.E.”, the expressive intensity of the vocal performance almost destroys the structure of the composition. Indeed, the power of these works lies in their sheer emotional energy and raw catharsis.
V.12
I started exploring keyboard improv in early 2016. Combining the essential concepts and techniques of experimental improv, which I learned from John Zorn and other talented improvisers in New York’s underground music scene, with heavily distorted electronic sounds, I began to discover my unique identity in the improv world. A trap that many improvisers fall into is their one-dimensional pursuit of the complexity of musical forms. Oftentimes, they mistake techniques and forms for the real substance of music. In this series of keyboard improv, I succeed at achieving emotional depth and sublime bliss with simplicity and clarity.
V.13
This series of long keyboard improvisations are my first improv masterworks. It is difficult to use definitive terms to describe their power and beauty. To put them in the context of Nietzsche’s philosophy, these works are “Dionysian” in nature. The profound sadness and strength expressed in the music are embodiments of the spirit of tragedy. Also noteworthy is the parallel between these 20 minutes long improvs and John Zorn’s series of long organ improvs called “The Hermetic Organ”. While he often falls into the trivial manipulation of sound effects and struggles to convey a cohesive message through long improvs, I achieve emotional depth and sublime beauty with perfect grace and ease. This series originally had 8 pieces. As it was too long and a bit repetitive, I cut it down to 4.
V.14
“In Search of Quietude” is a six-movement suite made with both sample loops and keyboard improv. The sample loops in this suite are different from those in earlier works in that they are short fragments of keyboard improv themselves. On the other hand, “Night Banquets In Athens” is a series of solo improvisations just like my earlier improv works. Aside from experimenting with new sounds and forms, I created these delicate pieces to convey rich emotional and spiritual substance. “In Search of Quietude” is an homage to Chinese poetry, while “Night Banquets In Athens” was inspired by the Dionysian rituals in ancient Greece. “Snake Handling” is a particularly beautiful masterpiece. The listener can almost imagine himself being inside an ancient Greek temple. The frenzy of the night banquet has died down. The flickering light of the torches creates moving shadows on the floor. The whole temple is quiet save for a lute that is being played. All attendees of the banquet are holding their breath as they witness the snake handler’s performance.
V.15
These two suites echo “Wishes” and “Winterreis” (Vol.5), two of my earliest suites, in terms of style and instrumentation. The main difference is that several pieces in this volume were inspired by Kirtan, a form of meditative chanting which originated from India. Examples include “The Song of Jayadevi”, “Bring It Back”, “I Will Never Forget” and “Govinda Gopala”. The way in which these compositions differ from traditional Indian Kirtan is that they are emotionally expressive, rather than being purely meditative. The magic of Kirtan lies in the immense power of sheer repetitions of simple musical phrases. The suite “Gopala” was an attempt to create a new musical language at the intersection of the meditative elements of ancient chants and the emphasis on individual expression in modern music. For example, in “Govinda Gopala”, the subtle changes in the tone of the voice from one repetition to the next create a natural emotional flow that runs throughout the whole piece.
V.16
This is a compilation of some of the works excluded from the Studio ZFT Remastering Project in 2019. These pieces offer more examples of the signature elements of my evolving musical language at this point: unconventional beatmaking, abstract vocal improv, intense self-expression as well as profound emotional and spiritual depth. “Nascence” is a particularly powerful work. The sadness, pain, and strength expressed in this piece are beyond what words can possibly describe. “WELWITSCHIA” is also an exquisite masterpiece that conveys a profound sense of hope and resilience.
V.17
I am personally a big fan of “Me & You”. What a delightful and cheerful song! A few guitar samples form a dynamic cycle, while the drums add a sense of movement and urgency to the composition. Even during the sections where there is no singing, there are always intriguing details to pay attention to. “Victorious Light” is also one of my favorites. While the whole composition is made with sample loops, its dynamics are subtle and full, and its aura is pure and blissful.
V.18
Included in this volume are some of the strangest yet most profound works I have ever made. “We Are So Fly” consists of a group of sample loops that seemingly do not belong with each other at all. However, magically, the apparently opposing energies of the sounds react with each other, and the result is utterly odd yet undeniably amusing. “Rise Above the Floating World” is a profoundly serious and sincere masterpiece. These works were created in the early summer of 2016. At that time, I was a fervent practitioner of yoga and meditation. As I delved more and more deeply into spiritual practice, I also encountered increasingly challenging internal conflicts while struggling to find my true self-identity and form a cohesive philosophical view of the world with contradictory concepts and ideas. These musical compositions were a manifestation of that critical moment in my spiritual journey.
V.19
This volume consists of another series of compositions made with sample loops. In these works, I began to shift away from the steady and oftentimes meditative style of beatmaking from many of my earlier works, and experiment with the rough and aggressive sounds of hard rock and dubstep. The turbulent mental states expressed in “Steppin' Towards the Wonderland”, “Grooving On the Mountaintop” and “Craving Universe” can be interpreted as a form of rebellion against yoga and meditation, the daily practice of which had increasingly become a restriction on my creativity rather than a source of inspiration.
V.20
This is a compilation of several works that were excluded in the Studio ZFT Remastering Project in 2019. “Autumn Leaves”, “Hunting Relics” and “Secret Forest” were created around the same time as “Wishes”. Despite similarities in musical structures, the style of these three works is drastically different from “Wishes”, which is why I decided to separate them from the suite inspired by “Wishes” (Vol.5). “American Techno” and “Hip Hop 10th Anniversary Memorial Speech” are two very interesting long compositions. When creating them, I followed my imagination wherever it led, without being constrained by the framework of any existing musical genre.
V.21
This suite was excluded from the Studio ZFT Remastering Project in 2019. This series of works combine sounds often used in electronic dance music with distorted vocal improv. “Move Towards the Sea” is my favorite piece from this series. The pulsating sounds in this piece carry the listener onto a joyful journey where he travels towards a vast open space without any boundaries. He swims through the air with confidence and determination, and arrives at his destination at sunrise.
V.22
“Black Swan” is such a uniquely interesting suite made with only sample loops. The greatest advantage of using sample loops as the building blocks of a composition is that the samples themselves can often take you to unexpected wonderful places that are better than your preconceived notions. You can start the composition with an empty mind and allow the piece to naturally evolve by adding new samples that feel right. Every time you click on a new sample, you need to decide whether it helps the piece evolve in the right direction. The question is: what is the “right direction”? You can rely on nothing but your instinct.
V.23
Each musical genre has its signature sounds. Dubstep’s signature sound is its heavy bass. In the piece “Pitch Perfect”, I experimented with using the dubstep bass sound for keyboard improv. I had always felt that the expressive power of the dubstep bass sound was miserably constrained by the rigid compositional format of dubstep, like a wild beast in captivity. I could not help but set it free, and found myself in awe of its earth-shattering untamed energy. I paired it with intensely distorted vocal improv, and created “Beauty Inspires Murders”, “Full-Time Killer”, “Soul Massacre” and “Wobble Wit' An Attitude”, a series of works soaked with explosive anger and destructive power.
V.24
Four sublimely beautiful improv works. The stark contrast between the bright and blissful synth sound and the rough and aggressive dubstep bass is unexpected and purely amazing. I am particularly fond of the steady and patient progression of each piece. At this point, I had become a skillful storyteller when I did keyboard improvisation. The unique story of each piece unfolds on its own with perfect grace and ease. Every twist and turn is full of memorable and touching details. Masterworks like these are simply nowhere else to be found.
V.25
In these works, I used Native Instruments’ Massive and Maschine as my beatmaking tools instead of ready-to-use sample loops. At this point, I had grown tired of using sample loops as my primary building blocks for composition, and was eager to explore new possibilities in beatmaking. I also incorporated a few samples I took from Alison Wonderland’s songs using Serato DJ in “Anti-Platonic Tendencies”, “Sonic Reality”, “Eazy 2 Ignore” and “Throw Your Heart Away”. The dubstep bass sound is present throughout most of the pieces in this volume functioning as the vocal part of a rap song, which is another proof of the versatility of the sound once it is no longer constrained by the rules of dubstep.
V.26
Four sublimely beautiful masterworks from this period. I did not include any other piece in this volume in order to emphasize their unique importance. “Knockin' On Heaven's Door” can be seen as the culmination of the recent development of my musical language at the time. This piece incorporates keyboard improv and distorted vocal improv into the framework of songwriting. The contrast between the bright synth sound and the aggressive dubstep bass sound from the series of improv works in Vol.24 reappears in this piece, while gaining new meanings and emotional depth. “You Are a Legend” is a reinterpretation of “Beautiful Gift” from Vol.5. This version completely transforms the original song with intensely expressive beatmaking and vocal improv. “Summertime” is an emotionally subtle yet profound masterpiece. The simplicity and tranquil aura of the composition conveys a deep sense of sadness and hope.
V.27
This series of works was intended to be an ultimate smackdown to the established rappers, Hip Hop producers, and the existing aesthetics of Hip Hop upon which they built their entire careers. I took the vocal parts of some famous rap songs and composed my own instrumental tracks. The transformative reinterpretations not only resulted in uniquely amazing works, but also revealed just how blatantly tedious the original songs were. Take “Lil Wayne ‘A Milli’ Extended” for example. The rapping itself is mediocre and the lyrics are unbearably vulgar. However, my reinterpretation made the song sound almost blissful and divine. Suddenly, all of the negativity in the original song dissipated. All that remains is my unique creativity enabled by my profound knowledge of musical composition.
V.28
In these works, I was exploring new formats of keyboard improv by experimenting with a whole array of unique synth and bass sounds. “Freestyle Thanksgiving 2016” and “Take It To the Next Level” are two complicated and emotionally expressive masterpieces. “Freestyle Thanksgiving 2016” begins with an intro made with sample loops, which echoes the storytelling techniques that I explored in the suite “Black Swan” (V.22). Then, the beat builds up layer by layer. The rest of the piece consists of a long series of keyboard improv using both bright synth sounds and aggressive dubstep bass sounds. There are many extremely beautiful moments throughout the improv sections, examples of which include the segment from 6:40 to around 7:30. The keyboard performance of that segment has transcended all musical rules and techniques. Astonishingly creative ideas seem to flow out of nowhere one after another with perfect ease and grace. It is not an exaggeration to say that this little segment may be one of the most divinely beautiful moments in the entirety of musical history. “NYC Underground Anthem World Premier” is a marathon of musical meditation against the backdrop of the noisy chaos of a subway station in downtown Manhattan. This performance is less about music itself, but more about the tranquil mental state of the performer and his abilities to maintain that mental state by concentrating on non-stop keyboard improvisation.
V.29
This series of keyboard improv is a continuation of “The Case of Wagner” (Vol.13). I experimented with altering the electronic organ sound itself to generate new ideas. These four improv works share the same kind of seriousness and weight as “The Case of Wagner” which I created a few months earlier, while being a bit more delicate in terms of my style of playing and the textures of the sounds. Interestingly, these improvisations may have somehow captured my immediate emotional reaction after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. What exactly were the emotions expressed in these works? The answer will totally depend upon the listener’s interpretation.
V.30
This is Part I of the Breakthrough Trilogy. Vol.30 - V.32 are three very important series of works that mark a critical transitional period in my musical journey, which is why I call them the Breakthrough Trilogy. At this point, I had reached a high level of maturity as a songwriter, a vocalist, a composer, a sound engineer, and a keyboard improviser. The culmination of my previous learning and experiments along these different creative paths gave rise to a brand new musical language with unparalleled originality, intellectual depth, and emotional expressiveness. “Smoke Some More”, “O.M.G.”, “Polaris (EDM Remix)”, “X.X.X.”, and “Who’s Got Trap” are five compelling masterworks in this volume. In “Smoke Some More”, the synth sound stays on the same note from 5:50 to 6:00, briefly shifts away, then returns to the same note and remains in stillness for another 10 seconds. That stunningly breathtaking stillness is more emotionally intense than any melody that can possibly be composed. The keyboard synth improv sections in “O.M.G.” and “Polaris (EDM Remix)” are among the greatest keyboard improvisations of all time. The melodies are extremely economic, with every single note striking the most sensitive spots on the eardrum.
V.31
This compilation of some of my most stunningly original and breathtakingly beautiful keyboard improv masterworks is Part II of the Breakthrough Trilogy. As a continuation of the previous volume, these works demonstrate the further evolution of my unique language of keyboard improvisation. The new dubstep bass sound which I discovered in a Maschine expansion pack is the unifying element among these pieces. Rather than using the sound within the existing framework of dubstep, I explored its infinite potential as a surprisingly versatile tool for improvisation, which is best demonstrated in “Eastside Lovers”. This whole piece mainly consists of a simple and raw Hip Hop beat and long improv sections where the rough and grinding dubstep bass marches forward with undying energy, screaming with anger and pride. “Make It Rain”, the shortest and most exquisite piece in this volume, consists of brief improv sections alternating between the low dubstep bass and the high-pitched bright synth. The piece progresses with patience, precision, and touching details, until, toward the very end, a straightforward and triumphant melody line is introduced into the beat, elevating the piece to an almost euphoric state.
V.32
This series of long keyboard improvisations is Part III of the Breakthrough Trilogy. Compared with the works from the previous two volumes, these four long works reach an even higher level of complexity. On the other hand, the musicality of these pieces appears to be more fragmented, which can be a drawback in certain ways. Nevertheless, the seriousness and weight of “Midnight Hookah” and “Flip That B**** Over” are unparalleled among all of my works from this period. What “Midnight Hookah” conveys is a euphorically intoxicated state of mind. Listening to this piece is like swimming in a filthy yet strangely purifying river, where the sense of self is gradually being dissolved and carried away. “Flip That B**** Over” is deceivingly simple yet profoundly solemn. Expressive melody lines and short phrases unexpectedly twist, turn, and swirl, seemingly going out of control, before seamlessly returning to the central themes. This improvisation is truly a long journey in terms of both its length and its emotional and philosophical depths that unfold throughout the piece. The extreme clarity and calmness of this piece actually indicate deep emotional and intellectual turbulence underneath the surface. The improviser seems to be expressing the most unbearable sadness while mocking that sadness at the same time. The return of the clear and bright synth sound at the end echoes the structure of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations”. The infinite complexity of this piece makes it one of the most significant masterworks I have ever created.
V.33
This is a compilation of some very quiet and contemplative solo keyboard improvisations, distinguished by their simplicity, clarity, and depth. Prior to this series of works, I only used electronic sounds for keyboard improv, because they were fuller and more expressive. As my skills increased, I was ready to start exploring the subtlety of the sound of the acoustic piano. Thanks to modern technology, I was able to install a virtual piano on my computer without having to own a physical instrument. Moreover, I could take advantage of the various sound effects of the virtual piano to enrich the textures of the sound.
V.34
This is a continuation of the solo keyboard improvisations in the previous volume. My approach to these improv miniatures echoes Chinese literati paintings of the Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties. The intention behind these highly spontaneous and experimental creations was not to develop any well-defined structures, but to merely provide vague hints of fleeting moods and feelings. Meanwhile, these playful brushstrokes or musical notes become a vehicle for the mind to reach a transcendental state of immense bliss and freedom.
V.35
This is a series of experimental solo keyboard improvisations primarily focused on the textures of sounds. What inspired this series of works was a new set of distortion sound effects that I installed at that time. As shown in the works, these sound effects are versatile and expressive, so much so that they themselves became the main musical instrument instead of mere “add-ons”.
V.36
These are either the best or the worst things I have ever created. It is hard for me to even believe that I made these. What you experience in this music is heavenly bliss coupled with hellish madness. All rational frameworks have been dismantled and destroyed, yet musicality has remained flawless throughout all parts of the compositions and all sections of the improvisations. In fact, it is hard to tell how much of the music is art, and how much of it is pure religious revelation. The creation of these works seems to have been more of a religious experience than a musical experience. As a result, what meets the ear becomes almost trivial, as sound has been transformed into a vehicle for something otherworldly and transcendental. That “something” is a profound spiritual message, as well as immensely emancipating catharsis. My remastering of these pieces in 2019 helped realize their full expressive potentials, without overpolishing the rough edges of the sounds.
V.37
This is a series of very precious recordings from 2015 when I visited Yogaville, Integral Yoga’s headquarter in Virginia, with my mom. I brought a field recorder with me, as I believed that sound recordings could capture memories far more truthfully than photos. When I listen to these recordings now, I can still vividly recall the natural environment of the monastery - the summer heat, the humidity in the forest, the winding trail through the woods, and the loud sounds of insects at night. The first recording is of me walking toward the waterfall at the entrance of the shrine. The 9 recordings starting from “Om Nama Shivaya Chant” documented a kirtan party for a group of kids led by Rev. Rudra, a friend of mine at the time who was twice my age. He was my meditation teacher at Integral Yoga NYC as well as a mentor figure to me. Despite being physically disabled, he was one of the most talented, selfless, and loved members of the community. The kirtan party took place on top of a hill against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset. The recordings captured the process of the group gradually coming together and picking up the energy. The last recording in this album was a spontaneous collaboration with Tristan, a surfer and beatboxer of my age from Florida, who was my roommate at Yogaville.
V.38
This is a compilation of some of the works that I composed soon after I moved to Astoria, Queens. It was a cozy and relatively spacious one-bedroom apartment occupied solely by myself. It was the first time I lived without any roommates, and those months in solitude were truly special and magical. I would often spend most of the day dancing on the subway or on the streets in Manhattan, then went home late at night. Total solitude gave me the clarity of mind necessary for deep introspection. During that period, I not only quickly matured as a dancer, but also witnessed my philosophical thinking evolve into its final form. A letter entitled “Remaking Philosophy” that I wrote in April 2018 established the framework of the philosophy of spontaneity. In some ways, the works in this album also stemmed from that state of solitude I was in. I incorporated very simple sounds and melodies into these quiet and intimate compositions. The improv sections in these works are deeply introspective. In comparison, the first series “Your Lullaby” is particularly warm and sincere, while the second series “Jesus of Nazareth” has a more solemn undertone.
V.39
This series of works are a continuation of the previous volume. Compared to those pieces composed earlier, “Rome” is a group of minimalistic compositions containing more rough edges and experimental elements. Notably, while certain elements of Jazz or Rock are present in these works, they do not seem to belong to any existing genre. For example, the third movement “Rome” starts with a long and simple intro, which develops into a long solo organ improv section. That calm and meditative improvisation is then followed by a raw and explosive section of electric guitar solo. This whole narrative is a unique musical language serving as the essential framework for all of the pieces in this volume and the previous volume. All of the sounds used in these compositions are virtual instruments that I installed on my computer.
V.40
Four long experimental solo keyboard improvisations following the style of “The Case of Wagner” (Vol.13).
V.41
This is a series of long compositions using only sample loops. They can be seen as a continuation of “Black Swan” (Vol.22), a group of earlier works made in 2016. The first track “Portal Crawler” and the last track “I Celebrate My Body, My Soul” are my personal favorites.
V.42
This is a compilation of some unique instrumental Hip Hop music and rap songs of a variety of different styles. Songs like “Beat of Life”, “Ride Alone”, and “外挂” demonstrate very mature rap skills; while instrumental tracks like “San Diego”, “Pull Through”, and “The Life of a Mathematician” display a very unique and elegant style of composition. “Loneliness Kills My Vibe” is an intensely expressive piece that does not seem to belong to either of the two categories.
V.43
This volume consists of some of my best instrumental works and rap songs from this period. “Escape From It All”, “Song of Philosophy”, “No.1 Girl”, “You Light Up My Sky”, and “Memory Exchange” are some powerful masterworks that have remained my personal favorites to this day.
V.44
These works were born out of a transitional period in my life. My friend Pablo moved to another neighborhood in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and I was also moving out of my apartment in Astoria. Pablo was a fan of experimental film and a fervent reader of Heidegger at the time. Our friendship motivated me to continue my exploration of experimental keyboard improvisation. “Secret Land” and “Jamming with Pablo in Bushwick” are two rare recordings of my live improv performance in collaboration with other musicians. “Demo For Pablo No.2” is the shortest work I have ever made, in which I created a complex narrative within less than 30 seconds. “After the Rain” is a highly emotional and moving masterpiece. In “Mastema”, I sampled one of John Zorn’s compositions, and transformed it by incorporating elements of Hip Hop and digital synth into the mix.
V.45
This is the unabridged recording of my first solo show which took place at Spectrum NYC, a local music venue focused on experimental music. This is truly a milestone event in my journey as an artist. What compelled me to put on this solo show was the feeling that all of my experiments and adventures in music, philosophy, and dance in the previous years had come to fruition. All pieces that were once separated had come together as a cohesive vision. I felt the need to put myself to test, and the best way to do so was to put on a solo show in front of a live audience. That being said, the whole show was not for the audience, but only myself. I wanted to prove to myself that I had reached a point of maturity. For this purpose, I abandoned all of my plans for the show right before it started. I wanted to see if I was able to create a one-hour show out of nothing right onstage. Spoiler alert: I did it.
V.46
This is a compilation of a series of solo and multi-track keyboard improvisations made during the time when I was preparing for the solo show. The effortless complexity of these works demonstrates the level of maturity that I had achieved as an improviser.
V.47
This is a continuation of the previous volume. Works like “In Memory of Alexander the Great”, “Nagarjuna”, and “Mad Cathedral” are undoubtedly among the best improvisations I have ever created. The stunning authenticity, effortless complexity, and poetic qualities of these masterpieces are truthful expressions of a unique musical language that I had developed on my own over the years. For example, “Mad Cathedral” is in the simple format of a duet. As the piece smoothly evolves, the bright synth and the deep bass intertwine with each other, generating intriguing musical ideas one after another. Both “In Memory of Alexander the Great” and “Nagarjuna” may be viewed as a quartet, as four different instruments are in play. Different from traditional quartet, the rich textures of the sounds are an element as prominent as melody and harmony in these pieces.
V.48
Mostly some techno-influenced instrumental tracks from this period except the last piece. The last piece is an intense synth improvisation divided into three sections. The unexpected moment of silence at 4:54 feels almost divine. The ending part of the third section is also quite powerful. “Induction” is a piece combining a reading from Wittgenstein’s Philosophical Investigations and repetitive drum loops. Interestingly, subtle musicality seems to exist in that simple composition, which can have a soothing effect on the listener.
V.49
Some of the last works that I created before my future Alex and I moved to a new apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Not an important series of works in hindsight. The relatively noteworthy tracks are “E.M.B.R.A.C.E.”, “New Year's Resolution”, “Reimagining the Three Kingdoms”, and perhaps “The Dance of Zombies” and “Old Time Clock”. It seems like I was approaching a “local maximum” at the time, and a change of environment was exactly what I needed.
V.50
A compilation of 30 good beats from this period.
V.51
This series of works can be seen as a continuation of “Endless Road” (Vol.33) and “Late-Winter Sketches” (Vol.34). The difference is that the works in this volume are on the border of solo keyboard improv and ambient music. Being less expressive but more soothing, these works share similarities with Gong baths, a form of sound meditation. What inspired these works was Noire, a powerful virtual piano released in 2019 by Native Instruments. In a way, these works are a sound check of the instrument. I did not feel the need to express myself too much, because the sounds of the instrument were just stunning to listen to. “Movement IV” is my personal favorite.
V.52
There are many good songs in this volume. “The Song of Andrew Yang”, “The Greatest Composer”, “Changes”, “Song of Meditation”, “Song of the Basics”, and “Forward” are undoubtedly among the greatest works I have ever created. In my opinions, these songs are unparalleled masterworks in every respect. What distinguish them from mediocre rap songs are their charming aesthetics, flawless execution of techniques, and, most importantly, profoundly empowering messages.
V.53
The style of these works dates back to as early as “Hip Hop Symphony” (Vol.4). Combining a wide variety of musical elements, these thoughtful and amusing pieces shed light on the future of experimental music.
V.54
A series of instrumental works primarily using electronic sounds.
V.55
As I explored more virtual instruments, I also came up with new ideas for keyboard improvisation. In “Andrew Yang in Boston”, I played both the virtual piano and the live recording of one of Andrew Yang’s interviews through an amplifier. The additional sound textures give the piece a timeless aura. “A Breathtaking Trio Inspired By Raga” is an intensely expressive masterpiece. While only three instruments are at play, the musical structures of the piece are incredibly complex, and the textures of the sounds are rich and pleasant.
V.56
A compilation of some amazing solo improvisations of vastly different styles. “Splendid Imagination” is a piece with stunning emotional depth and subtlety. “Sátántangó” is filled with earth-shattering emotional energy. “Solo For the End of Time” and “Solo For the End of Time (Amplified)” echo my early improv masterwork “Weimar In Early Spring” (Vol.12). All of the pieces in this volume are made with virtual instruments.
V.57
A series of keyboard improvisations made with Massive X, a digital synth released in 2019 by Native Instruments. These playful pieces demonstrate how intrigued I was by the sound of this new instrument. There is no doubt that I had a lot of fun playing it.
V.58
“Strumming Ecstasy” is a series of unique multi-track improvisations. The rest of the pieces in this volume are simple instrumental works.
V.59
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic came as a surprise. As the city was shut down in March and April, I also got an opportunity to stay at home and focus on creating music. The result was yet another series of ground-breaking masterworks such as “Homage”, “You & Me”, “Now or Never (I'm the King)”, “Hip Hop Renaissance”, and “Put You On This Game”. This volume also includes two heartwarming instrumental works “If You Wonder Why” and “Life's Blues”.
Completed in October 2020