German musician and futurist André Uhl not only ordered graphic design and video material for his debut album I hope the roof flies off, and I get sucked up into space.—which is the industry standard by now—but also asked 13 authors to write short stories that are published as an extension to the record. The starting point for those authors were the 13 tracks Uhl gathered on the album. Like his previous work, they are dominated by multilayered beats and awry melodies. How the music was translated into text depends on the interpretations of the respective author: Some of the short stories suggest possible narratives for the tracks, some complete storylines that already exist in the music and some try to find other correlations between sound and language.
A remarkable example is “Awakening/Justice” by Walter Lacy, a hip-hop-artist and poet from Detroit. Lacy tells a story that develops a similar pull as “Here Comes the Ruler” does, which is the track that was the starting point for his tale. Story as well as track oscillate between this world and beyond, and both seem to be surrounded by doom but are able to keep up a positive vibe. Whoever is thinking of Stranger Things now isn’t that wrong: The story as well as the track perfectly match the Netflix hit-series.
We are excited to premiere Uhl’s track “Here Comes the Ruler” and on top Lacy’s corresponding short story before it gets released in November:
Awakening/Justice
*for André Uhl
Echoes of a haunting midnight descend upon the concrete wilderness that he has transformed into his playground.
His enemies fear the darkness while he revels in it.
Self-assured indeed, he understands his purpose. A child of the light. Almost.
Surrounded by a world of chaos that barely maintains a facade of normalcy, he seeks to lift the shroud that veils the truth.
Amidst dysfunction, he finds himself at home.
Weaving through shadows, he instills dread in those who might otherwise bring society to its knees.
Our world is one of deception; empires that evolve and transform themselves.
From pirates to robber barons; politicians to pontiffs.
The poor are exploited, left to suffer at the whims of snake oil salesmen. Magicians. Despicable warlocks and witches who conjure destruction, under the guise of wisdom.
Agents of deception. They believe themselves illuminated.
No. They are the blind. They are the wicked.
Enchanted souls lost to their pride, consumed by ego.
Foolish enough to believe that they are gods. They are not.
There is but one Creator, and he has chosen his hero.
A shining knight fortified by armour unfamiliar to this world.
An astute fighter; he has been bred for this moment.
Vengeance waits patiently around the corner for those that have wrought madness upon the people of Earth. Do not cry for pity, if you did not lament for the wailing widow.
Spare your tears, if they haven’t been shed for the abandoned child. Are your doors open to the refugee? Do you point a finger at the convict and the whore, or do you extend a hand to lift them from bondage? Do you feed on their misery?
If there be any among us that is enslaved, we are all in danger.
Be forewarned. It is time to stand.
No longer can oppression be tolerated.
No longer can villainy be celebrated.
Shake free of the shackles that keep us bound to a system that thrives by discord.
They will send their armies. Let them. They will send their provocateurs. Anticipate them. Nonetheless stand firm. A hero walks among us. A hero lives within us. Do not deny the truth. Embrace the awakening. It is the call we long awaited.. JUSTICE.
Now. Answer the phone.
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André Uhl’s I hope the roof flies off, and I get sucked up into space. will be published on November 17, 2017 via Neofakt—digitally and on vinyl, including a booklet with 13 short stories.
