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The Existential Opera

by Mana Machines

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Steve Pynk
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1.
Closer to the Edge 02:48
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Good morning sunshine as you glitter in my eyes I'd love to stay here in your bed all day long I'm sorry that I have to leave your room so many things take me away from you I'll be just around the corner I'll be down by a river I'll be close to the edge moving closer to the edge all the darker thoughts you've had will blow away when I touch you and take you somewhere just around the corner we'll be down by a river we'll move closer to the edge we'll be close to the edge
2.
Ella 03:44
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I Love you and I always will Even when you died I came to see you every day and I trust you for advice, when things go wrong and I ask you, my dear, why do things always go wrong It's been so long since I've seen your eyes There's a sadness spinning around my heart when I see your.. face behind the panes of glass that keep you safe But I question why. I question why every day All of these workings in my chest keep my broken heart beating on even though you've been gone They keep my heart moving on and every day since your light's been gone I keep this world beating on This time it's worse than we've ever seen If I could only know What's on your mind. I know somehow. You'd know just what to say. To calm me down But I can't get through no I can't through No i can't get through... And I thought I heard your voice Somewhere among the static talking about a dream from a lifetime ago from a lifetime ago all of these workings in my chest keep my broken heart beating on even though you've been gone They keep my heart moving on and every day since your light's been gone I keep this world beating on and on and on and on all of these workings in my chest keep my broken heart beating on (FIN)
3.
Believe 04:38
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You know I care for you no matter what my words says and I'm only trying to help you do your best but so.few.of my motions can move you to an action And none of these rituals can lead you to a light I know that I could never really have compelled you to go to anywhere aside from where you've planned So It seems so clear to me you've grown on your own. It seems so clear to me you've grown on your own. I believe that you've changed on me and I know it's for the best I believe in you and all of these changes because I know you're making something new from all the pieces that were once a part of you The shifting portraits of your ebbing emotions Sometimes confuse me and put me on my guard But.I.know.I can trust you with all the things I've given you and the deep red diamond from the center of my heart I believe that you've changed on me and I know it's for the best I believe in you and all of these changes because I know you're making something new from all the pieces that were once a part of you well.I.hope.you forgive me for the promise that I broke when I said I'd never change on you cause I know I've changed on you so much yes I know I've changed on you And everything is changing every day and I can't stop it, no I can't stop it I can't stop it I believe that I've changed on you and I know it's for the best I believe in us and all of these changes because I know you're making something new from all the pieces that were once a part of you And.I.know.I'm making something new too from the parts of me that touched a part of you
4.
The City on the Edge of Forever 05:01
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5.
There to Hear 03:44
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The clock ticks at the top of it's lungs Trying to tell us our time together is done done but we're not there to hear no we're not there to hear the clock tick no we're not there to hear a light glows on my pocket phone another message sent from my own sub conscious it blinks a rythm in morse code saying the love that we have is growing old but I'm not there to hear no I'm not there to hear my cell phone no I'm not there to hear the news blares on a TV screen in an empty rooms where we used to be The anchor woman she says it's all a loss the two lovers have fallen a-part but we're not there to hear no we're not there to hear the TV we're not there to hear We're not distracted by the claims she makes Or the text that scrolls underneth her head we live oblivious and happy cause nothing's wrong at all No one can hide all their deepest fears forever on their own so I'm glad I have you to help me but we're not there to hear no we're not there to hear Anything we're not there to hear no we're not there to hear Anything
6.
Trajectory 04:34
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When she sang for me the sound was so sweet like synthetic powdered sugar a hypnotizing hum Any chance I thought I had was illusion or delusion a gravity so deep I couldn't see the light and now I'm far away from the love I need to get back to plug my ears and steer and swing this ships around I change tra-jectories to the home I should have never left get me out of here and far away from her I didn't know that something beautiful could be so destructive When a friend I knew got tangled in the siren song all I knew that I could do was advise him from afar I watched him disappear through event horizons to a darkened place where she would be his only companion a gravity so deep he couldn't see the light and from outside it seemed like time had stopped progressing
7.
Your Heart 05:12
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----- Part i When I was 19 I never would have thought that I would be here So successful a Mansion, a beach house a beautiful girlfriend a city full of people who know me by name and a lifetime of the love of my wife yea a lifetime of my best-friend's love ----- Part ii I give you my heart you give me your heart and everything works out perfectly No one gets hurt and nobody cries and everyone laughs in the sunshine This is a dream that everyone's working for It's just like a dream I had as a child WHoa... A crack in the sky a Look in the eye from someone I thought I noticed a girl from a dream that never was real why is she winking at me? This is a dream I had as a child, so why's it happening now? Cause life's not a dream unless it's illusionary, Made up for me. A trick of the light or a trick of the mind maybe god himself is playing a trick on me the buildings and cars the sun and the stars how could this all be an illusion? All of the love I've known for a lifetime why would I question something so beautiful ----- Part iii The girl from my dream takes my hand tries to tell me that we were one-time lovers but I don't even know her name But what can one do when it's warm inside ----- Part iv I give you my heart you give me your heart and everything works out perfectly No one gets hurt and nobody cries and everyone laughs in the sunshine This is a dream I've had for a lifetime whether it's real or not doesn't matter much (at least not much to me) WHoa...

about

:: The Story ::
Originally, this EP was a demo I made for shopping around my ideas to potential collaborators. And.. it worked! I found drummer Trent Davis who joined Mana Machines in 2014. In my year-long stint with Trent, we rerecord some, but not all of the material from this EP, so I decided to polish up and release these demos.

This is the last set of Mana Machines material produced as a solo. These songs were also part of the Mana Machines live set-list from 2014-2015.

:: The Recording ::
These songs were written and recorded between late 2013 and early 2014 at beach houses, in borrowed spaces, and in my spare-room studio. I setup portable studios as needed and used what I had.

The beat/synth programming involved a lot of time at my favorite coffee shop in SE Portland. 3 hour stints with a coffee and a bagel.

:: Inspiration ::
The name "The Existential Opera" bounced around in my head for a while. I recognized that the songs I was writing were rather melodramatic for me. Additionally I'd been reading a lot of Philip K. Dick who is considered an existentialist by some. It seemed like a natural conclusion.

Many of these songs had specific inspirations:

"Closer to the Edge" was inspired by the Yes Album "Close to the Edge" and many of the lyrics are reinterpretations from that album.

"Ella" was inspired by the characters Glen and Ella Runciter from the Philip K. Dick book "UBIK"

"The City on the Edge of Forever" was inspired by the Star Trek episode by the same name. Perhaps the most romantic and tragic episode of the original Star Trek series.

"Trajectory" is a not-so veiled allusion to Homer's "Odyssey"

"Your Heart" was inspired by the Philip K. Dick books "UBIK", "We Can Remember It for you wholesale", and "Flow my Tears the Policeman Said".

credits

released February 2, 2014

Erik Dewhurst - Guitar, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Drum Programming, Synth Sequencing, Mixing

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Mana Machines Portland, Oregon

Portland progressive pop project established in 2009.

Sci-fi inspired lyrics, Pop inspired music, strong vocals and unique rhythmic interactions.

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