MYRIAD (ENIDY) by estranj & elusive

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS FIRST LINE TO THANK ELUSIVE (AARON KOSLOW) FROM THE TOP TO BOTTOM OF MY HEART. AS A KID, GROWING UP IN A CURSED WORLD OF CONFLICTION, LEARNING HOW TO ADAPT TO MY OWN DETRIMENTS, MUSIC WAS INDEFINATELY THE ONE THING THAT HAD SAVED MY LIFE, CONSTUCTING PLAYLISTS AND STUFF TO GET ME THROUGH THE DAY. TRAVELLING EVEN FURTHER BACK, UNTIL THAT POINT WHERE IT HAD REALLY HIT ME HOW MUCH THIS FORM OF ART WAS ACTUALLY MY VERY BEING, AS A LIFE FORCE AS WELL AS A RELEASE FROM THAT.

MY VENTURE OF GENRE ALL STARTED VERY YOUNG, UNFORTUNATELY FALLING IN TO WHATEVER IT WAS THE PEOPLE AROUND HAD MADE FAMILIAR, BY BEING THE MOST PRESENTLY AIRBOURNE. OF COURSE, AT THE TIME, RADIO AND TELEVISION PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN MY INFLUENCE AS A LISTENER AND HAD FOUND MYSELF LISTENING TO WHATEVER IT WAS THAT THE GENERAL AUDIENCE WAS AWARE OF IN THE MAINSTREAM OPTION, HAVEN NO CLUE OF THE TRUE TALENTS THAT WERE OUT OF SIGHT, SEEMINGLY PURPOSELY CASTED ASIDE, SECLUDED, FED OFF OF FOR INDUSTRIAL PROFIT, AND/ OR WHATEVER.

ANYWAYS, AT THAT TIME, I HAD UNFORTUNATELY FOUND GANGSTER RAP AS MY FIRST OFFICIAL BRANCH OF CHOICE FOR DISCOVERY, AS WELL AS SOME EARLY ALTERNATIVE ROCK, AND OTHER THINGS I COULD GET MY HANDS ON, WHICH WAS ABLE TO CONNECT WITH IN THE STATE OR STAGE OF MENTALITY I WAS IN, STILL DEVELOPING. USUALLY, HEARING AS MUCH AS I COULD OF A CERTAIN SONG OR ALBUM UNTIL FINDING I HAD AN UNTAMEABLE UNDERLYING HUNGER FOR SOMETHING MORE SUITING OR MEANINGFUL AS I AGED.

UNKNOWINGLY BOUND IN THAT TIMELINE, TO MAKING MY OWN WORDS TO SING TO AFTER LEARNING ALOT OF THE LYRICS I WAS ALREADY DEEMED WITH, I WOULD FIND MYSELF WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL SOMETIMES, FREESTYLING MY OWN STUFF WHETHER IT BE EXPLICIT RAP LYRICS OR HEAVY METAL TYPE ISH SCREAMING AND SINGING, ALONE, WITH NO ONE AROUND ME ON MY ROUTE. LOOKING BACK NOW, THIS SURELY BRUSHES ME AS A SIMPLE FORM OF INDIVIDUAL LANDSCAPING. IMAGINATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LARGE PART OF MY SPIRITUAL BEING THAT ALWAYS SIFTED HOLES DIRECTLY THROUGH ANY ABUNDANT ENCOUNTERS OF BOREDOM PLACED EXPONENTIALLY AROUND ME, AS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ITSELF IS A COMPLETE JOKE OF AN IDEAL CORPERATE CONSUMEE TRAINING GROUND WITH LITTLE TIME FOR SELF PONDER OR AMUSEMENT THROUGH SELECTIVE CREATION OR ABILITIES.

THIS IMAGINATION OF MINE WAS ALWAYS A LARGER PART OF MY EXISTENCE THAN MY OWN PHYSICAL BEING, EVEN. CONSTANTLY AGITATING UNIFORMATION. NOTICEABLY. I USED TO PLAY WITH MY ACTION FIGURES FOR HOURS WHEN I WAS LIKE A YOUNG, AND OFTEN HAD TO HIDE THEM FROM MY FRIENDS WHENEVER I HAD COMPANY BECAUSE AS I GOT OLDER I KNEW THIS WASNT NORMAL. LMAO. ITS THE PART OF CREATION WHERE YOU CREATE THINGS THE WAY YOU WANT AND KEEP BRANCHING THROUGH CHARACTERS, PLOTLINES, CLIMAXES, LOWERINGS, RISINGS, AND SO FORTH. THIS KIND OF THING IS ALL IT REALLY LEADS TO WITH ME. A PLACE OF NO EXACT ORIGIN THAT IS SHAPED BY AN UNDYING APPETITE FOR MORE TO EXPIRIENCE THAN SIGHT ITSELF CAN DELIVER... WELL OUTWARDS ANYWAY.

I USED TO MAKE MINI BOOTLEG ASS STAPLED NOTEBOOK PAPER COMIC BOOKS IN CLASS BACK THEN AS WELL, STARTING WITH THE COVER AND ESCAPING THROUGH THOSE SORTS OF HOLES INTO A PLACE ULTIMATELY WITHIN ONESELF, YET BEYOND JUST ONE, INTO MANY. IT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING. THE PART IN MY LIFE THAT REALLY SHOWED ME MY WAY COMPLETELY WAS HIGH SCHOOL. AS A TROUBLED MIND, YOUTH TO EARLY ADULTHOOD I ALWAYS FOUND MYSELF UNABLE TO CONTROL MY EMOTIONS OR UNCHANGEABLE OUTLOOK THAT HAD TORMENTED ME, SIMPLY BEING PLACED IN SUCH A WORLD FROM ANOTHER PLACE OF THIS TYPE OF NEVER-ENDING CONSCIOUS STREAM I MENTIONED, I BELIEVE. I HAD HIT MY MAXIMUM OF LIFE OR DEATH AND ALL I HAD WAS MY MP3 PLAYER. AROUND THAT TIME MY HUNGER TO CREATE EVENTUALLY LED ME TO THIS RARE TYPE OF CONSCIOUS MUSIC THAT SEEMED TO BE ALMOST INVISIBLE, YET SUPERIOR TO ANYTHING I HAD EVER KNOWN TO SATISFY, OR SPEAK TO ME IN A WAY NOTHING ELSE DID.

THIS MUSIC ACTUALLY SPOKE TO ME IN WAYS I HAD NEVER COMMUNICATED BY BEFORE, OR EVEN HAD IMAGINED OF INTERPRETING INTO THE VERY PLACE I BELONG, AND AM. IT WAS A LANGUAGE THAT ACTUALLY MADE SENSE. AS WELL AS THE IDENTITY. I KEPT SEARCHING AND KEPT DISCOVERING MORE AND MORE OF THIS MUSIC, MAINLY TRANSPIRED FROM THE LOS ANGELES AND BAY AREA UNDERGROUND HIP HOP SCENE THAT HAD TOOK ME EVEN FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO BETTER MENTAL INGESTION WHICH EVENTUALLY LED ME INTO A GAME CHANGING FLIP OF COIN. I ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR PIANO AND WOULD PLAY PRETTY MUCH ANY INSTRUMENT I COULD OUT OF AN UNKNOWN MUSICAL QUENCH TO DIRECT THE SWAY OF SONIC MATERIAL, AND MY PARENTS BROUGHT ME ON EARLY TO GOOD BLUES, THE EARLY PIONEERS OF ROCK AND ROLL, AS WELL AS A GOOD JAZZ PIECE, ORCHESTRA, FUNK, OR EVEN A LITTLE SOUL MUSIC HERE AND THERE, WHICH MAKES SENSE JUST AS THIS GENRE DERIVES FROM EVERYTHING IN A WAY. WE MAY HAVE PUSHED THE BAR OVER TIME THOUGH,

AS FAR AS GENRE GOES. ONE THINGS FOR SURE, THIS TYPE OF MUSIC I WAS DISCOVERING WAS AN ANCIENT KIND OF FUSION OF ALL THE GENRES INTO ONE AND IT HAD PRESENTED A NEW AND MORE ADVANCED STYLE OF WORDPLAY THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. SO MUCH SO, I JUST SAID FUCK SCHOOL ONE DAY AND WOULD DITCH BEFORE MY FIRST CLASS EVEN STARTED JUST TO COME BACK HOME WHEN EVERYONE WAS GONE, TO FINALLY BEGIN MAKING MY OWN MUSIC.

MY MAIN POINT... ELUSIVE, WAS ONE OF THE FEW ARTISTS I WAS ALWAYS DRAWN TO AS WELL... HIS DARK AND MYSTERIOUS STYLE OF MUSIC ALWAYS CAUGHT MY EAR'S EYE AS ONE OF THE BEST. YOU CAN TELL ONCE YOUR EAR IS BROKEN IN TO THIS KIND OF STUFF, WHICH INDIVIDUALS PARTICULARLY STAND OUT FROM THE REST IN A WAY THAT TOUCHES THE UNIQUE LISTENER THEMSELF. THE FIRST SONG I HEARD FROM HIM WAS EITHER "SHROOMIN" WITH A FEW OF THE LIVING LEGENDS MEMBERS, AS WELL AS "ETERNITY" WHICH JUST BLEW MY MIND AT THE TIME, AND ARE STILL SONGS I PLAY TO THIS DAY, ACCOURSE TO THE FEELING WITHIN HIS PRODUCTION'S RARE AURA. CERTAINLY, AMONGST MANY OTHER OF HIS OTHER TITLES/TAPES & ALBUMS ALIKE, WHICH ARE AMAZING IN SO MANY WAYS.

AS A LYRICIST FIRST, I HAVE EXTREME REGARDS TO SOMEONE WHO CAN HAVE AS MUCH INFLUENCE ON ME AS A WRITER, BEYOND MOST MC'S EVEN WITHOUT EVEN SAYING A WORD ON TRACK. THAT GOES TO SHOW, THE POWER OF MUSIC AND THE THINGS WE ARE CAPABLE OF, WHEN WITH LOVE IN US, FOR THE SPIRIT SPORT. ART IN ALL FORMS BROUGHT ME HERE TODAY, IN MY JOURNEY, ESPECIALLY THE LOVE FOR SKETCHING AND PAINTING, WHICH I STILL LOVE AS MUCH AS EVER, JUST THIS MUSIC PRE-OCCUPIES EVERYTHING I WAKE UP AND SEEK DOING FIRSTHAND. IN A GOOD WAY THOUGH.

A PRETTY GOOD CHUNK OF TIME HAD PASSED AFTER HIGH-SCHOOL AND BEING AND SEEING SO MUCH AFTER THAT I CONTINUED THIS PURSUIT OF WHATEVER IT IS I FELT, WHICH HAD VERY MUCH SO SAVED ME IN MY DESTRUCTIVE FOUL TOXIC INDUCED LIFESTYLE, AND I VOWED TO KEEP THIS TYPE OF MUSIC ALIVE, FOR AS LONG AS I AM HERE, ULTIMATELY SACRAFICING ALOT OF OTHER DEAR THINGS ALONG THE WAY, WHICH DISTRACTED ME FROM MY MAIN OBJECTIVE, GOOD OR BAD. THE TIME SPENT WAS ALL THAT MATTERS, AS IT BE SPENT SOMEWHERE I HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO FEEL AROUND BEING AND DOING. THE ONLY THING THAT COULD RELEASE ME ENTIRELY SO I DONT FEEL TRAPPED IN SKIN.

TITLES AFTER TITLES WERE MADE AND AS MY PHYSICAL BODY HAD UNDERGONE SOME KIND OF DECADAL AGING I STILL FOUND MYSELF, EVEN NOW, MORESO IN THE OTHER WORLD OF IMAGINING, RATHER THAN LIVING OR HAVING A RELATIONSHIP OR A PET OR A STEADY JOB, OR HELL, ANYTHING ELSE PERIOD... ALL I AM IS THIS FEELING. AND THAT IS WHAT I GUIDE IN HOPES OF DOING WHAT IT HAD DONE TO ME IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE DOING WHAT I AM, NOW AND AFAR.

MAKING BEATS WAS ALWAYS FUN FOR ME BUT I FEEL LIKE THE PROCESS WAS ALWAYS DONE FASTER THAN IT COULD HAVE BEEN. I REALLY LOVE GETTING TO WRITING A CRAPLOAD OF STUFF LIKE PUZZLERY AND PASTING IT SOMEWHERE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, WITH LITTLE TIME IN BETWEEN PROJECTS TO EVEN MEMORIZE ANYTHING OR REHEARSE. TO BE HONEST I PRETTY MUCH NEVER REHEARSE EVEN BEFORE RECORDING A PIECE OF LITERATURE. IT HAPPENS NATURALLY AND PROBABLY ALWAYS WILL. STOPPING WHEN I FEEL I AM DONE WITH A PIECE OF WORDS, AND SHORTENING OR EXTENDING THE BEAT AFTERWARDS IT HAD ALL BEEN PLACED IN SYNC.

ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT BEST THING, IN A CONSTANT FORM OF EVOLUTION, AND PROGRESS. AFTER THE TRANSCENSION ALBUM, WHERE I SPENT A COOL AMOUNT OF TIME MAKING THE BEATS BEFORE WRITING TO ANY OF THEM, I HAD MADE A FEW(1 OR 2) OTHER PROJECTS, THAT I REMEMBER WERE JUST VERY RUSHED ON THE BEAT END AND I WAS SEEKING A LITTLE SOMETHING MORE THAN HAD EVER. IN THIS MOMENT I REMEMBER RUNNING INTO THIS MAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ELUSIVE(AARON KOSLOW) AND CONTACTED HIM IMMEDIATELY FOR A BEAT. I SUBCONSCIOUSLY CRAVE A CERTAIN TYPE OF MAGIC THROUGH UNITY IN WORKING WITH OTHERS WHO STRIVE TO DO SOMETHING THEY LOVE, IN COURSE OF ROAD WITH MY OWN, WHICH I ALWAYS HAVE BUT CAN ACHIEVE THIS SO RARELY DUE TO MY LIVING PLACE OR FRIENDSPAN.

WITHOUT GOING INTO MORE DETAIL THAN I ALREADY HAVE, ELUSIVE WAS VERY KIND AND UNDERSTANDING ON MY STANDPOINT IN THE CURRENT, AND HAD AGREED TO HELP ME OUT WITH MORE THAN I COULD EVER HAD HOPED FOR IN A SINGLE LIFETIME. I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT NIGHT HE SENT THE FOLDER OF BEATS TO MY EMAIL, I WAS OUT OF BODY HAPPY IN A LOT OF WAYS AND HAD JUST FINISHED WRITING SOMETHING I WAS GOING TO MAKE A BEAT FOR AND WHEN I HAD RECIEVED THIS FOLDER I REMEMBER JUST TURNING OFF ALL OF MY EQUIPMENT AND GOING STRAIGHT TO MY VAN TO START RECORDING OVER ONE OF THEM. THAT GAVE BIRTH TO "I.D. IDENIDY" WHICH IS PROBABLY MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE ESTRANJ SONG EVER BECAUSE OF HIM, AND OF COURSE MY NIECE(WEIRD STORY). IF YOU ARE READING THIS MAN, I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. THANKS AGAIN. IVE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN FIRST SO THIS IS MY MOST HONORING PIECE.

NOT ONLY A PROJECT THAT CHANGED THE WAY I VIEW THE WORDS I WRITE, BUT ALSO MY TYPICAL BEATMAKING PROCESS, AS I HAVE BEEN IMPACTED TO CRAFT MY BEATS EVEN MORE INTRICATELY AND THOUGHTFULLY AFTER THIS POINT, AFTER REALLY FEELING IN TO THIS MAN'S MASTERFUL HANDS’ AND SUPREME PRESENT ENERGIES. THE COMBINATION WAS A SUPER FUN ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE INVENTORY, PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE. A CLASSIC IF YOU LIKE THIS KIND OF STUFF

EVERY BEAT HE SENT ME WAS COVERED BY THE TIME I HAD FINISHED THIS PROJECT. EVERY BEAT WAS COMPLETELY ASTOUNDING AND EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD BE LOOKING FOR, WITH MORE THAN I COULD HAVE EXPECTED ALSO. NONE WERE SET ASIDE OR UNDERLOOKED. THEY WERE ALL PERFECT. THE MIC I USED WAS ALL I HAD AT THE TIME AND I TRIED MY BEST TO MAKE THE VOCALS SOMEWHAT UP TO PAR WITH THE PRODUCTION, WHILE STILL MAINTAINING MY CREATIVE FREEDOMS TO COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES AND ULTIMATELY NOT TO STRESS OUT ON THE WAY THEY MAY SEEM, IN A PURE MANNOR.

ALL TOGETHER, THIS GAVE BIRTH TO THIS BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF MATERIAL. "MYRIAD ENIDY" ( A CONCEPT I HAD IN MIND BEFORE EVERYTHING EVEN HAPPENED, WITH NO IDEA IN HOW IT WOULD MANIFEST, AS ANYTHING ELSE, WHICH FELL IN PLACE QUITE ACCORDINGLY TO ITS MEANING. AS IT HAD IT ALREADY, I STARTED OFF WITH A FEW RELATED NAMES THAT FIT PERFECTLY INTO THE RECTIFICATION OF "ESTRANJ" THEN ONTO A FORM OF DIVERSE INFLUENCE OF STYLES I CALLED MY "METEMPSYCHOSIS KREW", THE DIRECT OPPOSITE TO BEING JUST ONE, IN ATTEMPTS TO BRANCH EVEN FURTHER INTO EXPLORATION. THEN, AFTER "TRANSCEN8ION" I BELIEVE THE TWO NAMES HAD ACTUALLY CAME TO BECOME ONE. THE 'MYRIAD ENIDY'

MYRIAD;
a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things.

ENTITY;
something that has a real existence; thing://
being or existence, especially when considered as distinct, independent, or self-contained:

THIS DICHOTOMY OF OPPOSITES, WHEN TOGETHER BRINGS YOU THIS HERE.
BLACK AND WHITE.
THEN AND NOW.
ALL OR NOTHING.
GOOD AND BAD.
LIFE AND DEATH.
A COMPLETED FORM OF THE TOTAL REVERSIVE DUALITY,
INTO ONE INTERCHANGEABLE, UNDEFINED BODY OF CREATION.

OUR GIFT, TO YOU.
FOR EVERY REASON.
LONG LIVETH THE ART.

THANK YOU.
-ESTRANJ
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(P.S.) THERE ARE NUMEROUS WAYS AND SPIRALLING FLOORS OF DOORED HALLWAYS IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL LISTENER THEMSELVES, MAY INTERPRET EACH SONG, OR ALL OF THEM IN A SINGLE MANNOR, METHOD, OR MEANING RELATED TO THEM OR ME IN ANY WAY OR CASE, ATTAINABLE. WITHOUT EXPLAINING TOO MUCH, I'LL LEAVE ALOT AND ALL OF THOSE OR THAT MEANING BURIED FOR YOU, SPECIFICALLY, AND UNIQUELY. TO DISCOVER AND MAKE OUT THE EXPIRIENCES IN YOUR OWN WAY. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO PERCIEVE THIS SORT OF ART CRAFT.)

-THAT, IN FACT, IS THE TRUE MEANING OF PURPOSE BEHIND THIS ALBUM.

IT IS TIME IN EXPIRIENCE.

PEACE. AND THANKS !

EDY STRANJ