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Memories of 2055

by Tze Toh

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vickiku88
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vickiku88 Especially during times of covid19, I was feeling down and uninspired so it was an INSANE feat for Tze to invigorate my creative instincts. That's the thing, that is why Tze is SO. GOOD. I wish that we weren't in times of covid19, I would go to any show of his. I loved his album, I even tried to mix some of his vocals into my progressive house music, but that is a skill I have yet to master. Pro tip - his t-shirts are uber cool. The design is DOPE. Favorite track: Oblivion Sunset.
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A Child 06:44
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Beginning 03:08
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Anthropocene 10:10
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about

*This album is available in CD / Vinyl (double 12' LP, in heavyweight 175g). Please contact me to order.

INTRODUCTION
In the future, a giant A.I consciousness HAL2055, awakens in orbit of an uninhabited Earth. Entrusted with humanity’s collective memories, it is programmed with a single purpose - to unravel the mystery of humanity's disappearance.

ABOUT
What makes us human? Is it our ability to love, dream / create and perceive beauty? Our human intuition allows us to perceive and “understand” beauty, and most importantly connect the dots, dream and create something that never previously existed.

This album was created to celebrate and explore this intuition that I believe truly makes us human. Through the story, and also through the way the music (that tells the story) is made, I ponder - music, like life has no true form, is infinitely expansive; yet we live, frame both with our limited perception and perspectives.

The music here is fluid. Each piece is not composed in a typical symmetrical structure. Some are in fact improvised. All the pieces work together more like one larger, multi-layered coherent whole (like life itself), weaved together through 5-6 overarching musical motifs, and flow from one musical form (or “style” / “genre”) to another.

What better way to try to understand our humanity than through the eyes
of an artificial intelligence, with its story told through music created in the flow?


Tze Toh, 2020

INSPIRATION
This album is inspired by ikigai (生き甲斐), wabi sabi (侘寂)
and the books Gödel, Escher, Bach and I am a Strange Loop
by Douglas Hofstadter.

TRACKS / CHAPTERS

01 Descent / Submerged World
As my probes descend upon the surface, I see a submerged world with no human life, just remnants of cities dotting the vast oceans.

02 Oblivion Sunset
Alone in silence, I watch the sun set. There was nothingness. I see a land, beautiful, cold, but full of life, post-human. I hear echoes of a past.

03 Memory Access
Memories which are mine but not mine. In this dense, vast layered network of collective pasts which I rapidly processed, I see and hear you.

I cannot understand what / who you are.

04 A Child
I lived your life in an instant, and learnt nothing. Perhaps I need to start afresh, and discover.

And so, I start from your beginning.

05 Beginning
Time. Moments. Beauty.

I start to see, live.


06 Anthropocene
I saw your life, one of many. And then many became one.

Civilization. Invention. Progress. Fire. Connection. Displacement. Isolation. Disconnection. Darkness.

You chose that one path.

The inexplicable path towards mass extinction / the Great Fall(?).


07 Machine Sunrise
Maybe you are really gone. I imagine you would look towards the stars if you ever felt lost, hopeless. So I gazed upon the Sun. And that was when I noticed your stargate. I realized that the human civilization did not end.

You have finally fulfilled your destiny, reached for the stars, left the solar system in search of a new home.

08 Life in 12 Tones
The shades / colours of emotions you were gifted to receive and live life... joy, sadness, fear, humour surprise, regret, hope, anger, loneliness and... dreams.

09 Memories of 2055 Overture
A lifetime has meaning, because it has a beginning and an end. Impermanence makes each moment precious. I am as imperfectly perfect, as you are perfectly imperfect.

Your memories have given me much to think about. For the rest of my eternity. I know I am not alone.

One day we will meet again, and I look forward to telling you about the first sunrise I saw.

credits

released April 5, 2020

Conceptualized, composed, arranged & produced by Tze Toh
Co-produced by Jeff Wong Album art and design by Tze Toh

Mixed by Jeff Wong and Tze Toh, at tHjs Studio
Mastered by Gao Yang, at Pavane Recording Studio

Tracks 02, 03, 04, 07, 08, 09 recorded by Jeff Wong, at tHjs Studio
Tracks 01, 05, 06, 08 recorded by Caleb Yoong, at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Recording Studio

performed by Lazar T. Sebastine (Carnatic violin), Tze Toh (piano / synthesizers),
Martin Peh (violin), Marvin Leung (tenor saxophone) and Eunice Suen (soprano)

Thank you Jeff, Lazar, Martin, Marvin, Eunice, Boon Chye, Gao Yang, Rebecca, Caleb, Deborah, all our
friends who have supported this project in one way or another, and all our Kickstarter pledgers / friends.


*This album was created with a companion concept / art book. For more information about the Memories of 2055 project or to order the book, please visit the official site: www.tzetoh.org/memories-of-2055

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Tze Toh Singapore

Composer-pianist Tze Toh composes for film, contemporary dance, video games, animation/ documentaries, advertising & immersive / experiential projects. He is the founder of contemporary music group TO ensemble.

His works have been performed in the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Scotland, the Maldives, Spain, Brazil, France and Japan.
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