robvisual / A.J. Kaufmann - "Modern Hippie"

"Modern Hippie" smoked a pipe, listened to some Bauhaus, and Rolling Stones, and arrived from The Strange Worlds of A.J. & Rob just in time for a change of times.

The spirit of change is in the air, and we have to adjust ourselves to this spirit - the spirit of the age.

There is war all around us, a war that always takes place somewhere in the world - not only today in Ukraine, but also everyday everywhere. Like in that Leonard Cohen song "There is a War"... between everyone.

So, what does a modern hippie do in such troubled times? Nothing. He reflects on "Born Slippy" released in 1996 and the "Trainspotting" movie with the motto "choose life"... yeah, choose. You still have the on and off buttons, and you can choose to turn it all off.

What will remain? Perhaps Primal Scream which drives our hippie "wild". What is "wild"? Why Primal Scream? Maybe because our hippie saw them on Viva Zwei and liked the psychedelic revival.

Between Hamburg and Poznań, a musical exchange is taking place, that's all I know and all I can report about. The fate of the modern hippie is unknown, but perhaps he is living next door, smoking a pipe, listening to Bauhaus and the Rolling Stones. Adjust me? No, thank you. I'd rather remain a flaw in your system.

I'm a modern hippie
Raised on „Born Slippy”
Spotting trains
For a change
I'm a modern hippie
Flower soul child
Primal Scream
Drives me wild

I'm a thought conductor
At the speed of light
I'm the fall of diamonds
Krishna lullaby
I'm a raw transmitter
Of the hidden truth
Propaganda wheels
Distorting the view
No hidden motion
In nativity

Perfect life form
Born to breed
Kill the virus
Your language is
Modern hippies
Don't give a shit

robvisual · Modern Hippie

robvisual / A.J. Kaufmann - "Foolish Woman"

Here's another update from "The Strange Worlds of A.J. & Rob". This time it's a ballad that is also a warning. Back in 2002 I used to be in a band with Mateusz Nowicki, and we recorded many tapes with our own songs and covers. I also bought the JANE "Between Heaven and Hell" LP back then that inspired these lyrics. Anyway, I also had a girlfriend back then who used to do heavy drugs. She also inspired the words, as I was writing for her to stop doing drugs. Now, after 20 years I am unsure whether I actually wrote these words, stole them from the JANE LP, or had them dictated in a dream revelation. Anyway, here they are today, and if you're doing heavy drugs, please stop. They'll do your body and spirit no good. Like in "The Pusher" song from Steppenwolf, you'll "walk with tombstones in your eyes". Stop hard drugs now if you do them and reach out for help. My girlfriend didn't stop, and now she's in a world of her own that nobody understands. It's beyond sad. Anyway, please enjoy the ballad and heed the warning.

Here are the lyrics, audio below:

I will walk the streetlights away
Waiting for the coming of the day
When will we wake up from our naive dreams
Life is just a gambling scene
Welcome!

Dark city lights you take right thru your nose
Foolish woman, don't take your overdose, no
You say you're righteous, you're surely no fool
So come on woman, show me the rule

I will walk the night breeze away
Into the parks near the crimson bay
And as the moon shines upon my face
I'm finally sure that I found the right place
Welcome!

robvisual · Foolish Woman

robvisual / A.J. Kaufmann - "Haunted Elevator"

robvisual is a photographer, VJ, and DJ who loves to play around with music without being too professional. "It is more about ideas that need to be put into the real world." he says.

Rob recently approached me on soundcloud and sent along a track he wanted me to add vocals to. I am currently having quite a hard time being frustrated with instruments and synthesizers myself, but I sure love to use my voice in any suggested context, so this is still fun for me. Whenever I hear synth tracks like the one Rob sent me, I am reminded of the great Bob Calvert and his 80s era solo work. So, I found an old poem, and added my voice to Rob's recording.

With this track, "Haunted Elevator", we have begun working on an EP (or even possibly an album) together, and I will share the progress whenever it appears. Also, notice the new "TRANSMITTER" logo by Justin Jackley, which will be the visual representation of my music for the foreseeable future. The album "Transmitter: Sonic Abstractions by A.J. Kaufmann" is coming later this year on CD (and digital) to Ramble Records, Australia.

Stay tuned.

robvisual sent me a track of his to which he wanted me to add something. He was thinking "Velvet Underground with Synths", and I imagined Bob Calvert writing a space age song above it with the obligatory Kraftwerk boom-tschak. I found an old set of lyrics, and recorded the voice. Let us know what you think of the result.

Urban deconstruction
Walls in motion
Levels are shifting
Wired to our emotions

Cityscapes are changing
Buildings in motion
Parks are shifting
Along with our emotions

I want a haunted elevator
Haunted elevator
Ego aggregator
Ego aggregator

robvisual · Haunted Elevator (feat. A.J. Kaufmann)