LIFE IS OPENED

CD Image



X O X
Music
is a collaboration of:



BONFYR VERBOO
   &     ABRAXOX


creators of
LIFE IS OPENED©1994, 2003



XOX music is unique & rich, defying category; it is suitable for all ages.  There are no questionable lyrics or themes; this is not Rock or Rap.

Song notes appear at the page bottom. 
Songs are listed in the same order as on the original album.

To listen, click the link. To download a song, control-click (right-click) the download link and choose "download linked file", or "Save Target As...".

If you enjoy our music, please, share the URL with others.


ACOUSTIC ABDUCTION

3:17  ||  3,857K
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early 1994
A dynamic attack from the world of sound, this piece is rooted in the visualization of flying fast and low over rolling, alien terrain in the dead of night, as might be viewed from the perspective of unexplained lights seen by some prior to an abduction experience. This song has been described by a few people as startling, or scary.  It is probably the strangest of all our pieces.  You decide.

VORTEXTURE

11:52  ||  13,921K
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11/27/1994
This sweeping instrumental is designed to carry the listener through the helixing intensity of a rotating super-cell thunderstorm, as perceived within the mystic realm of XOX.  From its deceptively calm beginning, through the flying power chords hailing from the middle, to the jarring spin of the epilogue, this piece will reset the K-band waves in the mind of the opened.

LIFE IS OPENED
7:25  ||  8,712K
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12/1994
In recognition of the large, and sometimes overwhelming, influence of Laurie Anderson, XOX has tipped its collective head gear her way with this album title track.  Those who know of L.A.'s art may recognize the spirit of this style of music with its hypnotic, pulsating rhythm.  The vocal tracks and poetic lyrics, however, are purely original, as well as originating, with depths of meaning which should strike chords in those hearts and minds which are tuned to life's mystery.
*This poem by Abraxox has since been published.*

HUMIDITY
4:47  ||  5,610K
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06/1994
It was a swelteringly hot and drenchingly humid summer evening in San Antonio, Texas, and our studio's air conditioning was dysfunctional.  Any breeze there may have been was blocked by surrounding buildings.  Undaunted by sweat and heat, we created this haunting, improvisational piece with a Native American tone to it.  Abraxox plays flute, Bonfyr Verboo plays keyboard.

PHANTASMATA
12:37  ||  14,799K
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late 1994
King Walnut joins Abraxox and Bonfyr Verboo in this wildly weird, psychedelic / supernatural aural journey.  It has been suggested by some that this piece reminds them of very early Pink Floyd music, but with a little more spirit.  It has also been said that this is great 'trippin' music, but we wouldn't know about such things...

297.3
15:12  ||  17,822K
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10-12/1994

Rising from the ocean floor, somewhere within the Bermuda Triangle (aka: "the devil´s triangle") off the coast of Miami, Florida, are ancient pyramids.  Atop one of these pyramids is an unexplained pulsating light.  Such is the story of one Dr. Anthony Benneck, as told during a radio interview with a pioneer in talk radio, San Antonio´s own Alan Dale.  During this interview, Dr. Benneck gives an accounting of his initial experiences from 1968 & 1969, speaking of his fishing discovery of a sealed triangular tablet bearing crypto-glyphs, and of his frightening experiences within an otherworldly fog encountered as he and a friend were deep-sea sail fishing.

Dr. Benneck eventually organized a six month expedition with the aid of a major university, and although the resulting film footage and other data was "swallowed" once loaned to the government for review, he recollected some of the fascinating discoveries.  These ranged from discussion of a region of very heavy water with a salt content 14 times greater than that of the Great Salt Lake, to the unexplained electronics failures which occurred at a 3/4 mile distance from the smaller pyramid bearing the afore mentioned, constantly pulsating light, as well as the recovery of a crystalized skeleton.

The XOX song 297.3 contains, in part, the guitar work of Bonfyr Verboo blended with a segmented compilation of Alan Dale´s  Dr. Anthony Benneck interview and a stereo recording of a San Antonio thunderstorm, both recorded by Abraxox.  The mix was perfected over several months of experimentation, striving to reach the proper mixture of eerieness and ambient noise. The overall experience is like that of a short dream-film which plays in one's own head.

Neither Dr. Benneck's location, nor his current state of health, is known to XOX.
 Two interesting side-notes:
1) The USA and the former Soviet Union have engaged in joint "naval maneuvers" in the triangle area.
2) The National Geographic Society is exploring ancient, artificial structures (a city) off Cuba's coast.


EVIL TWINS
10:18  ||  12,087K
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09/19/1994

This is an impromptu keyboard piece which was performed twice, and recorded on the second take.   It represents XOX's turning from the influences of those who have been categorized within the new age frame, and towards the more avante-guard influences of improvisational jazz.   There is an element of duality in the music of XOX which is clearly heard here for the first time.   The dueling keyboards that highlight the opening of the piece, as well as the contrasting notes and phrasing throughout, lend themselves to the name Evil Twins.   The Evil, however, is simply a reversal of livE, and no deviltry is, nor should be, implied.


FUTURES ON THE DOORSTEP
5:58  ||  7,013K
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early 1994

Childhood melodies are the impetus for the musical themes woven within Futures On the Doorstep by Abraxox, with guitar backing by Bonfyr Verboo. Borne within a haunting, wistful allure, the song seems to be an expression of the hidden child within each adult, playing somber grown up games, unknowingly longing for a magic felt, but not quite remembered.

 

SONG NOTES

Much of the music of XOX began as imagery, or as abstract ideas we pursued in order to explore or create a feeling, thus explaining why an abundance of our music is not focused upon lyrics. Many have suggested that our music would make for excellent soundtrack material.  We are happy to share our music freely, as long as it is properly credited and is not used for profit by any individual, agency, or entity.

A Tascam four track, variable speed cassette tape recorder, along with a standard stereo cassette tape recorder were used to make the original recordings.  Instruments such as guitars, samplers, and synthesizers were used in conjunction with sequencers, and tape loops, to produce them.  Wherever possible, these recordings have been directly digitized from the masters.

Originally released in very limited numbers during Christmas of 1994, the songs were in the same order listed, except for Futures On The Doorstep, which was edited into two parts.  Part one was placed at the end of side A and part two was placed at the end of side B.  Also, Evil Twins was not included on the original cassette-album due to space constraints, but was added when the songs were remastered into a digital format for compact disc.

Date references are recording dates (precise where possible).
Time references indicate approx. durations of the .mp3 files, as do size references.