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Invisible Criminals (Instrumental Version)

from Archives, Vol​.​1: A Million Ways to Be the Same by Dylan Thomas Walter

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Recorded in early 2005 and revised in Autumn 2005 in Burbank, California.

As the title indicates, this instrumental composition was once graced by lyrics -- of undeniably dubious quality (hence their ultimate redaction) -- and a questionable vocal performance to match. I'd be lying if I were to feign forgetfulness regarding the lyrics; in truth, the subject matter dealt with some general idea of political corruption, particularly that of a socio-economic nature, and how such corruption is so appallingly pervasive that it has come to pass by essentially unnoticed in our day-to-day-lives. One can surmise, then, how the vestigial title of this instrumental track may have been originally derived.

The instrumental version, if memory serves me, came about to fulfill a specific need during the process of applying to UCLA for their Ethnomusicology undergrad program, which I was ultimately accepted into, only to withdraw before completing my second term there, due to financial and transportation issues, the appropriate solutions of which stood far beyond my reach at the time. I had set about the task of compiling a CD serving as an audio portfolio of my recent work, and "Invisible Criminals," with it's clear nods to Indian raga (those being the presence of sampled tablas, the ecstatic sitar-eqsue introductory guitar solo, as well as the general "Eastern" feel of the song as a whole, the result of some inauthentic, stereotypical scale with a flat 2nd note being employed), presented itself as an obvious choice for the collection. It was not a difficult decision to remove to vocals, seeing as, aside from being a performance I had remained lukewarm on from the beginning, they only served to detract from the elements of the song which I considered relevant to the Ethnomusicological ends I was seeking to achieve.

What's left is an actually not-uninteresting little tune, combining Indian percussion samples, energetic punk guitar, and a dark, droney Eastern feel, which while not altogether "authentic," isn't altogether unconvincing either. The underlying electronic drums and subtle monophonic synth line meld texturally with the guitar to coalesce into an almost cinematic experience, the tension heightened by the insistent, dronelike melodic iterations and rising/falling dynamic. Most of all, that raging lead guitar, which opens and closes the piece, really does stand out as simultaneously representing on the 1960's psych sound as well as something a bit more edgy and noise-driven. It's almost enough to make me consider giving guitar solos another look in some future composition. Almost. But whether or not that actually happens, it is certain that the strength of that lead guitar is more than enough to make up for the lack of vocals in this instrumental version, which is actually far stronger in this form than it ever was with the mediocre vocal track from which it has long since been liberated.

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Dylan Thomas Walter Anaheim, California

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