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The Album
The crash of different ideas that, together, represents a full canvas of who I am.
“Who Soto Orbis Is?”. I was asked this question once, making me reflect on my past, present and
future as an independent artist. And even if we don’t want to put ourselves in boxes, labeling
ourselves, is important we know who we are, and where we are standing in. So, being asked after
three projects, in a span of almost two years, it was weird, a little uncomfortable, but
necessary. But the thing about realizing who you are as an artist, or as a character at least,
is that you start to realize some ideas, emotions, thoughts, feelings that don’t match together.
In Canvas, I decided to let different characters to tell their stories in my behalf. Those
stories may see weird, non-sensical at first, however all of them were written based on
properties that I think I wouldn’t be Soto if I tried to deny they exist. It can be messy and
make totally sense, fight against and along itself while bringing some peace. Disconnected
stories that are related to each other in some way. At the end of the day, there is no way to
have a better understanding of someone looking at a pixel, at a drop of ink. You need to look at
the whole picture. You need to step back and stare at the canvas.
The Songs
1 - Storms
Color: Purple
Main Character: Oracle
Description: An oracle feels constantly overwhelmed with the revelations they
constantly get
Meaning: My creative side being both a blessing and a curse
It’s like a blink of an eye. So sudden, so spontaneous to the point it can be ignored if not paid
attention enough. The more you get used noticing when it arrives, the more sensitive you become to
it. Then, every time it comes, you have no choice but decide what to do with it in a matter of
seconds: or to manifest it into the physical world or hoping it will eventually leave you.
This is how abstract forms escape the world of ideas.
2 - Dead
Color: Red
Main Character: Queen of Hearts
Description: A queen is hated by the public even she’s doing everything she can
to do a good job
Meaning: People apparently dismissing you for caring too much
Reputation can be such a drug. Knowing people love what you do can make people feel stronger in
their convictions and paralyzed about disappointing expectations at the same time. However, when you
feel you’re in the bottom of the popularity chart, when
you realize how people despise you without even trying to know your backstory, it can either bring
torment or peace to someone, knowing anything they do will be bad received.
What would you do if you’re the villain for a whole kingdom? You’d try to fight or embrace your
inner villainess?
3 - Vaudeville
Color: Yellow
Main Character: The Entertainer/Comedian
Description: A comedian is about to perform for the first time after forgetting
his notes at home
Meaning: How I mostly feel unprepared in life not knowing if I’m in the “right
path” or not
It’s the first day in the job you’ve always wanted. You’ve been expecting to be called anxiously,
checking every message, every phone call, every e-mail, waiting for the confirmation, and now you’re
finally about to hit the stage. When you put your hand in your pockets to give another look at your
notes, you don’t find them. You panic. You start making a mess, trying to search each and every part
of your costume and backpack, with no success. Now, you wish you had more time before hitting the
stage. But it’s too late: it’s your cue!
4 - Abaporu
Color: Orange
Main Character: A Painting (and its painter as well, in a way)
Description: A painting confronts its observers and their need to be
pleased
Meaning: The subjectivity of art and how “beauty” isn’t my focus
If any painting could talk, what would it say? Maybe, it would try to explain its own worth in a
thousand words or more. It could try, perhaps, to correct those who misinterpret its author’s
original intents. Or it could even ignore everything people have to say (or not say) about it,
challenging its haters and accusers.
We never fully know the place where an artwork was conceived, and how much of what we see is, in
fact, from the painting or just a reflection of our biases, views and ourselves.
And what would be of art if we didn’t wonder about it?
5 - Communic 8
Color: Blue
Main Character: An Extraterrestrial Being
Description: An alien wonders why earthlings don’t talk to them
Meaning: How we may isolate ourselves even when we need human contact
Distances never been so shortened in human history. Even kilometers apart, we can get closer from
people we want to be in touch with. Still, we usually close ourselves to the possibility beings from
other planets, systems, galaxies could be looking for a way to establish a meaningful connection
with us. And considering how messy Earth still is,
maybe some external help would be good for a change, even if the outsiders are just here for a good
chat.
6 - Legion
Color: Green
Main Character: A Ghost
Description: A ghost promises to terrorize an explorer for invading an old
temple
Meaning: The feeling of regret doing something
The past can’t hurt anyone, someone’s actions there are frozen in time, unchanged. Still, we live
constantly with the consequences of our choices, some we may be proud of and other, we immensely
regret. Some ghosts, however, get so heated, hungry for revenge, that the rest of their afterlife is
dedicated to disturbing the peace of those who crossed their way, even if by accident. Those legions
of ghosts will keep pressuring us until our breaking point for our past sins, even if their actions
are past the point of make amends for ours. What would be the safest way to calm them down?
7 - Neo Prometheus
Color: Indigo
Main Character: A Mythical Guard
Description: A guard wonders if he should open the casket he was asked to
protect or just follow his superiors’ orders
Meaning: If being more open about ourselves with people will make good or
harm
When our minds start to analyze some situations where are inserted in, we see ourselves facing moral
and philosophical dilemmas, to the point it feels the time slowed down and the whole world is
looking at us, hoping we’ll pick the correct answer. What should we do if the directrix we received
doesn’t feel as fair is supposed to be? What do we do if breaking the protocol may result in
devastating results?
8 - After Lamp
Color: Black
Main Character: A Freed Genie
Description: A genie doesn’t know what to do after being freed from their
lamp
Meaning: How we may struggle to realize our true wishes and desires
We never fully know how it’s like to face a dilemma until we face it ourselves. After many years
watching people being irresponsible, you wonder how they can be so reckless, irresponsible, how they
lack self-awareness most of the times. It’s not like you can do much, as your job is to make sure
you’re fulfilling their wishes. “I won’t make the same mistakes as they do when I’m free”, you say
to yourself, as you believe you got things figured out after observing so many mortals. But, when
you become one, you start to realize things aren’t as clearer as they seemed when you were an
almighty worker. So… what do you do next?
9 - Minimalismo
Color: White
Main Character: A Philosopher
Description: The desire of wanting to simplify things and avoid
overcomplications
Meaning: Finding a balance between our extremes
Most of us may define ourselves as complex creatures, to the point we may realize how aspects of our
personalities crashes and fight against each other to see which one will prevail. But what if some
of those conflicts are just an unnecessary waste of energy? What if aspects we see as contradictions
are just trying to balance each other until we learn how to handle them?
