Welcome dragons, guardians of wisdom, prosperity and health! My hometown Bendigo's Golden Dragon Museum cherishes dragons who dance with lions. This year, 2019, we look forward to The Awakening, where great dragons meet: Loong, Sun Loong and Dai Gum Loong (Cantonese for 'Big Gold Dragon'), a water dragon protected by dancing lions and the Chinese unicorn, a qilin.
Our recording 'Contradiction is the Dragon' evokes papier-mâché scales and hand-cut mirrors, as well as lush sounds smooth as silk.
Western dragons are often depicted as venomous worms signifying greed, lust, fire or ego. Eastern dragons preside over the elements; over mountains, streams and earth's bountiful treasures. Such paradoxes, when channelled creatively, spark energy.
The Sufi Ibn Arabi claimed that whenever we see a contradiction, we are looking at reality.
Originally on our CD Alexandria, in three editions - Australian 1998, German 1999, American 2008 - it now appears on our soundtrack Elderbrook in this remix. Its German label, Hyperium, chose a green lily as coverart. Its American label, Forest of the Fae, for the album's 10 year Anniversary edition, revisited our surrealist cover painting of a red flower, exotic dark-haired woman, falling doll, monkeys and dove, by Australian creative expressionist Karan Wicks.
lyrics
Lyrics:
Out on the colder mornings, through a city of red snow;
Over the arc of reason, you can't tell it whole, no, no
Contradiction is the Dragon -
fly off with the crow!
Blackbirds scurry through the snow
windows crack 'n' groan.
Fly over the fortress, gleam under the rook...
Your eyes are the roaming soul of air
Climb the stair, climb the stair of you!
Sure as cities crumble over seven seas, fall over my life
As I gaze into your face - there I see the Dragon!
Contradiction is the Dragon...
Overlays, summoning our own Elderdragons,
Wisp, Rig and Starkey:
"Fly Wisp, fly!"
"Old Rig roar!"
"Elderdragons, awaken, awake..."
credits
released April 16, 2019
Co-composers: Mark Krol and Louisa John-Krol, based on the melody and chords of 'Wild as the Sea' composed circa 1985.
Co-arranged with Harry Williamson of Spring Studio, circa 1997.
Tiple, Andean Charango, Chas-Chas, Vietnamese Gong, Paper Drum played with paintbrushes, Symphonic orchestration (prompted by Mark Krol's ideas) & Leviathan: Harry Williamson
Original Poetry & Recital (Mandarin): Theodore Wohng
Original Poetry (Japanese): Hisae Hatigan, recited by Sarah Hatigan and Aimi Hatigan, for the remix
Studios:
Producer & co-arranger: Harry Williamson of Spring Studio, 1997
Remix (recitals & other additions bounced to original mix): Jack Setton of Mad Cat Sound, circa 2012-2016
Mastered for Elderbrook: Brett Taylor of Pilgrim Arts, 2017
Art for this Bandcamp track presentation:
'Dragon Fruit' by Elisabeth Mantovani of La Rose Noire, Italy
Louisa is an Australian singer, composer, writer & faery storyteller who has released many albums of ethereal music on indie labels, primarily in France. She's completing a fantasy series, The Elderbrook Chronicles, with a soundtrack.
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