The above quotation from the French Symbolist poet Charles Baudelaire is an attempt to describe the synesthesia experienced by one who is under the influence of hashish. Inspired by the author of Les Fleurs du Mal’s concept—as well as our own experiments with various consciousness-expanding substances—we have begun posting “synesthetic visualizers” on YouTube for each of the tracks from our first album. Tune in to “TV [ai]” every Sunday at 1 AM Taipei time to see—and hear—the colors of a different song from Carmina Formosa! The following three are already live:
Can you hear the cool blue aquatic tones of “If You Insist”? How about the bright orange sexual energy suffused with green fertility which animates the flight of “Sister Dragonfly”? Or perhaps you prefer the golden spiritual majesty juxtaposed with the nullity of blackness which emblemizes “Lonely God”? . . . But wait! Do these colors accurately represent the music, or have [ai] imposed them arbitrarily? Do you hear and see what [ai] do? If not, which colors are audible to you? And what substances, if any, do you ingest to hear such colors—and see such sounds?
As you ponder these questions, please subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss the premieres of the “synesthetic visualizers” for the remaining tracks on Carmina Formosa: “Now I Know You,” “Three Little Jailbirds,” “Dystopian Theme Song,” “Let Me Do It,” “The Kinkster,” and “Love in the Time of Tuberculosis”!
Oh yeah . . . it’s Christmas, isn’t it?
The birthday of Jesus is not much celebrated here on the island of Formosa and we don’t really really have any Yuletide tunes in our back catalogue to share, so this year [ai] leave you with a timeless holiday message from Ray Davies and the Kinks:
And on that uplifting note, [ai] bid you adieu until sometime in 2023!