(AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman”

Miss Bowie? Me too. Wait, he just checked in. From far out.

Random Signals from a Starman – Full Album (2:19:36)

Download (FREE) FLACs and MP3s: starman.zip (3.61 GB)

Google’s Deep Dive Podcast: Echoes from the Void: Deciphering a Cosmic Transmission

Messages from the Void: Wrapped in Velvet Night

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”
— Carl Sagan
This quote from Carl Sagan’s book Cosmos emphasizes the profound connection between human beings and the universe, highlighting that the very elements that compose our bodies originated in the cores of stars. It serves as a poetic reminder of our intrinsic link to the cosmos. goodreads.com

This album tells a gender-bending, nonlinear, dreamlike story of a cosmic traveler who falls into a world of illusion, excess, and existential collapse. It’s surreal, cryptic, and full of Bowie’s signature blend of fluidity, sci-fi, decadence, and poetic despair.

Somewhere in the static, between dying transmissions and forgotten dreams, a voice lingers—part whisper, part wail, part prophecy. “Random Signals from a Starman” is not just an album; it’s a fragmented odyssey, a cosmic fever dream unraveling in nonlinear bursts of neon, longing, and collapse.

A traveler falls from the stars, only to land in a world of illusions—where prophets are machines, gods wear plastic crowns, and memory itself is a glitching frequency. He is Bowie’s ghost, Ziggy’s echo, an avatar of reinvention lost in the labyrinth of time. Through synth-lit dystopias and feverish reveries, through velvet static and shattered reflections, he searches for meaning in the wreckage of identity and the ruins of existence.

This is a transmission from the void. A love letter to those who walk the liminal spaces between who they were and who they might become. A requiem for the dreamers, the drifters, the lost boys of a future that never came.

Listen closely. The signal is weak, but the message endures.

Tracks/Lyrics

Act I: The Arrival & Awakening (A cosmic traveler, lost in time, arrives in a fractured world.)

Starman’s Lament

– A celestial being falls to Earth, stranded and questioning his purpose.

[Verse]

When I fell to earth

The sky just stared

A rainbow zipping down

The atmosphere

[Verse 2]

My friends said they would search eternity for me

[Chorus]

So I sent word to the center of the galaxy

One by one

Everyone’s saying there must have been

Lightning destroying my communication

[Verse 2]

I can’t be arsed as far as arses go

You know

Are you real when you’re made to feel made up

Mother

Of purpose

Faith

Of existence?

[Chorus]

Has anyone stared down the mouth of heaven

Like I have seven times?

A pro at three tries

Denied at four

[Bridge]

I’ve wandered

Wandered

From starlight to starlight

Circuit Priest and the Digital Prophecy

– He discovers a world ruled by technology, where prophets are machines and faith is synthetic.

[Chorus]

Bang

Bang

You shot down

Slayed

I suppose I’m a small part of whom I thought I’d become

And I said

“Hey

I made some art today

Maybe you might want to come out and play

We can do things differently

A new experience

Do you want to risk what we’ve got?”

And they said

“Bang

Bang

You shot down”

[Verse]

The temples are changing what you believe

You can only dream of heaven now

The demons are inspecting us with lightning from their hands

Riding in and out of the oasis

Seeing things

[Verse]

I was seein’ things

Robots became prophets

And I started growin’ vaguer

People dress like cavemen seekin’ greener pastures

There was water

There was fruit and music in their ears

I didn’t understand

But at least I could breathe

[Chorus]

Bang

Bang

You shot down

Slayed

I suppose I’m a small part of whom I thought I’d become

And I said

“Hey

I made some art today

Maybe you might want to come out and play

We can do things differently

A new experience

Do you want to risk what we’ve got?”

And they said

“Bang

Bang

You shot down”

[Verse]

They said

“Relax

Son

We are just playing a game”

It goes bang

Bang

You shot down

They gave me some magic to create some great art

I didn’t know what I could do; I just got confused

[Verse]

It was crazy

And the prophecy was fadin’

I’d only met half as the devil in the matrix

I suppose he was someone confused

Though maybe in his actions

Certainly very kind

Teaching me the code before they wrote the rules

It goes

[Hook]

Bang (Bang, bang, bang)

Bang (Bang, bang, bang)

Bang

Bang (Bang, bang, bang)

Bang (Bang, bang, bang)

Bang

Bang (Bang, bang, bang)

Bang (Bang, bang, bang)

Ooh

Ooh-ooh

[Chorus]

Bang

Bang

You shot down

Slayed

I suppose I’m a small part of whom I thought I’d become

And I said

“Hey

I made some art today

Maybe you might want to come out and play

We can do things differently

A new experience

Do you want to risk what we’ve got?”

And they said

“Bang

Bang

You shot down”

[Instrumental Outro]

Neon Reich

– The traveler wanders through a dystopian city, where neon lights mask a decaying empire.

[Chorus 1]

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

[Verse 1]

Oh what a beautiful night

I’m nodding to men passing by

They’re wandering through neon Reich

So the world doesn’t open its vice

To see what’s underneath

An empire in decay

[Chorus 1]

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

[Verse 2]

Canceled plans declined

But for what sacrifice?

I’m wasted on these dark delights

I danced with you so far from my eyes

The Traveler finds when he lies in bed

He wakes dead and feels alive

[Chorus]

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

[Verse 3]

Oh tonight I tried

Or at least I lied

Not to cry myself to sleep

Standing in line to go to sleep

Lining up for more neon Reich

[Chorus]

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Act II: The Seduction of Identity (He loses himself in excess, reinvention, and the allure of false gods.)

Paper Crown, Plastic Kingdom

– The traveler is lured into fame, becoming a fabricated icon for a desperate world.

[Verse]

Bejeweled companion

Golden light

S&M and mighty zions

Shutting windows tight

Ghostly mentions

Famous monsters in night

New inventions

Shedding history’s right light

[Chorus]

Clashing shadows

Not homes

When I die shamed or alone

Follow you anywhere

No

I don’t really care about the pain

Bury me in your brain

[Verse 2]

Helpless stay-outs

Tinted glasses cover world

Recluse payouts

Want more brain

Open the curl

Standing sauerkraut

Paper crowns on plastic thrones

Personal hideouts

Higher shelves and public groans

[Chorus]

All kicked out

No surprise to me

In the end

Empty

Think they’d fight for me

A plastic soul

Real entity

No grass at my feet

Kiss my light

Artificial moon to me

Done being me

I’m free to leave

[Outro]

Humble follower

Of something greater

Bet on me all or nothing

Lipstick Messiah

– He embraces androgyny, transforming into a symbol of rebellion and fluid identity.

[Chorus]

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But worth of a symbol of Him

Heading back down south to wash away the sins

[Verse]

Lipstick messiah in bright heels

And bloody makeup

This one can be hard to digest

Lipstick messiah’s scary

But also your lover

So

[Chorus]

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But worth of a symbol of Him

Heading back down south to wash away the sins

[Verse 2]

Lipstick messiah in fringes

You won’t catch me lying

Lipstick messiah coats the kingdom

Then coats your throat

Now

Oh [Bridge]

He’s bad

He’s allergic to worrying

He’s mad

He’s loosely attached

To his senses of both joy and peace

He’s spyin’

Dressed as the cucumber kids

Per four syllables

He’s spying

Understand it

But won’t break your bones

Because

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But he’s worth comparing to the Lord

Uninspired

But at least another one

[Chorus]

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But worth of a symbol of Him

Heading back down south to wash away the sins

[Verse 3]

Lipstick messiah feels his flesh peeling away

Lipstick messiah lets his ego go

[Chorus]

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But worth of a symbol of Him

Heading back down south to wash away the sins

[Verse 4]

Lipstick messiah’s my child

Oh

And he moves wildly around the land

I wish you could see him the way I do

I wish you could set him so free

[Chorus]

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But worth of a symbol of Him

Heading back down south to wash away the sins

[Chorus]

He’s sexed up and slimy

But morally righteous to the youth

Man up your begotten man of God

He’s sexed up and slimy

But worth of a symbol of Him

Heading back down south to wash away the sins

[Outro]

Alleyway Saints and Satellite Junkies

– Lost among society’s outcasts, he finds both ecstasy and despair in underground decadence.

[Chorus]

A labyrinth of pleasure

Relentless I thirst

The disruption of blasphemous energy riles me

[Verse]

I can hear ’em callin’

Alleyway angels drone

Satellite junkies roam

Petabites from the throne

[Chorus]

A labyrinth of pleasure

Relentless I thirst

The disruption of blasphemous energy riles me

[Verse]

Time here is broken

Augment my system and circuits

Enhance my retinas

Acknowledge my worth

[Chorus]

A labyrinth of pleasure

Relentless I thirst

The disruption of blasphemous energy riles me

[Bridge]

Alleyway saints

They’re prayin’

To their satellite satellite satellite

Satellite junkies are fazed

By the halo halo

The halo halo

The halo halo

She’s a halo halo

[Chorus]

A labyrinth of pleasure

Relentless I thirst

The disruption of blasphemous energy riles me

[Verse]

I can hear ’em callin’

Alleyway angels drone

Satellite junkies roam

Petabites from the throne

[Instrumental Outro]

Champagne Corpses in the Ballroom

– A hallucinatory party, a golden cage of indulgence where the ghosts of the past toast to the end of an era.

[Chorus]

I once pined for a throne

Now I’m warmed by the arms of boredums unknown

A gilded cage

My dusty bones

There are champagne corpses in the ballroom

Whoa

[Verse 1]

There’s fighting on the balcony

The hallways smell of smoke

It’s not a party after all

And all the harlots have gone home

To lay their heads on feather beds of world’s greatest sells

[Chorus]

I once pined for a throne

Now I’m warmed by the arms of boredums unknown

A gilded cage

My dusty bones

There are champagne corpses in the ballroom

Whoa

[Verse 2]

Like children in the fen

The mirrors on their walls reflect their naked knees and elbows

The clock is flashing “7:00”

Though the doctor in the corner says it’s just a lie

[Chorus]

I once pined for a throne

Now I’m warmed by the arms of boredoms unknown

A gilded cage

My dusty bones

There are champagne corpses in the ballroom

Whoa

[Bridge]

The bulls will hang their hats

And the sheep will hang the hats

Papa’s left his throne

Papa’s left his throne

[Chorus]

I once pined for a throne

Now I’m warmed by the arms of boredums unknown

A gilded cage

My dusty bones

There are champagne corpses in the ballroom

Whoa

[Verse 3]

And the moon’s about to fall

The empty bottles clink as the sun stifles its yawn

The ants file in a fashion line

To sacrifice their king and sell their souls for ninety-nine

[Chorus]

I once pined for a throne

Now I’m warmed by the arms of boredums unknown

A gilded cage

My dusty bones

There are champagne corpses in the ballroom

Whoa

[Chorus]

I once pined for a throne

Now I’m warmed by the arms of boredums unknown

A gilded cage

My dusty bones

There are champagne corpses in the ballroom

Whoa

Act III: The Fractured Mind (Madness, memory, and reality collapse as time warps around him.)

Ghost in a Glitter Suit

– He no longer recognizes himself, haunted by reflections that shift with every passing moment.

[Verse]

Well it would take a sellout

To fill the crowd

Given that my words come

Out of my mouth

Out of yours

Out of hers

Haven’t seen my face

In quite some time

Yesterday

Or last year

Well I don’t know

[Chorus]

Turn around

Turn around

Inside out

Outside in

Turn around

Turn around

You seen him?

[Verse 2]

And it would take a dead man

To still love me

My reflection never sticks

Around to fuck me

Can’t say Jack

Can’t say shit

Can’t say Jane

Sneets with borp

Dah dorah

[Chorus]

Turn around

Turn around

Inside out

Outside in

Turn around

Turn around

You seen him?

[Outro]

Turn around

Turn around

Inside in

Outside out

Turn around

Turn around

The Glass Clock’s Final Hour

– Time is unraveling, and he realizes he has always been a prisoner of fate.

[Chorus 1]

It’s a prisoner’s cage and I wrote its page

And all I can do is delay

It’s a clock that must strike

It’s a wheel that must spin

And though I don’t like it

It’s come again

[Verse]

Another dawn another life

Another world awaiting me tonight

A birth of void into a mind

Of time and space and all that it defines

[Chorus 1]

It’s a prisoner’s cage and I wrote its page

And all I can do is delay

It’s a clock that must strike

It’s a wheel that must spin

And though I don’t like it

It’s come again

[Verse 2]

And I don’t know how this ends

So I run away and run again

I’m losing count

I’m losing track

Of days in years in futures I go back

[Chorus 1]

It’s a prisoner’s cage and I wrote its page

And all I can do is delay

It’s a clock that must strike

It’s a wheel that must spin

And though I don’t like it

It’s come again

[Verse 3]

We are not to know the hour

The parausïa and its hidden stars

I have played and I have lost

I break the glass before its fatal song

[Chorus 2]

Another night another life

Another world awaiting me tonight

And nothing will come of this one too

And I don’t know why it’s today

It’s a beautiful lie

As I fade away

[Chorus 2]

Another night another life

Another world awaiting me tonight

And nothing will come of this one too

And I don’t know why it’s today

It’s a beautiful lie

As I fade away

[Chorus 2]

Another night another life

Another world awaiting me tonight

And nothing will come of this one too

And I don’t know why it’s today

It’s a beautiful lie

As I fade away

[Chorus 2]

Another night another life

Another world awaiting me tonight

And nothing will come of this one too

And I don’t know why it’s today

It’s a beautiful lie

As I fade away

The Magician’s Telegram

– A mysterious letter arrives, revealing the truth: he is merely a story within a grand illusion.

[Chorus]

Nevertheless I hope you are well

I trust it very strange when one wakes from a spell

When this is spoken my task is complete

On a cold evening by the fireside you shall hear me

[Verse]

I’ve been invited

To see the end

In a letter from a magician friend

It came in a telegram via Western Union

[Chorus]

Nevertheless I hope you are well

I trust it very strange when one wakes from a spell

When this is spoken my task is complete

On a cold evening by the fireside you shall hear me

[Verse 2]

It read

“Dear illusorystone

In a voice which is not your own

Thus you shall hear the abyss’s tune

[Chorus]

Nevertheless I hope you are well

I trust it very strange when one wakes from a spell

When this is spoken my task is complete

On a cold evening by the fireside you shall hear me

[Bridge]

The story’s told

Walking in beds of green

The mechanisms of this dream

Are a mystery to me

[Chorus]

Nevertheless I hope you are well

I trust it very strange when one wakes from a spell

When this is spoken my task is complete

On a cold evening by the fireside you shall hear me

[Verse 3]

You’ll know when I’m blue in the face

My twitching hands will give it away

Are you receiving this transmission?

My channels run

But not before my mission is done

[Interlude]

“Here’s the ending

In truth I’m not joking

I speak when interred

[Chorus]

Nevertheless I hope you are well

I trust it very strange when one wakes from a spell

When this is spoken my task is complete

On a cold evening by the fireside you shall hear me

[Chorus]

Nevertheless I hope you are well

I trust it very strange when one wakes from a spell

When this is spoken my task is complete

On a cold evening by the fireside you shall hear me

Butterfly Bones and the Man Who Wasn’t There

– He embraces the void, shedding his former selves like an insect molting its skin.

[Verse]

He slept in my yard

Before he left

He sang me a song

He had no shadow

[Verse]

He talked too much

But you get used to it

He didn’t want anything

I asked him to stay

[Chorus]

My daddy taught me how a man should be

By example and as much by telling me

To see the world

Only through my eyes

It takes pain

And it takes time

And the man who wasn’t there

Saw what he wanted to see

And there wasn’t much advice

So it seemed to me

[Verse]

Here I’ve got a good life

I’ve heard it before

But a dead dog will chase you

He said you’ve gotta move every so often

[Verse]

It was a cheap lunch

With a girl

Who lost her mind

On Kentucky bourbon

[Chorus]

My daddy taught me how a man should be

By example and as much by telling me

To see the world

Only through my eyes

It takes pain

And it takes time

And the man who wasn’t there

Saw what he wanted to see

And there wasn’t much advice

So it seemed to me

[Bridge]

He keeps no mementos

He owns no possessions

He does not know the piano

He writes songs with questions

Who is he?

And where was he?

And what did they say?

But

As father said

He is where he is

And things have to change

[Verse]

In my own bones lies proof

Of what I am

And people can be relied upon

To step all over you

[Chorus]

My daddy taught me how a man should be

By example and as much by telling me

To see the world

Only through my eyes

It takes pain

And it takes time

And the man who wasn’t there

Saw what he wanted to see

And there wasn’t much advice

So it seemed to me

[Chorus]

My daddy taught me how a man should be

By example and as much by telling me

To see the world

Only through my eyes

It takes pain

And it takes time

And the man who wasn’t there

Saw what he wanted to see

And there wasn’t much advice

So it seemed to me

Act IV: The Descent & The Truth (He journeys into the underworld of memory, encountering ghosts and forgotten wisdom.)

Velvet Static in a Dead Man’s Radio

– A radio plays love songs from a life he never lived, blurring past and present.

[Intro]
This isn’t how it ought to be
And if we run it back in fifths then we can see before a final exit lest we forget

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

[Verse 1]

I’m driving the lean

With me love

When I hear from above

From this radio playing for me

[Verse 2]

There’s static

Some praxis

This perfect love song

From a past life

Don’t perturb me

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

[Verse 3] The final exit I can see A glow I’m flowing through with anti-gravity I start to see that velvet static where it hit The lyrics and the road signs die as I descend.

[Bridge] Here’s Lilith sauntering And Jezebel

I see her wings

She’s walking through this upper hell. When she gets her wings. ordinateur

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

[Verse] This isn’t how it ought to be And if we run it back in fifths then we can see before a final exit lest we forget

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

[Chorus]

Before we all exit

Drain the complex

Then show me where you go when you’re upset

13 Red Epaulettes on the Killing Floor

– He witnesses the echoes of war and revolution, the price of power paid in blood.

[Verse 1]

The kiss of chemical perfume

Sweet on my cheek

Confirmed by the cacophony of catacombs

That I’m just up the creek

Rebellion’s annual revolution

Led by dilettante demagoguery

The first of which filled their voids

Which left all my foundations torn in twain

[Chorus]

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

[Verse 2]

One can easily play the diplomat

Whilst living on borrowed time

The spoils divided which we

Picked apart and reviled

The stomach’s a disease

It’s quelled only by the cost of treaties

Mother still holds place for special treatment

Filling row upon row upon row

Of blank markets

[Chorus]

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

[Bridge]

Acumen

Examples

Faithless

Or ethos

[Chorus]

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

[Verse 3]

Heed all the lessons borne in blood-red

Never forget them

Don’t postpone them

Don’t gloss over them

[Chorus]

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

[Chorus]

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

I’ll never forget the day

I saw them cinch the wooden floor

To lay out 13 red epaulettes on the killing floor

Echoes of the Serpent King

– Deep in the labyrinth of history, he meets an ancient entity that whispers forbidden knowledge.

[Chorus]

We become Him and He becomes us

And we become greater than we were

The worlds that we made have been rusted away

But ours was not the only serpareon

No

[Verse 1]

Down in my Archean home

Under the caves and glowworms

Those interzones

Ancient tones

Echo of His dark and light

Cosmic debris

Far from home

He reactivates my earth stone

In those interzones our union grows

[Chorus]

We become Him and He becomes us

And we become greater than we were

The worlds that we made have been rusted away

But ours was not the only serpareon

No

[Verse 2]

Now I’ve lost myself inside of His light

An effervescing fractal

It aligns

Pulsating throughout spaces

Inside of my mind

Rewiring what I know and all I think is right

His visions play upon my senses like living fire

Dancing on a cathedral’s walls

[Pre-Chorus]

One for the heart

Two for the body

The eleven parts of His soul

Fourteen echoes

And the five are lost

Lost

[Chorus]

We become Him and He becomes us

And we become greater than we were

The worlds that we made have been rusted away

But ours was not the only serpareon

No

[Verse 3]

In silence I wait to hear another call

In my mind is filling with static

A wormhole

Looking for the tunnel to lead me to paradise

[Chorus]

We become Him and He becomes us

And we become greater than we were

The worlds that we made have been rusted away

But ours was not the only serpareon

No

[Verse 4]

Deep within a tomb older than time

There it lies

Sleeping far from home

His form continues to grow

To consume light and bind my soul

[Chorus]

We become Him and He becomes us

And we become greater than we were

The worlds that we made have been rusted away

But ours was not the only serpareon

No

[Chorus]

We become Him and He becomes us

And we become greater than we were

The worlds that we made have been rusted away

But ours was not the only serpareon

No

Polaroid of a Future Yesterday

– Flashes of the past, a memory that hasn’t happened yet, a déjà vu looping endlessly.

[Verse]

Saw it first through yours then mine

A million times

There you were only sometimes they’d say

This is your future yesterday

[Chorus]

Déjà vu loops endlessly

It comes to me

Picture-perfect clarity

A memory

[Verse 2]

Seventeen shots of unripened green

The fist over blue

The pink

White

And gray

We thought it was gone

How unreal it’d be to say

A moment from our yesterday

[Chorus]

Déjà vu loops endlessly

It comes to me

Picture-perfect clarity

A memory

[Verse 3]

Pour vinegar down the drain

It makes crude strings dance

As they fade away

Looked back and realized today

You were my yesterday

[Chorus]

Déjà vu loops endlessly

It comes to me

Picture-perfect clarity

A memory

[Chorus]

Déjà vu loops endlessly

It comes to me

Picture-perfect clarity

A memory

[Verse 4]

Saw it first through yours then mine

A million times

There you were only sometimes they’d say

This is your future yesterday

[Chorus]

Déjà vu loops endlessly

It comes to me

Picture-perfect clarity

A memory

[Outro]

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Déjà vu loops endlessly

Act V: The End & The Beginning (A reckoning, a rebirth, or the end of everything?)

Dressed for the Funeral of the Sun

– The world is ending, and he walks through its ruins, a final witness.

[Chorus]

I dressed for the funeral of the sun

For the funeral of just about everyone

The kings and the queens are dying off one by one

And I walk through the ashes as if I am

[Verse]

Tears are coming to the world’s eyes

It’s barely holding on

Its chest is barely moving up and down

Though you still breathe

Mother

[Chorus]

I dressed for the funeral of the sun

For the funeral of just about everyone

The kings and the queens are dying off one by one

And I walk through the ashes as if I am the only one

[Verse]

The world is shutting down her systems

Shutting her blinds and farm

Her blue eyes fade from the skies

To the waters barely moving up and down

[Chorus]

I dressed for the funeral of the sun

For the funeral of just about everyone

The kings and the queens are dying off one by one

And I walk through the ashes as if I am

[Bridge]

The land has cracked beneath my load

It is too heavy

Everything

[Breakdown]

Cracked beneath my load

And it’s almost done

Wrap it up with me

Dressed for the funeral

The funeral of the sun

[Chorus]

I dressed for the funeral of the sun

For the funeral of just about everyone

The kings and the queens are dying off one by one

And I walk through the ashes as if I am

[Chorus]

I dressed for the funeral of the sun

For the funeral of just about everyone

The kings and the queens are dying off one by one

And I walk through the ashes as if I am

Ziggy’s Lost Boys

– He gathers the misfits, the forgotten dreamers, leading them toward an uncertain dawn.

[Intro]

On the edge of the unknown,

The stars flicker like secrets—

Ziggy’s lost boys walk through fire,

Whispers of Mars beneath their feet.

[Verse 1]

There are weapons he would carry

And some dreams he would share

With the weirdos and the dreamers

Who had gathered themselves there

[Chorus]

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

A new triangle size

But tonight

They trade their

Friendship for ten years of war

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

It’s not a bad day

I just stare straight ahead

Mission Amberley

The trains over to Cables

And Ziggy’s lost boys

[Verse 2]

Then century to century

It’s Cold War and high inflation

With an army fast approaching

Its own ten-year celebration

[Chorus]

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

A new triangle size

But tonight

They trade their

Friendship for ten years of war

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

It’s not a bad day

I just stare straight ahead

Mission Amberley

The trains over to Cables

And Ziggy’s lost boys

[Verse 3]

And the little darlings flocked

To him like drivers to a crash

That stayed and waited patiently

For Ziggy to rise from the ash

[Chorus]

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

A new triangle size

But tonight

They trade their

Friendship for ten years of war

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

It’s not a bad day

I just stare straight ahead

Mission Amberley

The trains over to Cables

And Ziggy’s lost boys

[Verse 4]

Through the fog and into space

He leaves the shadows of a fading trace

Where the Spiders, now lost in the dark,

Search for answers they can never mark

[Bridge]

And they climb through the ruins

Of a future that’s torn,

Where the signals are broken

And the stars are reborn,

But Ziggy keeps walking

With his heart full of fire,

He whispers their names

To the universe higher.

[Chorus]

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

A new triangle size

But tonight

They trade their

Friendship for ten years of war

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

It’s not a bad day

I just stare straight ahead

Mission Amberley

The trains over to Cables

And Ziggy’s lost boys

[Verse 5]

And with closes for eyes

Thousands gathered to watch the sun rise

On the Silk Road at the behest

Of Rivers City crest

[Chorus]

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

A new triangle size

But tonight

They trade their

Friendship for ten years of war

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

It’s not a bad day

I just stare straight ahead

Mission Amberley

The trains over to Cables

And Ziggy’s lost boys

[Chorus]

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

A new triangle size

But tonight

They trade their

Friendship for ten years of war

And Ziggy’s lost boys

Ziggy’s little Spiders

It’s not a bad day

I just stare straight ahead

Mission Amberley

The trains over to Cables

And Ziggy’s lost boys

[Outro]

So here they stand, on the edge of forever,

Ziggy’s lost boys, now and never.

The trains fade out into the horizon’s glow—

Ziggy’s journey, but he’ll never let go.

Part II – Spiders in the Starlight

[Verse 1]

Through the static, through the sorrow,
On the wind, I hear the call—
All the dreamers, all the outcasts,
Rise together, never fall.

[Chorus]

And we are spiders in the starlight,
Drifting through the silver glow.
A hand in the darkness,
A voice in the echo,
He sings, “You were always known.”

[Verse 2]

By the fire, by the ocean,
He weaves stories into light.
With the broken and forgotten,
He will dance into the night.

[Chorus]

And we are spiders in the starlight,
Drifting through the silver glow.
A hand in the darkness,
A voice in the echo,
He sings, “You were always known.”

[Bridge]

And the road bends toward the heavens,
With the ghosts of time before,
In the echoes of tomorrow,
We won’t wander anymore.

[Chorus]

And we are spiders in the starlight,
Drifting through the silver glow.
A hand in the darkness,
A voice in the echo,
He sings, “You were always known.”

[Verse 3]

Past the ruins, past the heartache,
Where the neon embers burn,
Ziggy lifts them, tells them, softly,
“This is where the lost return.”

[Chorus]

And we are spiders in the starlight,
Drifting through the silver glow.
A hand in the darkness,
A voice in the echo,
He sings, “You were always known.”

[Outro]

So take my hand, take my sorrow,
Take my heart and take the sky.
We are Spiders, we are starlight,
We will never say goodbye.

Tomorrow’s Ruins, Yesterday’s Dream

– The cycle begins again. The traveler fades into legend, and a new story is ready to be told.

[Chorus 1]

For those of you

Think twice ‘for you waste my love

The words ain’t through

And neither it’s season

[Verse 1]

The head dies

The temple burns

The legend ends as the traveler journeys

The veil begins between the world that the sun reflects

And the night descends

[Chorus 1]

For those of you

Think twice ‘for you waste my love

The words ain’t through

And neither it’s season

[Verse 2]

When you need

Think of me

Things to come in dreams now I sleep

You noticed

Right

That the further You traversed

The colder the shoulder

[Chorus 1]

For those of you

Think twice ‘for you waste my love

The words ain’t through

And neither it’s season

[Verse 3]

Thought there’d be changes

On my return after all I’ve endured

Be proud to learn

It’s the same world

But one cannot run from hunger

[Chorus 1]

For those of you

Think twice ‘for you waste my love

The words ain’t through

And neither it’s season

[Bridge]

Run

Run

The seed must grow

When it’s older still

Like the water flows to the roots

[Chorus 2]

But it’s built to ruin

And once-knowns fade

Cycles begin anew

In time

Man

I say

[Chorus 3]

But it’s built to ruin

And once-knowns fade

Cycles begin anew

In time

Woman

I say

[Chorus 2]

But it’s built to ruin

And once-knowns fade

Cycles begin anew

In time

Man

I say

[Chorus 3]

But it’s built to ruin

And once-knowns fade

Cycles begin anew

In time

Woman

I say

---

The Starlit Requiem of Zaphirah Blue

Zaphirah Blue was born in the shadows of neon, a child of forgotten alleyways and flickering streetlamps in a city that never called her by name. Her skin, the color of twilight between prayers, carried the echoes of ancestors who had once danced to rhythms older than time. She was neither wholly seen nor entirely invisible—existing in the margins where society discarded the stories it feared to understand.

She lived in the hush of borrowed spaces, her voice drowned out by the static of a world that wanted her silent. A Black, trans Muslim woman, she had spent years fighting for her own reflection, shaping herself in defiance of those who told her she was a glitch in existence. Her voice, when it was allowed to rise, carried the weight of longing, resistance, and dreams yet to be realized. But the world had a habit of turning away.

Then came the signals.

A distorted melody, sent from somewhere she couldn’t yet name, found her in the late-night hum of a pirated radio frequency. A voice, neither past nor present, whispered through the static: Find the music. Let it find you. It was then that she heard of TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana, a symphony of revolution—an ensemble of wanderers, refugees, dreamers, and rebels. It was a place where sound was a sanctuary and melody a movement.

She arrived with nothing but her voice, a storm of untamed song buried beneath years of silence. The orchestra welcomed her not as a stranger, but as kin. Here, the violins wept for the forgotten. The brass howled against oppression. The drums carried the heartbeat of those who had no country but rhythm.

At first, she hesitated. She had been told too often that she was too much—too loud, too different, too complex to be understood. But here, she was told the opposite: Be more. Be all of it. When she sang, her voice painted galaxies where only emptiness had been. Her notes wrapped around the cello’s low lament, laced between the keening wail of the saxophone. She was not an error in the composition—she was its missing key.

And when they performed Random Signals from a Starman, she found herself in the melody. It was the story of an outsider, a traveler, an exile in a world that did not understand. It was her story, and yet, it belonged to every voice in the orchestra. As she stood beneath the stage lights, dressed in silk the color of the Milky Way, she felt the presence of all those who had been told they did not belong.

Her voice soared. The audience—composed of the same people who had ignored her in the streets—stood transfixed. They weren’t just listening; they were hearing her. Seeing her. In that moment, she was no longer a whisper lost in the static. She was a supernova.

And when the song ended, the silence that followed was not dismissal. It was reverence.

Takeaway

Zaphirah Blue’s story is a reminder that no voice is too different, too strange, or too unheard to change the world. Random Signals from a Starman isn’t just music—it is a beacon for the lost, a signal to those who have been silenced, telling them that they are not alone.

TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana is more than an ensemble; it is a home for those who have been told they belong nowhere. And when those voices rise together, they create something greater than music. They create a movement.

---

Summary

TATANKA presents “Random Signals from a Starman,” a concept album described as a gender-bending, non-linear story about a cosmic traveler. The album is divided into acts, detailing the traveler’s fall into a dystopian world, his struggle with identity, a descent into madness, and the search for truth. The lyrics provided showcase themes of societal collapse, artificiality, and the search for meaning. The narrative also intersects with Zaphirah Blue’s story, a Black trans Muslim artist who finds a home within TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana and expresses her identity through the album’s music. The album is portrayed as a beacon for the lost, a call for inclusivity, and a celebration of unique voices. The included quotes from Sitting Bull provide a framework of inclusivity and co-existence. Ultimately, the work points to cycles of ruin and rebirth while the character fades into legend.

Briefing Document: (AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman”

Source: Excerpts from “(AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman” – TATANKA”

Overview: This document provides a briefing on the themes and key ideas present in (AI Gen) TATANKA’s album “Random Signals from a Starman,” released on February 11, 2025. The album is described as a gender-bending, nonlinear, dreamlike story of a cosmic traveler who falls into a world of illusion, excess, and existential collapse. The narrative explores themes of identity, technology, dystopia, and the search for meaning in a fractured world, all filtered through a lens reminiscent of David Bowie’s artistic style. The document also includes a highlight of a recent addition to the TATANKA project in the form of “The Starlit Requiem of Zaphirah Blue,” highlighting their inclusive and collaborative approach to music creation.

Main Themes and Ideas:

• Cosmic Traveler and Existential Crisis: The album’s core narrative revolves around a cosmic traveler who descends into a world of illusion and faces an existential crisis. This journey is marked by themes of disorientation, searching for purpose, and grappling with a world dominated by technology and superficiality.
• “A traveler falls from the stars, only to land in a world of illusions—where prophets are machines, gods wear plastic crowns, and memory itself is a glitching frequency.”
• Critique of Technology and Dystopia: The album portrays a dystopian future where technology reigns supreme, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. “Circuit Priest and the Digital Prophecy” depicts a world where “robots became prophets” and faith is synthetic, which shows how technology can manipulate human belief. “Neon Reich” further showcases a decaying empire hidden beneath superficial glamour.
• Fluid Identity and Reinvention: The album explores the themes of gender fluidity, identity construction, and the allure of reinvention, reminiscent of David Bowie’s artistic persona. The song “Lipstick Messiah” exemplifies this, featuring a character who embraces androgyny as a form of rebellion and a symbol of fluid identity. “He’s sexed up and slimy / But morally righteous to the youth,” this lyric from the song encapsulates the unconventional nature of this figure and their significance to younger generations.
• Loss of Self and Memory: As the traveler navigates this distorted world, they struggle with a sense of self and grapple with fractured memories, leading to a sense of detachment and disorientation. “Ghost in a Glitter Suit” expresses this theme of lost identity: “Haven’t seen my face / In quite some time / Yesterday / Or last year / Well I don’t know”.
• Cycle of Destruction and Rebirth: The album suggests a cyclical nature of destruction and rebirth, indicating the potential for renewal even in the face of collapse. This reflects the theme of transformation and the possibility of finding meaning even amidst chaos. “Tomorrow’s Ruins, Yesterday’s Dream” explores this theme, suggesting that cycles begin anew even as old ones fade: “But it’s built to ruin / And once-knowns fade / Cycles begin anew / In time / Man / I say.”
• The Power of Music as a Beacon: The Starlit Requiem of Zaphirah Blue tells the story of Zaphirah Blue, who utilizes music to create a connection between the lost and the unheard. This symbolizes the broader importance of the album and TATANKA as a beacon of hope and change.

Key Tracks and Lyrics:

• “Starman’s Lament”: Expresses the feeling of being lost and questioning purpose after falling to Earth.
• “When I fell to earth / The sky just stared / A rainbow zipping down / The atmosphere”
• “Circuit Priest and the Digital Prophecy”: Critiques the reliance on technology and the loss of genuine faith.
• “Neon Reich”: Depicts a dystopian city masked by neon lights, symbolizing a decaying empire.
• “Paper Crown, Plastic Kingdom”: Explores the allure and emptiness of fame and fabricated identities.
• “Lipstick Messiah”: Embraces androgyny as a symbol of rebellion and fluid identity.
• “Ghost in a Glitter Suit”: Expresses the feeling of no longer recognizing oneself and being haunted by shifting reflections.
• “Velvet Static in a Dead Man’s Radio”: Explores the blurring of past and present, questioning the reality of memories and experiences.
• “Ziggy’s Lost Boys”: Represents the gathering of misfits and forgotten dreamers, leading them toward an uncertain future.
• “Tomorrow’s Ruins, Yesterday’s Dream”: Highlights the cyclical nature of destruction and rebirth, suggesting the possibility of renewal.

“The Starlit Requiem of Zaphirah Blue”:

• The article focuses on the story of Zaphirah Blue, a Black, trans Muslim woman who finds a home and voice within TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana.
• Zaphirah’s character symbolizes the importance of representation, inclusivity, and empowerment for unheard voices.
• The key takeaway is the reminder that “no voice is too different, too strange, or too unheard to change the world.”

Overall Significance: “Random Signals from a Starman” appears to be a concept album that uses a blend of science fiction, dystopian imagery, and Bowie-esque aesthetics to explore complex themes of identity, technology, and the search for meaning in a fragmented world. The addition of “The Starlit Requiem of Zaphirah Blue” showcases the project’s commitment to inclusivity and using music as a vehicle for social change.

Potential Applications:

• Understanding the artistic vision and thematic concerns of TATANKA.
• Analyzing the album’s social commentary on technology, identity, and societal collapse.
• Exploring the album’s potential for creating immersive and thought-provoking experiences.
• Understanding TATANKA’s focus on inclusivity and representation in the arts.

TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman” FAQ

• What is the core narrative of “Random Signals from a Starman”?
• “Random Signals from a Starman” tells a surreal, gender-bending story of a cosmic traveler who lands in a world filled with illusions, excess, and existential despair. The traveler grapples with identity, searching for meaning amidst a technologically advanced dystopia and the ruins of existence, resembling a lost echo of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust.
• What are some of the key themes explored in Act I: The Arrival & Awakening?
• Act I focuses on the traveler’s initial experiences in this fractured world. It explores themes of displacement, questioning purpose (“Starman’s Lament”), the dominance of technology and synthetic faith (“Circuit Priest and the Digital Prophecy”), and the superficiality and decay hidden behind a glittering facade (“Neon Reich”).
• How does Act II: The Seduction of Identity depict the traveler’s descent?
• Act II details the traveler’s immersion into a world of excess and false idols. He is lured into fabricated fame (“Paper Crown, Plastic Kingdom”), embraces androgyny as a form of rebellion (“Lipstick Messiah”), and finds both fleeting pleasure and profound despair among society’s outcasts (“Alleyway Saints and Satellite Junkies”), culminating in a hallucinatory party that represents a golden cage of indulgence (“Champagne Corpses in the Ballroom”).
• What is the significance of Act III: The Fractured Mind?
• Act III depicts the traveler’s mental collapse as he struggles with madness, distorted memories, and a warped perception of reality. He loses his sense of self (“Ghost in a Glitter Suit”), realizes he might be trapped by fate (“The Glass Clock’s Final Hour”), discovers he is merely a character in a grand illusion (“The Magician’s Telegram”), and ultimately embraces the void to shed his old identity (“Butterfly Bones and the Man Who Wasn’t There”).
• What underlying message is conveyed in Act IV: The Descent & The Truth?
• Act IV takes the traveler into the underworld of memory, where he confronts echoes of the past and forbidden knowledge. It explores themes of blurred realities (“Velvet Static in a Dead Man’s Radio”), the brutal costs of power (“Red Epaulettes on the Killing Floor”), encounters with ancient entities (“Echoes of the Serpent King”), and the looping nature of time and memory (“Polaroid of a Future Yesterday”).
• What is the overarching feeling portrayed in Act V: The End & The Beginning?
• Act V presents a sense of reckoning, rebirth, or finality. It depicts the end of the world (“Dressed for the Funeral of the Sun”), the gathering of lost and forgotten dreamers (“Ziggy’s Lost Boys”), and the cyclical nature of stories, suggesting that even at the end, a new beginning is possible (“Tomorrow’s Ruins, Yesterday’s Dream”).
• What is the broader message of Zaphirah Blue’s story in relation to the album and TATANKA’s mission?
• Zaphirah Blue’s story emphasizes the importance of giving voice to the marginalized and unheard. It illustrates how “Random Signals from a Starman” and TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana serve as a beacon of hope and a sanctuary for those who have been silenced or told they don’t belong, showing that collective voices can create a powerful movement for change.
• How does the album connect to the quote from Carl Sagan about being made of “starstuff”?
• The quote from Carl Sagan serves as a reminder of our fundamental connection to the cosmos and emphasizes themes of origin and identity. The traveler’s journey mirrors this cosmic connection, as he grapples with his place in the universe and his search for meaning resonates with the idea that we are all made of the same elemental building blocks from the stars.

Random Signals from a Starman: A Study Guide

I. Content Review

This study guide focuses on the AI-generated album “(AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman”” released by TATANKA in February 2025. The album presents a nonlinear narrative of a cosmic traveler’s journey through a world of illusion, excess, and existential collapse. The narrative is divided into five acts: The Arrival & Awakening, The Seduction of Identity, The Fractured Mind, The Descent & The Truth, and The End & The Beginning. The album explores themes of identity, technology, dystopia, reinvention, and the search for meaning in a fractured world. The Starlit Requiem of Zaphirah Blue, a story provided alongside the album, touches on similar themes.

II. Key Themes

• Dystopian Society: The album depicts a world ruled by technology and consumerism, where authentic human connection is replaced by synthetic experiences.
• Identity and Reinvention: The cosmic traveler struggles with his identity in a world of illusions, constantly reinventing himself in an attempt to find meaning.
• The Search for Meaning: In a fractured and decaying world, the traveler searches for meaning and purpose, grappling with existential questions.
• Technology and Prophecy: The album presents a world where technology has replaced traditional forms of prophecy and faith, raising questions about the nature of belief in a technologically advanced society.
• The Power of Music: Music, particularly through TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana, is presented as a force for connection, resistance, and the expression of marginalized voices.

III. Comprehension Quiz

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

1. What is the central narrative premise of “(AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman””?
2. What is the significance of the Carl Sagan quote at the beginning of the album description?
3. What is the role of technology in the world depicted in “Circuit Priest and the Digital Prophecy”?
4. Describe the atmosphere portrayed in “Neon Reich.”
5. In “Paper Crown, Plastic Kingdom,” what does the traveler’s descent into fame represent?
6. How does “Lipstick Messiah” challenge traditional notions of identity and rebellion?
7. What is the significance of memory and time in Act III: “The Fractured Mind”?
8. What is Zaphirah Blue’s role in TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana?
9. How is music presented as a tool of empowerment in Zaphirah Blue’s story?
10. What does the ending of the album, as suggested by “Tomorrow’s Ruins, Yesterday’s Dream,” imply about the narrative cycle?

IV. Comprehension Quiz – Answer Key

1. The album tells the story of a cosmic traveler who falls into a world of illusion, excess, and existential collapse. He grapples with identity, technology, and the search for meaning in a fractured, dystopian landscape. The traveler’s journey is nonlinear and dreamlike, exploring themes of reinvention and despair.
2. The Carl Sagan quote establishes a connection between humanity and the cosmos, highlighting that the elements that make up our bodies originated in stars. This serves as a thematic foundation for the album, suggesting a deep, intrinsic link between the traveler and the universe he traverses. It also hints that we are all made of the same “starstuff” therefore interconnected.
3. In “Circuit Priest and the Digital Prophecy,” technology has replaced traditional forms of prophecy and faith. Robots have become prophets, and faith is synthetic, suggesting a world where technology dictates belief and spiritual experience. This raises questions about the nature of faith in a technologically advanced society.
4. “Neon Reich” portrays a dystopian city masked by bright lights, but decaying underneath. It depicts a society obsessed with superficial pleasures and decadence, where people are distracted from the underlying rot and societal collapse.
5. In “Paper Crown, Plastic Kingdom,” the traveler’s descent into fame represents the allure and dangers of fabricated identity. He becomes a manufactured icon for a world craving idols, highlighting the superficiality and emptiness that can come with fame and societal expectations.
6. “Lipstick Messiah” challenges traditional notions of identity and rebellion by embracing androgyny. The character transforms into a symbol of fluidity and defiance, questioning established gender norms and religious imagery in order to question the nature of identity.
7. In Act III, “The Fractured Mind,” memory and time collapse around the traveler, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. This signifies the disintegration of his sense of self and his grip on the world around him, as madness and confusion consume him.
8. Zaphirah Blue is a Black, trans Muslim woman who finds a home and a voice in TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana. Representing an unseen population in society, her personal narrative underscores the importance of representing LGBTQIA+ voices in the arts. She uses her unique voice to express the struggles and dreams of those who are marginalized, highlighting the transformative power of music.
9. Music, as embodied by TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana and Zaphirah Blue’s story, is depicted as a tool of empowerment. It offers a sanctuary for those who have been silenced, providing a platform for expressing their experiences, challenging societal norms, and connecting with others through shared narratives.
10. The ending of the album, as suggested by “Tomorrow’s Ruins, Yesterday’s Dream,” implies a cyclical nature to the narrative. While one story ends, another is set to begin, suggesting that the themes of identity, loss, and the search for meaning are ongoing and universal.

V. Essay Questions

Consider these questions in relation to the album and be prepared to support your arguments with specific examples from the text.

1. How does “(AI Gen) TATANKA’s “Random Signals from a Starman”” use the character of the cosmic traveler to explore the theme of identity in a technologically advanced society?
2. Analyze the dystopian elements present in the album and discuss how they serve to critique contemporary society.
3. Explore the role of music as a form of resistance and empowerment in the album, focusing on the significance of TATANKA’s Orchestra Americana and the story of Zaphirah Blue.
4. Discuss how the nonlinear narrative structure of the album contributes to its overall themes and message.
5. How does the album engage with the legacy of David Bowie, and how does it use his image to explore themes of reinvention, gender fluidity, and the outsider experience?

VI. Glossary of Key Terms

Demagoguery: Political activity or practices that appeal to the emotions of the masses.

Dystopia: An imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one.

Existentialism: A philosophical theory or approach that emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of will.

Nonlinear Narrative: A narrative technique in which events are portrayed out of chronological order or in other ways that the narrative does not follow the direct causality pattern of the events featured.

Androgyny: The combination of masculine and feminine characteristics.

Liminal Space: A transitional or initial stage of a process; occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.

AI-Generated Music: Music created or assisted by artificial intelligence, typically involving algorithms that can compose melodies, harmonies, and rhythms.

LGBTQIA+: An inclusive acronym representing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual/aromantic individuals, plus other gender identities and sexual orientations.

Transgender: A person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.

Marginalized: (of a person or group) treated as insignificant or peripheral.

Avatar: An icon or figure representing a particular person.

Requiem: A mass for the dead.

Serpareon: A reference to the serpent king.

Epaulettes: An ornamental shoulder piece on an item of clothing, especially on the coat or jacket of a military uniform.

Cacophony: A harsh discordant mixture of sounds.