The Music Room
The X-Structure's music does not try to follow any particular style or genre but is more of an expression and a journey of wherever the music takes us.
A style however can be found in anything if you are looking for it. The X-Structure's music can then mostly be described as Electronica / Trip Hop / Ambient / Cinematic / Breakbeat / DrumnBass / Dub / Electronica / Experimental / Space Trip, something like that.
All music released under Creative Commons.
The Album
http://www.archive.org/compress/TheAlbum
Released: 2009
Album: 07
The Album
The Album's creation was never implied but happened per chance as some would say, or rather as Starrzan would put it, "It was formed by God's guidance and purpose". Each track in itself was created separately and at completely different times but they all found each other together in a particular order to present a story as old as the begining of humanity up until its salvation and to where we are still today.
The Album is also The X-Structure's first attempt at a "live" collaboration with another artist. The artist being the wonderful Jade Q Wang whose calming voice and soothing chants opens up the album to an air of condemnation but at the end of the album true joy is found through being saved from the failure inherent in us all.
So enjoy and may the message resonate with you in both the music and also in its meaning.
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// Track listing
01. The Accuser
02. The Fall
03. The Saviour
04. The Joy
// Release Date
November 2009
// External Sources
Front and Back Cover Art by Jade Q Wang - http://jadism.com/
Cover designs by nightowl
// Label
Bushmen Records - http://netlabel.co.za/
Release Number - bush10
// License
Licensed under Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa
// Download
Download the album (26MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.
Redux
(download the album below)
Released: 2009
Album: 06
Redux
Redux is a collection of previously unreleased tracks that were rediscovered in a remote APE warehouse in June 2009. In it we travel back to 2007 where another part of the mysterious origins of The X-Structure is revealed. On discovery many of the tracks were still incomplete but with the expert skill of The X-Structure the finishing touches were added to this chapter of their epic story.
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// Release Date
June 2009
// External Sources
Front and Back Cover Art by Resona Raille
Cover designs by nightowl
// Label
Bushmen Records - http://netlabel.co.za/
Release Number - bush06
// License
Licensed under Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa
// Track listing
01. Transverse
02. East Meets South
03. Signs
04. The Battle Within
05. Lockdown
06. Crosswise
07. Hero
08. Heavy Days
09. Don't Worry
10. Upright
11. Beyond
Download the album (62MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.
3 in 1
http://www.archive.org/compress/ThreeInOne
Released: 2009
Album: 05
3 in 1
In the this chapter The X-structure embarks on a mystical journey through Man's struggle with equality, the profoundness of giving freely of oneself and the pursuit of dreams and the gift thereof.
They also strive to honour God's revelation to mankind in what is commonly known as the Trinity, the 3 in 1.
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// Release Date
May 2009
// External Sources
Front Cover Art by mostdefinitely
Cover designs by nightowl
// Label
Bushmen Records - http://netlabel.co.za/
Release Number - bush05
// License
Licensed under Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa
// Track listing
01. Created Equal
02. Give Freely
03. Dream On
Download the album (29MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.
Earth Epic
http://www.archive.org/compress/EarthEpic
Released: 2009
Album: 04
Foreword by Starrzan
Earth Epic is The X-Structure’s third full length album and the first album featuring all of our latest work from 2008 and early 2009. It is a culmination of our musical and life journey and tells once more of the challenges, discoveries and revelations we had and experienced during this time.
Earth Epic
Everything about the Earth is a perfect balance, a miracle to say the least. The moon, the sun and all the planets, in fact the entire universe is in such a fine balance that life on Earth is possible. And life there is in abundance. One would even think that the universe was there only for the Earth to exist and for its inhabitants to experience the wonders of life. Now this amazing thing called life is not always easy as you may know and a lot of the time it is the opposite of good. But through the hardship encountered and the difficulties faced we are given the chance to discover a deeper meaning to life and an opportunity to appreciate the true nature of what is good in our lifes. This planet we live on called planet Earth is indeed epic and it is here where our adventure takes place, and for this we should be ever grateful.
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// Release Date
March 2009
// External Sources
Front Cover photo by Starrzan
Back Cover photo by Macky
Cover designs by nightowl
(Special thanks to Macky for the use of his photo. It is appreciated. Much respect.)
// Label
Bushmen Records - http://netlabel.co.za/
// License
Licensed under Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 South Africa
// Track listing
01. The Promised Land
02. Dark Age
03. Epic Beard
04. Reefbreak
05. The Storm brings the Swell
06. Rainbow Complex
07. Southern Cross
08. Tiny Adventurer in the Land of the Great
Download the album (64MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.
days of night
http://www.archive.org/compress/DaysOfNight
Released: 2009
Album: 03
Foreword by Starrzan
days of night, also known as days of nightowl, was written somewhere between 2006 and 2007 when nightowl was still venturing alone on his journey through life's many events and perplexing questions. His discoveries during that time would later prove invaluable to The X-Structure's future missions and cleared the way forward for the rest to see that through the darkness in life the light illuminates the goodness throughout it. This album retells some of these stories where he found his name and the days were as night.
days of night
nightowl sat perched on the rocky outcrop of the high peak he had just scaled. Catching his breath he studied the view. He sat in awe staring at the giant structures jetting out from the ground. Their presence putting his being into perspective. The sky was a perfect blue. He was somewhere in the wild mountains of the Cape. It had been a tough hike to the top but he made it in the end.
As the sun lazily began dropping to the horizon nightowl sat contemplating his life and the events that had brought him to this point. Life had not always been pleasant or easy for him, he recalled. Throughout his early years he had struggled with himself and the acceptance of who he was. There came a stage where he could not bear it any longer. That's when he changed. Not by his own strength or will did this happen. It was something else. Something he had discarded many years before. Something he had never really understood. In his darkest hour he had cried out for help to someone, to someone greater than him, to someone he had left for dead. Then it happened. In the dead of night he was saved from his inner turmoil. Saved by one who he would come to know as his greatest friend and companion. Their adventures together would go on far beyond what he had ever understood to be. So who was this mystery saviour? This ultimate friend? It was in fact, as you might have guessed by now, his creator. The one who had given nightowl the gift of life.
The sun had by now left for the day. nightowl shifted his position on the rock. He now lay flat on his back using his backpack as a cushion. The stars were there as they always were. Another sign from his constant companion. He searched the sky for his favourite star. There it was. He found it. The Dog Star, Canis Major, was shinning brightly from its corner in space, Orion's belt always close by. The Southern Cross was not visible yet so he'd have to wait till his favoured constellation came into view. nightowl was grateful for life and the ability to perceive it. He was grateful for the life he had been given and the understanding he now had of it. After the dark times he went through he really understood the good times, illuminated by the light he now saw. He still faced bad things and would most definitely still face many more, but he had now learned a deeper truth to it all and would take on those problems for he knew he would overcome them. By midnight the Southern Cross was faithfully pointing the way south. South to where home was. nightowl smiled and said goodnight.
At five the sun started rising over the eastern mountains. nightowl was awake, the kettle already boiling. He sipped on the steaming coffee, greeting the morning air and the One who had made it. He felt rested and excited for the future, for he knew not what might happen but he knew that whatever happened would be for the good. His hike down was easy for he had the strength to do it and in that to do so much more. It all depended on him if he would use it. He had made his choice and would follow it wherever the Spirit of adventure led him.
Cover photos by Ladyofspira and chris1990
// Track listing
01. crossing the rubicon
02. live by your word
03. nohate nofear
04. gumshoe
05. reborn
06. spiritwalker
07. starguard
08. tripout
09. wildheart
Download the album (62MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.
The Remix Experiment Part 01
http://www.archive.org/compress/TheRemixExperimentPart01
Released: 2008
Album: 02
The Remix Experiment Part 01 featuring Shannon Hurley
The X-Structure was cruising along the cyber highway on their way back from a sunset surf when they decided to take a new route home. As they were passing by the great metropolis of Webcity the faint allure of a distant song caught their attention. It was coming from somewhere in the city. The voice was intriguing. They had to investigate. Following the mesmerising sounds they soon discovered its origin. Towering high above them stood the formidable mega complex of Creative Commons. Bracing themselves for the unknown they entered the bustling building.
All around them fascinating people were moving about and every so often one of the many distinctly uniformed couriers would run past them carry what seemed to be official looking documents. The sweet song became louder as they proceeded. They came to the entrance of a dimly lit room and as they entered a sign indicated that they were now in a place called Ccmixter. A single spotlight lit up a small stage revealing a women sitting dreamily on a chair filling the air with her sweet songs. A small crowd was gathered around her spellbound by her captivating melodies. The members of The X-Structure quietly moved in to the back of the room and took a seat along with the rest of the attentive listeners. As she continued her soulful singing they felt inspired by her words and songs and agreed that they would ask her for permission to take some of her songs
along with them.
Afterwards when they spoke she introduced herself as Shannon Hurley and was pleased to hear that they liked her singing. She was also delighted at their request to retell her songs in their own way and she gave them a notebook filled with the songs she had just sung. They thanked her sincerely and bid her farewell, again returning on their journey back home.
This then is how The Remix Experiment was born and found within this album is Part 01 of this continuing saga.
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// External Sources
Vocal samples obtained from ccmixter.org/shannon-hurley
Original songs can be found at shannonhurley.com
Cover photos by mntbikeracer1
// Track listing
01. Overboard (bodyboarder mix)
02. Silence (trip-hop mix)
03. Sunrise (nightowl mix)
Download the album (19MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.
Westcoast Trip
http://www.archive.org/compress/WestcoastTrip
Released: 2008
Album: 01
Foreword by Epic Beard
Some believe that there is only now and that the past does not matter anymore. It is over and done with. There is no more use for it. I however think it not, for it is our past that makes us who we are today. We should acknowledge it and accept it as who we are. Yet in knowning this we should not let our past keep us bound to our failures and regrets or let it dictate to us what we are to be and do now. We should in fact remember it for what it was and take what beauty there was in those moments now past and carry them forward and onwards in our dreams.
Westcoast Trip
The music found between the covers of this album is a recollection of the west coast section of a trip that took place in 2006. It was preformed by The X-Structure in mid 2008 as their first assignment under the direction of APE and is therefore also their debut album.
Now this is the story of the Westcoast Trip, where two rugged adventurers, Starrzan and Flock, set off on an epic journey between two oceans. It took them from the point of the Cape of Good Hope, all along the westcoast of South Africa, to a small bay known as Elandsbay. On their way they visited the many fascinating towns and places found along the way. Once they reached Elandsbay they surfed its legendary waves, explored an abandoned fishing factory and discovered an ancient Bushmen cave scattered with mysterious and intriguing rock art. They then made their way inland over the wild mountains of the Cederberg, through the valley of Ceres and into the Overberg where they finally reached their mountain retreat at Montagu. From here they travelled to the southern most point of Africa, found at Cape Agulhas, completing their trip between the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans. As with all trips they had to head back home but they kept their hearts on the memory of their adventure and their eyes on the beautiful land as it passed them by.
(cover photos by Flock)
// Track listing
01. New Mission
02. Skypilot
03. Strive to honour
04. The Gift of All
05. Subversive
06. Subterranean low-tech
07. Sunrise Showdown
Download the album (36MB).
Review the album on Internet Archive.