Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on the future—on where we’re headed and what role I play in it. The next few years are shaping up to be tough for many of us. A second Trump term, far-right movements gaining ground globally, climate collapse, wars in the Middle East and Europe… it really feels like the fight between good and evil is playing out in real-time.
On my Bandcamp page, there’s a joke I’ve kept for a while: “Experimental Voice Box Programmer, or EVBP for short, does not make music for a living. Therefore, you should not give him any of your money.” While it’s meant to be tongue-in-cheek, it’s still pretty much true. I’m humbled when someone spends their hard-earned money on my music, but making a living off of it has never been my intention. Music, for me, is a joy machine—a way to express myself and connect with others. That’s the real value.
With everything going on in the world right now, I’ve decided to make all of my music available on Bandcamp as “name your price” downloads for the foreseeable future. I’ll still charge for physical media to cover material costs and shipping, but digital downloads will be free. It’s my hope that my music can make someone’s life a little better, even if just for a moment. And honestly, that’s worth more to me than any amount of money.
Capitalism has done enough damage in our world, and I want to be as far removed from it as possible. I know this decision might mean I lose some income, but I’m okay with that. What I’m not okay with is the grind culture that tells us we must always be selling ourselves, and that our worth is tied to how much money we make. To that, I say: fuck that.
If you feel inclined to give back, I’d much rather you donate to a cause that’s doing real, tangible good—like The Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, Amnesty International, or any other cause that speaks to you. There are bigger battles being fought out there, and I’m just one person doing my part. We all need to stand together, especially now.
The road ahead might be tough, but we’re going to get through this. Stay strong, take care of each other, and remember that we have the power to create change. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
And so in this dystopian spirit, I present to you パラメータの特定のセット. For those not fluent in kanji, that is “A Certain Set of Parameters” – A concept record intended to capture the ‘end of times’ vibe many of us are experiencing. Lots of different music styles influenced this record – ambient, industrial, synthwave, vaporwave, and a little bit of The Swans thrown in for good measure.
