Electronica is the term for various genres of electronic music built with samplers, synthesizers, and drum machines. Many of these electronic genres are part of dance music festivals worldwide. Other genres of electronica are non-dance music for close listening. In the United Kingdom, electronica typically describes music that listeners consume via headphones and a home stereo system, or as soundtracks to movies and video games.
In the UK, also, electronica is also a catch-all term to describe club music, genres such as EDM, system pop, electro, electronic pop drum and bass, and trip hop. Consequently electronic music, broadly known as electronica, has evolved in conjunction with advances in synthesizer, sampler, and drum machine technology.
The earliest forms of popular electronica were developed in the 1960s-1970s. Jamaican DJs spun records of reggae, backing tracks without the vocals, creating music and dance known as din. Around this time in Europe, artists Mike Kraftwerk, Mike Oldfield, and Alan Persons Project began.
First of all, an announcement: I (editor Cristina Deptula) am going to be providing accessibility support on Zoom for Art and Mind 2023, which is an amazing virtual showcase of art, music and writing centered on BIWOC creators and how their art helps them heal themselves and others. All are welcome and this is Thursday, October 5th, 6:30 to 8:30 EST (New Hampshire time).
“Art & Mind,” is a virtual Zoom disability-accessible film event series supporting creative marginalized women and marginalized genders to share their journeys. This event uses short films, documentaries, entrepreneur features, and speaking engagements from professionals such as therapists and activists to raise awareness about social issues these creatives face.
Tickets are free but they accept donations towards the fund they are developing to give artist grants to low-income BIWOC artists. They have a $1000 fundraising goal and so far have reached $711.
I’ve known the mother and daughter pair, Amaranthia and Claire, who are organizing this show, for several years through the art and writing world. They put a lot of heart and thought and research into this, and I encourage you to come see it!
Also, our October issue will have the theme of Electronica: Sound Medicine, edited by Kahlil Crawford, and will encompass themes of electronic music, music in general, the intersection of music and writing and other forms of art, and writing/music/art/technology. Submissions related to the above themes that touch on Indigenous People’s Day in mid-October are also welcomed. Please submit to synchchaos@gmail.com with “Electronica” in the title.
Third, our contributor Mantri Pragada Markandeleyu seeks a songwriter with whom to collaborate to set his Bollywood-style lyrics to music! Here is his information if you are interested.
Finally, we at Synchronized Chaos Magazine acknowledge that as well as artists and writers and creatives, we are members of the broader human community. And right now the community is affected by the earthquake in Morocco and the flooding in Libya. We express our sorrow at the loss of life and property and encourage people to contribute if they can towards the relief and recovery efforts. Information on how to do that here.
This issue’s theme is This Mortal Coil. A reference from Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, where the titular character considers whether to continue his life, the phrase has come to signify the struggles and complexities of life.
In this issue, our contributors illustrate and grapple with various physical and psychological aspects of existence, or nonexistence.
Lilian Dipasupil Kunimasa shares a basic universal statement: how we all face death and need love. Maja Milojkovic’s pieces call us to remember who we really are, at a personal and universal level.
Mark Young ponders physical aging and mortality in a piece inspired by a lizard, which he wrote as a teen and reflected on in his older age. Grzegorz Wroblewski reminds us to enjoy life while we can, as it’s impermanent.
Shamsiya Khudoynazarova Turumovna encourages faith and trust over the ups and downs of life. Mirta Liliana Ramirez asserts her existence and place in this world while acknowledging her Creator for animating her spirit.
Jim Meirose’s surreal story conveys the unease of losing control over one’s body and mind during surgery. Filip Zubatov relates a common struggle, failing in one’s best-laid plans to wake up early. Ari Nystrom Rice narrates an experience of insomnia.
Skye Preston’s poignant piece on a flightless bird speaks to how disabilities can cut to the heart of our identity and self-perception. Kendall Snipper presents a person’s spiritual death due to their self-doubt.
Cody Tse’s speaker compares himself to a floor covered by a decorative rug: useful rather than ornamental, but often overlooked. Mary Acosta speaks to the pain of being forgotten and unheard.
Celeste Alisse writes of the struggle to be heard and seen, the lengths we go to in performing and sharing our pain in order to be noticed. Zofia Mosur expresses her rage at being trapped in a world not of her choosing and blamed for problems not of her creation, as well as the common artist’s angst at not meeting her own standards.
Daniel Aondona relates his physical, embodied grief at living in a war-torn country. Zahro Shamsiyya looks outward at the multitude of sorrows concealed by night within her city of Tashkent, and the whole world.
Taylor Dibbert describes confused, alienated travelers just returning to the airport after long periods of isolation, playing the role of clueless Americans. Sayani Mukherjee’s poem shares her love for Paris, spring, and the color pink.
Brian Barbeito sketches his observations of Vegas, focusing in on various individuals at a physical and spiritual level. In his photography, he evokes the spirit of places with basic natural elements, clouds and water and light.
Mahbub Alam writes of growth from the refreshing natural nourishment of rain. Vandana Kumar recollects the endless rain of last winter in her lament. J.D. Nelson notices the imminent passage of summer into fall.
Don Bormon illustrates the glory and majesty of trees. Channie Greenberg splashes the screen with her colorful flowers.
Isabel Gomez de Diego contributes somewhat domestic scenes of cows, pans, and fish. Daniel De Culla’s photographs, which include taxidermied boar’s heads, juxtapose reminders of wildness with indoor calm and prettiness.
Marley Manalo observes nature closely, wanting to be seen at the same level of detail rather than just enjoyed as a pretty object.
Alma Ryan’s poem speaks to the simple joys of surfing and togetherness. Kristy Raines evokes a deep and emotional love connection while Graciela Noemi Villaverde expresses the hope of reunion with a loved one after long absence in pieces laden with nature imagery. Anindya Paul’s love for nature and for other people meld into one and the same feeling, while Gustavo Galliano exalts the mystical and physical communion of lovers amid the clouds and the deep night. Annie Johnson also describes long term communion with a partner and with nature. Mesfakus Salahin encourages a lover to return so they can together bring light to the world.
Fay Loomis’ Bali travelogue shares how she started to let go of rigid expectations (her own and others) and embraced a softer, more dreamlike and natural schedule.
Patrick Sweeney’s little vignettes also slip the bounds of rationality, merging the familiar with the outlandish or cataclysmic.
Jerry Durick conveys the surreal experience of reading, of imagining oneself as someone else, shifting one’s sense of time and place. Gabriel Flores Benard illuminates the flickering and transitory life of a fictional character, existing only in our imperfect memories. Monira Mahbub wishes for a variety of natural and fanciful things in her short but evocative poem.
Peter Cherches’ stories probe the familiarity and mystery of neighbors. How well do we know the people we think we know, whom we see every day?
Grant Guy’s nearly nihilistic black-and-white humorous pieces point out the potential absurdities in artistic expression, in contrast to the often explicitly meaningful and message-centric art outlined in Alec Dunn and Josh MacPhee’s Journal of International Political Graphics, reviewed here by A. Iwasa.
Mykyta Ryzhykh’s modernist, absurdist lowercase poetry reminds us there is life in the midst of death, ugliness in the midst of beauty.
Robert Ronnow’s poetic speakers peruse their complex natural and human landscapes, classifying and observing, speculating on their place in the world and how they should live.
Muhammad Ehsan Khan suggests in his essay that compassion and wise and considerate actions begin with empathy.
Nurujjaman writes of the development of character, will, and perseverance. Iftikhar Zaman Ononno talks about what it takes to be a good citizen. Tanvir Islam describes a deep connection with a true friend.
Mantri Pragada Markandeyulu shares wisdom on developing character and inner peace. His story “Vishal and the Evil King,” reminds those in power that duty to those they govern is more important than their own fleeting sensual pleasures.
Pascal Lockwood-Villa’s poetry illustrates how one’s childhood experiences cast a long shadow over who we are. For this reason, several authors highlight the consideration we should show for children and young people.
Tasirul Islam looks into how to be a good teacher. Mustafayeva Feride urges teachers to show care and dedication for students. Abdullah Al-Mahin reminds us not to underestimate the contributions young people make to our world.
Abdullah Al Mamun offers love and thanks to his mother. Mr. Ben’s book The Darn Things Kids Say includes children’s candid thoughts about their parents. Rasheed Olayemi puts out a call to help struggling widows, especially those with young children.
Sabrid Jahan Mahin illustrates the personal and intellectual growth that can come through reading.
Andrea N. Carr encourages young adults, and all people, to follow one’s dreams and carefully select those who will advise us. Asadova Sabina highlights the importance of setting goals in life.
Ali Haider’s story demonstrates how laziness and revenge can have evil consequences. Stephen Bruce wryly points out how we escape responsibility by blaming our choices and circumstances on others and bad luck.
Guzal Botirova reminds us that the highest profession and calling is being a good and considerate human.
Akhlima Ankhi’s poem is a lament over global climate change and human degradation of the natural world. Nahyean Bin Khalid’s time travel story illustrates the risk of technological advancement without parallel advancement in our humanity and conscience, including our treatment of the environment. At the same time, Adhamova Laylo Akmaljon qizi reminds us that technology, when properly used, can be interesting, with her description of how a television set works.
Mahmudul Hasan Fahim’s horror story poses the existential threat of zombies, and probes what dies inside of you when you become the kind of person who can easily kill them.
J.J. Campbell writes of his isolation, his inspirations, and how memory can be a curse. Jerry Langdon’s poetic pieces reflect his speakers’ desire to escape their lives and free themselves from memories of past violent trauma.
Sukhrob Saidov also deals with historical memory, reviewing the documentary “Before Stonewall” and its articulation of LGBT history and journey towards equality.
Z.I. Mahmud traces Jane Eyre’s character development in the eponymous novel, which, unusually for its time, highlighted the journey of a regular person as having literary merit and being memorialized.
Elmaya Jabbarova’s piece comes from a one-time lover urging a former partner to remember the good times they shared. Ahmad Al-Khatat’s romantic poems also commingle love and memory, mixing loss and grief, reconnection and longing.
Duane Vorhees speaks to romance, wisdom, aging, learning, and spirituality.
Tolipova Zebuniso Ulug’bekovna concludes the issue with a simple poem with her wishes on how she would like to be remembered. We hope that this issue provokes and inspires thoughts of a similar nature for all of our readers.
Encumbrance of Beings
Being hot the Earth is melting like a Candle;
Again being ice somewhere!
Nature is restless by unwise deeds
So, humans how will you be tranquil !
Man, Be careful.
Today, your show-off civilization is disconsolate.
Europe is almost naked by heat wave.
Often and often America stays in cold ICU.
In Asia flood fest is going on
Reasonless diving and swimming here and there.
Embracing drought and hunger Africa is on palpitation.
Amazon or Australia is on wild fire.
Please, tell me.
Whose fault?
What do you feel?
Laments of the rotten heart of Earth
Throbbing like a raped girl.
Carrying the punishment of this sin in your mind and brain;
Pulmo with hundred prick marks
Sobbing with intense fever–
Because of humans fault.
Yeah, only because of the sin of humans fault.
Being a child of this world how do I forget the sins of Agnate.
Taking all of responsibilities on my shoulder, to live and to save from the curse of innocent Earth.
Singing hymn for the healthy World.
Aklima Ankhi, poet, storyteller and translator from Cox'sbazar, Bangladesh. Born in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. She has a published poetry named "Guptokothar Shobdochabi" written in Bangla.She is a post graduate in English Literature. As a profession she is a Lecturer in English.
A documentary film called “Before Stonewall” looks at the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the US before the Stonewall riots of 1969. The movie includes interviews with LGBTQ+ people who discuss their personal hardships and experiences growing up when homosexuality was stigmatized as a mental disease and outlawed in many places. The early history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the numerous social and political developments that led to it are also covered in the movie. In addition to highlighting the injustices and persecution that the LGBTQ+ community endured prior to the Stonewall riots, the movie promotes acceptance and acknowledgement of LGBTQ+ rights. It highlights the tenacity and bravery of LGBTQ+ people who stood up for their rights and set the path for ensuing generations. Overall, the movie gives the LGBTQ+ rights movement a historical backdrop and illuminates the struggles and achievements of the community prior to Stonewall. In this article, I try to analyze the characters and actions in film, logic and emotions of filmmakers. Also, in the end, I provide my own impressions that I gave and feel from this film.
Characters and events in film
As I watched the film, I was able to find some connections to the film and to our current society. Below I will try to explain each of these points.
First and main one is individuals. By this I mean, The movie includes interviews with LGBTQ+ people who discuss their personal problems and experiences growing up in a time when homosexuality was demonized and illegal. The LGBTQ+ community is given a human face, and the prejudice and brutality they experienced are brought to light. Also, the film covers the early LGBTQ+ rights movement, including organizations like the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis. These groups played a crucial role in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and laying the groundwork for future activism.
Secondly, the Stonewall riots. By examining the social and political issues that contributed to the Stonewall riots, the movie places them in their historical perspective. The riots were important because they ushered in a new era of action for LGBTQ+ rights and marked a turning point in the movement.
Last but not least is homosexuality as a mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association defined homosexuality as a mental disease up until 1973, as the movie emphasizes. This part of society is important because it demonstrates how entrenched prejudices against LGBTQ+ people formerly were. Moreover, the movie shows the frequent police raids on gay bars and clubs, which were frequently used as a justification to detain gay people. This social phenomenon is important because it demonstrates the systematic violence and prejudice that the LGBTQ+ community experienced.
Appeals to logic, emotion and prejudice by filmmakers
The filmmakers support their case for acceptance and acknowledgement of LGBTQ+ rights with historical information and expert interviews. They emphasize the pre-Stonewall discriminatory laws and regulations as well as the activism that aided in their reform. In order to persuade viewers of the truth of their claim, the filmmakers give a logical case supported by historical data. The film also plays on viewers’ emotions by including personal accounts and interviews with LGBTQ+ people. The interviews highlight the hardships and accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community as well as the psychological effects of violence and discrimination. This emotive appeal aims to connect viewers with LGBTQ+ people’s experiences by fostering empathy and understanding in them. The movie also shows the prejudice and discrimination LGBTQ+ people experienced prior to Stonewall. The producers hope to help viewers reevaluate their own biases and prejudices towards the LGBTQ+ community by drawing attention to the systemic discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ people. The purpose of this appeal to prejudice is to encourage the audience to examine their prejudices and take steps to promote greater inclusion and acceptance.
Conclusion (my recommendations and opinion)
The significant documentary “Before Stonewall” provides background information on the American LGBTQ+ rights struggle. The movie focuses light on the social and political issues that influenced the birth of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and depicts the hardships and victories of the LGBTQ+ community prior to the Stonewall riots. A personal and emotional link to the experiences of the community throughout a period of prejudice and violence is made through the interviews with LGBTQ+ people. The movie also shows how pervasive before Stonewall were biases and prejudices against LGBTQ+ people.
In conclusion, “Before Stonewall” is a thought-provoking, educational and I highly recommend to people to watch this. Because, movie can be a great resource for anybody who are interested in LGBTQ+ history and rights. It can be especially beneficial for people who seek to have a deeper knowledge of the experiences and hardships of the LGBTQ+ community prior to the Stonewall riots. But also, I would like to mention that, the movie might not be appropriate for all viewers, though, given the delicate nature of the subject matter. Therefore, before recommending the movie, it is crucial to take the audience’s tastes and sensitivities into account.
Three Poems
By Chinese Poet Hongri YuanTranslated by Yuanbing ZhangHeaven's Song
In heaven where there has no night.
ln heaven where there has no the sun or the moon.
In heaven where everyone is the stars.
In heaven where the time is the light of the soul.
In heaven where the space is the smile of the soul.
In heaven where I have another name–
I am one of the gods, have no idea
about the sorrows and joys of the word.
01.16.2019
天堂之歌
在天堂没有黑夜
在天堂没有日月
在天堂每个人都是星辰
在天堂时间是灵魂之光
在天堂空间是灵魂的笑容
在天堂 我是另一个名字
是诸神之中的一个 不知人间的悲喜
2019.01.16
Never-withering Flowers from Paradise
I pick the gem flowers from the heavens,
and write a music of memory for you.
Let you suddenly wake up and see the long-lost hometown again
let you ride the melody of light
to fly into the ninety-nine skies.
Where the palaces and towers are yours,
where the gardens are as huge as the universe
and the time will never elapse,
blooming like the never-withering flowers from paradise.
01.16.2020
不知凋谢的仙葩
我采撷天国的宝石之花
为你写一首记忆之曲
让你恍然醒来 再次见到久违的故园
让你乘着光芒的旋律
飞到那九十九层云霄之上
那儿的宫殿楼台 皆是你的所有
那儿的花园巨大 仿佛整个宇宙
而时光永远不会流逝
盛开如不知凋谢的仙葩
2020.01.16
Strings of The Light of Dawn
When I plucked strings of the light of dawn
A golden lightning burned a huge city
The undulating hills in distance twinkled the ruby smile
Vaguely there came acoustic resonance of the bell
from the centervault of heaven
Who have seen that the palace was towering outside the sky
The gods smiled with stately grace and raised their glass
Female celestials shed datura flowers flying all over the sky.
And a large ship approached from another galaxy
They came from a huge platinum city
Their ships were much faster than the speed of light
Ever visited the earth billions of years ago
They brought new technology
To make the steel have a wonderful spiritualism
Their eyes can perceive the heaven and the world
Heart is as bright as the sun
And body is as transparent as diamond
01.13.2018
黎明之光的琴弦
当我弹拨这黎明之光的琴弦
一道金色闪电燃烧了一座巨城
远方起伏的群山闪烁红宝石的笑容
天穹的中央隐隐传来钟磬的和鸣
谁看见那天外的金殿巍巍
诸神庄严含笑
举杯庆贺
天女洒下了漫天的曼陀罗花
而一艘巨轮正在另一个星系驶来
他们来自一座白金巨城
他们的飞船比光速更快
亿万年前曾访问地球
他们带来了新的科技
让钢铁拥有奇妙的灵性
他们的眼睛可透视天地
心灵光灿如太阳
而身体透明如钻石
2018.01.13
Bio:
Hongri Yuan (b. 1962) is a Chinese mystic poet and philosopher. His poetry has been widely published in the UK, USA, India, New Zealand, Canada and Nigeria. He has authored a number books including Platinum City, The City of Gold, Golden Paradise, Gold Sun and Golden Giant.
About the Translator
Yuanbing Zhang (b. 1974), who is a Chinese poet and translator, works in a Middle School, Yanzhou District , Jining City, Shandong Province, China. He can be contacted through his email- 3112362909@qq.com.
Phone:+86 15263747339 Email:3112362909@qq.com
Address:No.18 middle school Yanzhou District ,Jining City, Shandong Province, China
Listen
Food has become my best friend,
and the only thing I can think of to tell younger people
is not to listen to anyone except someone who has done
what you are trying to accomplish.
Believe there is always a way, even if you don't
know how exactly.
Uncertainty is your friend through excitement. Do what makes you happy because before you know it, your life
is almost over.
A hundred years is too long to live because
of your brain's age; it stays younger than the body
permanently and they never equal each other.
But 50 isn't enough time to live. You are still young in comparison
to your last half of life. I would do the first part of life over backward
to avoid reaching 85. Now that I am in the last half, the time moves
faster and faster the older one gets.
Imagine that. No one can explain it to you until it's too late.
Andrea N. Carr is an accomplished writer and storyteller from Southern California. More about her work here.
