Let’s call it “Shaman-Rock”. It’s a special blend of source sounds and ambient post rock soundscapes that humbly hopes to serve as a guide, a little tool, to put a few cracks in the hypnotic spell of our modern life and help each of us rediscover a sense of self through introspection. Times they are a changing and a whispering truth is emerging in the collective consciousness: a feeling of spiritual emasculation and materialistic instability — we’re being scared shitless out of ourselves. It’s time to gather up the moral courage and dive back in. So turn on, tune in, and drop in to some East Forest and start your education of the individual soul.
East Forest originated as the solo identity of Trevor Oswalt (“Oswalt” translates from German to “East-Forest”). A self-described “reformed Eagle Scout” Trevor was raised amongst the evergreens of Oregon and now resides in New York City underneath a loud blue bridge in Brooklyn. While whittling time away hugging trees out of town, Trevor tends to record things like tree frogs, fire pits, and mountain breezes through fall leaves. In the urban realm he captures sounds like subways, mouse clicks, and traffic light switch boxes. The resulting library of clatter naturally makes its way to music and birthed forth is East Forest: Ambient-Earth-Dream-Hypno-Shaman-Rock.
The debut album “The Education Of The Individual Soul” is an uninterrupted sonic voyage down a rabbit hole of jungle monkeys, entheogenic messages, and pulse like beats. The complete LP is available as a free download at www.EastForest.org allowing anyone the opportunity to download, share, and generally take the red pill.
All East Forest music is and always will be free to download from www.EastForest.org, shared under a Creative Commons license. East Forest is a gift and a gesture in the spirit of cooperation for the benefit of the human experience.
PARADOX
East Forest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not with your mind
Or your reason
That tries to figure it out
But I want to just kind of
Let it sit in the atmosphere
And for you to feel
The more beautiful world
Our heart tells us is possible
Is inevitable
It′s going to happen
100% sure
And
It will only happen
Through the exertion
Of all our full efforts
And through the application
Of all of our gifts
And if we don't apply
All our gifts to this
Than its not going to happen
Yet it′s inevitable that it will happen
But how is it going to happen?
Everybody has a sense
That such a shift is coming
But we can't dare sometimes
Believe it
Our hearts tell us yeah
Something really big is happening
But our minds say
Well who the
The whole world
Is falling apart
Sometimes we might fall into despair
But for me that despair
Was alleviated when I realized
That a new world
Is also being born
Part of the transformation
That's going on is a shift
In how we know things
I really, really got to know
Just how bad things are
They are worse than
Almost anybody realizes
The worst doomsday predications
Are essentially
Almost a little bit too optimistic
Which lead me to realize
That in order to create
A more beautiful world
We need to, basically
We need to learn this
Probably by now most people
Have given up on the idea that
That the central authorities
Are going to hand us
This new world on a platter
We′ve given up on the idea
That the next advance technology
Is going to solve all our problems
And usher us into utopia
A miracle is simply something
That was impossible
From a certain picture of reality
That becomes possible
When our perspective
Begins to change
Miracles are happening
Miracles are happening
The shift into a new world...
The more beautiful world
Our hearts tells us is possible
Involves us
Our own individual transformation
Is... is... crucial
The lyrics of East Forest's song Paradox is all about a paradox the author wants the listener to understand. He doesn't want them to try and figure the paradox out, but to rather feel it. The paradox is that a more beautiful world is possible, and it will inevitably happen, but only if everyone exerts their full efforts and applies all their gifts, or else it won't happen. The shift into a new world involves us and our individual transformations are crucial.
The song speaks of a shift that is happening globally and how people tend to give up on the idea that a new and better world is possible. They fall into despair when they see that the whole world is falling apart. The author alleviated their own despair when they realized that a new world is being born. The transformation that is happening is a shift in how we know things, and a realization that the world is actually worse than we think.
One of the most striking things about the song is the sense of hope it radiates despite the grim realities it speaks of. The author acknowledges how bad things are globally but still maintains that a more beautiful world is possible. To create this world, we need to undergo our own individual transformation. This can only be achieved by learning how to exert our full efforts and applying all our gifts to the creation of the new world.
Line by Line Meaning
I want you to listen to this paradox
Artist wants audience to listen to a paradox
Not with your mind
Ask to not use your mind to understand the paradox
Or your reason
Ask to not use your reasoning skills to understand the paradox
That tries to figure it out
Logic can't explain the paradox
But I want to just kind of
Artist explains how he wants the paradox to be perceived
Let it sit in the atmosphere
The paradox should be perceived but not solved, deduced, or resolved
And for you to feel
Paradox is meant to be experienced through emotions rather than reason
The more beautiful world
A better, more beautiful world
Our heart tells us is possible
It is what we intuitively know but can't explain logically
Is inevitable
It is certain to happen
It′s going to happen
A better world will arise
100% sure
There is no doubt about it
And
Artist proceeds to explain how this will happen
It will only happen
Clarification of how the better world will come about
Through the exertion
It requires effort from everyone
Of all our full efforts
Each individual must use their full potential to contribute
And through the application
A specific type of work is needed to achieve this result
Of all of our gifts
Each person has unique abilities that will help to bring the better world to fruition
And if we don't apply
Speculation on what would happen if individuals didn't contribute
All our gifts to this
Individuals must contribute all their talents to make it happen
Than its not going to happen
The better world will not come to fruition if everyone doesn't contribute
Yet it′s inevitable that it will happen
Reiteration that the better world is certain to happen
But how is it going to happen?
Rhetorical question that leads to further explanation
Everybody has a sense
Everyone already has some knowledge about how it would happen
That such a shift is coming
Radical transformation is imminent
But we can't dare sometimes
Individuals doubt that this transformation is coming
Believe it
People struggle to believe what will happen
Our hearts tell us yeah
Our emotions inform us that the shift is coming
Something really big is happening
Something important is happening but not everyone understands that yet
But our minds say
Many individuals are skeptical and don't believe what their emotions are telling them
Well who the
An expression of bafflement at the changes taking place
The whole world
The entire planet
Is falling apart
The world is crumbling apart
Sometimes we might fall into despair
Describing how people can feel helpless and hopeless
But for me that despair
The artist describes how they overcame despair
Was alleviated when I realized
The solution to despair was their realization of something significant
That a new world
A newer, better world is being created
Is also being born
The artist acknowledges that another world is emerging
Part of the transformation
Elaboration on how the shift will occur
That's going on is a shift
A change is happening
In how we know things
A change in how people perceive the world
I really, really got to know
The artist has come to understand something important
Just how bad things are
They realize that things are very bad
They are worse than
The situation is worse than
Almost anybody realizes
Few people understand the extent of the problem
The worst doomsday predications
Even the worst-case scenarios aren't completely accurate
Are essentially
They turn out to be
Almost a little bit too optimistic
Even worst doomsday predictions are likely insufficient
Which lead me to realize
The artist has gained insight on how the world works and changed their outlook
That in order to create
A new approach is needed
A more beautiful world
A better world
We need to, basically
Clarified approach
We need to learn this
Explaining what needs to be learned
Probably by now most people
Acknowledgment of common understanding
Have given up on the idea that
People no longer expect or plan for something to happen
That the central authorities
Use of a term to mean governing body
Are going to hand us
Clarifying how the new world will come about
This new world on a platter
A metaphor about how the new world would be easy to obtain
We′ve given up on the idea
Society has come to the conclusion that such an idea is unlikely
That the next advance technology
People don't believe technological advancements will change everything
Is going to solve all our problems
Technology can't solve all our problems
And usher us into utopia
Technological advances won't lead us to a perfect world
A miracle is simply something
Exploration of what a miracle is
That was impossible
Miracles are something that were previously impossible
From a certain picture of reality
Clarification of what is meant by impossible
That becomes possible
Something once considered impossible is now possible
When our perspective
The miracle happens when we change our outlook
Begins to change
The change in perspective changes our reality
Miracles are happening
The artist believes that miracles are happening now
Miracles are happening
Reiteration of the previous line
The shift into a new world...
The emphasis shifts back onto how changes are happening
The more beautiful world
Restate that a more beautiful world is possible
Our hearts tells us is possible
Our hearts tell us about the new world
Involves us
Everyone can be a part of this shift
Our own individual transformation
Clarification that self-growth is just as important
Is... is... crucial
Emphasis on how the personal transformation fits into the bigger picture
Writer(s): Trevor Oswalt
Contributed by Josiah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.