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iCU

by Introspect

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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    Thanks for visiting. Here's what you need to know about this album...

    • 100% of album sales, between January 15 and March 30, 2019, will be donated to Save The Children, Yemen organization. Congrats, if you purchase the album, your money will be fully forwarded to this cause which I believe requires help and awareness.

    • This is my first recording in over five years (closer to 7-8 years). I challenged myself honestly and conceptually and approached this with the theme "less-is-more" in order to keep it moving with tracks that are conscious and concise.

    • I've included lyrics for all songs so that you can follow along transparently. There's only one special guest appearance and she is featured on track #3 (The Joint)

    Thanks for your interest and listen!

    If you enjoy the album and or feel inspired to help bring awareness to Save The Children, Yemen then please share this album. I'll forwarded all proceeds to the organization on March 30.

    Enjoy the album.
    ... more
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      $7 CAD  or more

     

1.
Intro 01:29
Anxiously awaiting an astronomical arrival Annotated abbreviated an archaeologists archival Bad being beautiful; beautiful being bible Biased bibliographies; blood bath by burning bridal Bithces bumping Burgundy bags Bullets burn bad; badge bearing bully brags Crooked cop; cut coke cook crack count cash Calibers click clack; continuously cliques clash Coalition clinically condition competition Cautiously concocting continuous compositions Destroy defenses; detonating demolition Definitely dope despite degenerate definitions Evil eradicated emotional exorcism Enslavement especially exempts existentialism Four-fours furnished forever firing favorably Figure-four figures for four figures fatally Genome gathering gangsters generate Gs Go getters gotta get going g g g guarantee Historic hieroglyphics Hercules heroic Honesty hits hard; hypnotic harmonics Ironic intuition illustrating intellect Imitate iconic idols; infiltrating Internet illest images I interject... illuminating introspection (Who is it?) it is I… introspect Written by: Stefan Tochev
2.
ICU 02:31
I did not create this I am just the messenger... She gave me the inspiration I did not question her All I ask is not to be the writer and the editor You looking for the credit homie? Go and be a creditor Stuck within my train of thought; I guess I need a bail-out Creative processes can be bought; I guess I'm just a sell-out Fell-out of competition with all you damn amateurs Spewing all that toxic shit; I wonder what the damage is? Sold your soul for a hit; creative prostitution Congrats goes out to you son but what’s your contribution? Created noise pollution; added more confusion Complained about the problem but provided no solution Creative attribution? Ha! The obnoxiousness... This’ collective consciousness; you're just a part of it So, row row row your boat, gently down the stream Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream Or least it seems; that's subjective reality And we can go a deeper now; basic geometry Higher dimensional analogs; go and look at my catalogue It is I, the demigod; You? You’re just in envy dog So come at me bro; but first open up your third eye And see the bigger picture; you can call it birds eye I guess somebody heard I; was thinking of a come-back To run laps; on dumb cats; I’ve done that; with fun facts Check my contacts; shoulders of giants is what I stand on Got the Galaxy in my hand; no Samsung Damn son; holding hostages without the ransom Flow’s a little rusty but your boy is looking handsome Put your hands in the sky let me see your hand gun Smoke another cannon and flow another anthem I see you acting kinda cool go and get your shades on I see you practicing at school go and get your game on I see you acting like a Warrior get your Draymond I see you doing magic tricks get your David Blane on I see you’re shameless with the promo get your shame on I see you building fire pits go and get your flame on I see your little commentary go and get your crayon I see you hating what you say and the words I play on I see you took the mask off and got your damn face on I see you being honest with yourself and it’s great huh! I see you... Written by: Stefan Tochev
3.
The Joint 03:09
Sometimes you find yourself riding the train. Late night, headphones on. It’s cold outside but you zoom in and you remind yourself, you run the show. Verse one Well I'm riding on this cold train listening to Coltrane I don’t need a gold chain or a sniff of cocaine I get my dopamine anytime I go train Shining like a diamond when I do my own thang If you wanna beef; put the lighter to your propane Blow it out proportion like fights with your old dame Oh man; I’m finna get down like soul train Sunny days; no rain; good times; no lames Studying the whole game; wonder where your flow came from; ain’t it obvious? You ain’t got no shame… Lettuce bump heads like romaine… I run circles round noodle brains; lo mein No name; no pain rappers make no gain Always losing by hair; let me get you Rogaine Ha! The nerve on a man; Kobane This is big baller brand; stay in your lane Hook This, right, here’s the joint Al-ways, on-point And I know you know I run the show Verse two And it’s crazy what some will do for fame Wild out with no tame; fire shots with no aim; Light up an old flame; ride out of your lane For most of us the enemy resides in or own brain They say I should be proud; others say I’m so vain Spirit of a young dog; soul of an old man Got a new perspective as I tore out my old frame Took responsibility; no more blame Candy coded rappers try to roll up like an old sprain Must be higher than Snoop was on soul plane Surgical in my approach as I hit your vein Draw blood first; picture perfect; no stain Here to help you take your steps; no cane Building blocks; your building stops building with no crane I like my beef grass fed; no grain So I can see the fat drip and barbecue the whole thang Hook This, right, here’s the joint Al-ways, on-point And I know you know I run the show Verse three x2 So here we go now Don’t you slow down Don’t you know now You run the show now Here we go now Don’t you slow down Don’t you know now This, right, here’s the joint Al-ways, on-point And I know you know I run the show Written by: Stefan Tochev
4.
Differently 04:00
Hook How many miles away can you be? When I think of you are you thinking of me? Telepathic energy connected through memories that used to be; now I'm overseas... Gotta grow and learn; can't waste my turn; so it's in me cause I got the key... And I say it candidly it's a selfish tendency I want you here with me; I guess we'll wait and see... Verse one All it took was one look to get me all shook Late night chopped it up I was no cook Like looking at stars I admired you from far Away; playing out on what I wanna say If we ever met; I was star struck... When we first met; it was dumb luck... Late night coffee shop gotta stay awake Studying at school we both had a lot at stake... Mine was well done; and I told you where I'm from Cause I rep it like a donn; it was me you came up on Talked about live shows; then I had a live show You helped me with promoting it working day and night though I didn't take for granted anything you had demanded I listened to you closely; made sure I understand it We both had a vision; it's important that we listen Live life differently this became our mission Hook How many miles away can you be? When I think of you are you thinking of me? Telepathic energy connected through memories that used to be; now I'm overseas... Gotta grow and learn; can't waste my turn; so it's in me cause I got the key... And I say it candidly it's a selfish tendency I want you here with me; I guess we'll wait and see... Verse two You studied nutraceuticals and some form of sciences I studied sociology to be a social scientist… Got to know each other and built our alliances I was just a grimy kid and you were like the flyest chick I don't know what time it is; toasted over Heinekens To unify the kingdoms and highnesses; horizon is... Where the earth and sky meet in the distance And that is where we'll meet I'm positive and persistent That is what happens when you speak it in existence Staring at the water as the moonlight glistens We planned it all together and stuck to our goals Took the steps we needed and watched it unfold It may seem different; but we live life differently Somebody's home; smoke is coming out the chimney Lighting fires in fly attires; listening to our desires We call each other’s BS like a baseball umpire Singing songs like a choir; binge-watching shows the wire Boarding flights feeling tired; reading Kinfolk, Esquire; Push it to the limit redefined our limit Crossing continents asking what time is it? Aren’t you glad we made it? Look how far we take it... Guess we caught the bug And I just can’t shake it They say love sacred I say it’s my favorite There's no replacement You just can’t contain it Remembering the days when We lived in the basement Who would’ve thought We’d be moving on up Just like Curtis Mayfield Meet me at the airfield Ready for the take-off And let’s take the break-off Crash into the future Land in the oasis Time is moving slow now Both feeling weightless Worry is escaping us Turning into angel dust They can go and label us The free and rebellious Hook How many miles away can you be? When I think of you are you thinking of me? Telepathic energy connected through memories that used to be; now I'm overseas... Gotta grow and learn; can't waste my turn; so it's in me cause I got the key... And I say it candidly it's a selfish tendency I want you here with me; I guess we'll wait and see... As time ticks, things keep moving, one thing’s for certain… some things are meant to be. And you can say that’s destiny. But, in order to make it happen, you’ve got to put in the work. So, let’s go… Written by: Stefan Tochev
5.
Destiny 02:27
Verse one No matter how you slice it I'm the one Like a palindrome read it front to back now I won I was training; let me show you what I've done As I reflect upon myself like a shadow on the sun Jack Sparrow on the run; from pirates of the Caribbean Fleeing to the ocean while loading up the gun I'm rolling up a one; as I show you my emotions with poetry that's potent and a bottle filled with rum What have I become? You hear the broken language… Hope you get the message from the bottle that is floating When you get it open; here's a passage you can chew on Like the bible came with gum... They try to take me on... but what have I become? This is how it feels like when you're Neo in the matrix Giving birth to new ideas like sex without the latex Look what I created; now they say that I'm the one Try to take me on but they say that I'm the one Hook They say that it's destiny We can go wait and see When you first mention me Cooking up the recipe Skew it on the barbie I skew it on my enemies Screwed up so many see But that is just the lesson b Verse two Lyrics like this can't be found; I'm reppin me now Hung up on my old stuff go and hit the redial See me through your penile gland; I got the key now To open up your third eye so you can hear the freestyle Reppin for the kids, adult and the senile They say I'm so nice like handing out free smiles Meanwhile you're serving serpents slurping from the crystal See how easily I can switch these styles Sonic beats boom like I chose to play with ease; Guile; I need the mp3 before deleting this; File; haters think that they can go and run in these... miles; but they tripping on themselves What up Miles! (Hey) I see how your posing threats like all up on the screen now But you can't go the distance, North Korea with the missile You can't go the distance; 10 minutes with the freestyles You can't go the distance; I'm years overseas now Can you go the distance? Huh! This is just a breeze now You can't go the distance; it's been minutes for I breathe now What you get out of life; determined by the lifestyle You can thank me later cause I'ma keep it right now Hook x2 They say that it's destiny We can go wait and see When you first mention me Cooking up the recipe Skew it on the barbie I skew it on my enemies Screwed up so many see But that is just the lesson b Written by: Stefan Tochev
6.
Good Man 03:07
There are no two words in the English language more harmful then good job. We all know the story. We’ve all been there. You do a good job and you pat yourself on the back. That’s good but you’re stopping yourself short from being great. I want you to take it to the next level. I know you can do it, let’s go… Verse one Staying back home I was caught up in the cadence I had to get away to get a new point of reference Of how I view the world I knew I needed to grow They say the game is to be sold not to be told Marketing; doesn’t seem to resonate with your soul Trying to impregnate a mind on birth control Something’s gotta give; start deconstructing Piece it back together and see if it’s missing something Destroy and rebuild that's how you feel fulfilled That’s the moral of the story; but you gotta have the will It’s one shot; one kill; I run; up hill; Light sweat; fun drill; I do that; until Dopamine hits my brain now we know how that feels While you stay popping pills; headaches and Advil They say go and take control of your life But will you choose to do that or will pay the price? To be a… Hook x2 Good man; good man; get out the hood man I know you made it out doing what you could man Good man; good man; how long will you wait I hope you know that good is the enemy of great Verse two Stop being average and start being a savage There’s more to you than just being a cabbage Carrying you past? Do push-ups with that baggage I got a challenge and I know that you can manage It’s time we separate the weak from the fake Stop worrying about how much you can take You gotta start believing you ain’t got a ceiling The key is to build your chi; focus on your breathing And that’s the beginning; continue to explore You’re capable of more than what you bargained for I know a lot of people standing where you stood There’s a difference in what you should and you could Your future you is looking and shaking his head While you scroll through social media laying in bed You should get up mo'fucker give me twenty instead Or lay there and just watch the laziness spread I ain’t tryina be a prick; I ain’t doing this for sport …I just hope you don’t sell yourself short You did good; Ok, that’s a pat on the back You do great; Now you’ve inspired the pack Yeah, I’m talking iron man; breathe it through your diaphragm Take it higher than the pitch of a siren man Put the work-in til they close the curtain Good is the enemy of great; I am certain... Hook x2 Good man; good man; get out the hood man I know you made it out doing what you could man Good man; good man; how long will you wait I hope you know that good is the enemy of great Written by: Stefan Tochev
7.
Goodbye 02:51
Verse one All the sunflowers looked down today They were sad cause you passed away Respect each-other is what you had to say Take care of yourself and you'd live another day We were silent for the whole ride, now I know why Thinking about time and we watch it go by… It's like you want to move but don't know where to go You stay stuck being comfortable with what you know We invited you out; it wasn't easy no doubt To step outside your comfort zone, but Hey, hear me out... We wanted was best for you; not to be stressing you Thought we knew better sorry for second guessing you When you push too much something’s gotta give Had we known that maybe you would've... You raised me righteously that's how I remember you My last grandparent is who I wrote that letter to Hook x2 Hey! I wish I could say goodbye Before you took your last breath; had to fly Felt like a child I began to cry But the winds that I grew up with dried my eye Verse two We're celebrating life; not thinking about death Some people die young way before their last breath They stop learning and growing; start to get upset Complain about everything like they have nothing left But beauty's all around us just look at those who care Like family and friends and everybody there They're giving you their time and life is made of time So now you’ve got a bit of their life and yours combined It's all intertwined; this elegant design So when you unwind keep this in mind Life is made of time so choose how you use it Fill yourself with love and move with the music See the good in others when they choose to refuse it Go on with a smile and create your own movement Give yourself some credit and stop being stupid You don't need permission you just gotta do it… Hook x2 Hey! At least let me say goodbye Before you go out and learn to fly I may feel like a child and begin to cry But these winds will dry my eye Written by: Stefan Tochev

about

ABOUT iCU EP:

It’s been over five years since I’ve stepped foot in the booth.

I needed creative release in the form of writing and recording.

I needed to pick up the pen and challenge myself honestly, conceptually, and personally. I wanted to share how I’ve grown as a person.

This EP is a continued journey of peeling back the layers, removing masks, and getting more comfortable with finding, seeing and showing myself. It’s only fitting I titled the EP, i (eye) see (c) you (u), after the second track on the album, which finishes with the lines: “I see you took the mask off and got your damn face on. I see you’re being honest with yourself and its great, huh! I see you.” While largely talking to myself, I believe these lines apply to us all.

This EP is a step in the direction of continued introspection and reflection. A constant process of change through listening, learning, being vulnerable, digging deeper, and being honest with the person I see in the mirror.
_

ALBUM PROCEEDS:

100% of album sales, between Jan 15 and March 30, 2019, will be donated to Save The Children, Yemen organization.

Whether it's hundreds, or thousand+ dollars that get forwarded, I'm fortunate and happy to use this album for any help and awareness it can bring to one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world today.

On March 30, I will make a one-time donation to the Yemen Children's Relief Fund, guaranteeing all money (should you purchase the album) will be forwarded to provide children caught in the war with access to food, health care, education and protection.

I'll share info on the donation March 30, 2019, as reminder of how those who've purchased the album helped this cause.

Thanks for your interest and listen.

credits

released January 15, 2019

Songs produced by Juno. Except 'The Joint' produced by Jon Kandy. EP recorded, mixed and mastered at Tabernacle 321 by DJ Merciless. Lyrics and vocals by Stefan Tochev,

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introspect Toronto, Ontario

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