Album Notes

Intellectual Explorations is Karius Vega's 5th release, released with its counter part album Astral Selections. On Intellectual Explorations Karius Vega takes his sound design abilities, heard before on previous albums such as Ataraxis and Music to the Eyes, to a completely different level. Like experiencing a situation, as opposed to just a song, the emotional aspects of Intellectual Explorations come primarily from the movements that the sonic elements themselves create (as opposed to the feelings from melody) these, along with the machine-like, syncopated, complex rhythms give it a driving, "Unrelenting Motive". These rhythms joined with the sometimes paranoid, remorseless, and cold feelings of tracks such as "An Unending Swarm", "`sublime", and "+ { preserved, yet ever changing }" really give this album its cinematic mark.

As the album progresses, it becomes more melodic and rich with classical emotion. The epic origins of "{ enigmatic, while -still- [remaining]" and the resonating chillscape of "|her lips kiss with such softness|" and "|+her breath+|".

In "|- gently she exhales its marvelous mystique, wonder, and paradigm|" there is smooth flowing water, contrasting the, at first, spastic asian vibe. The two notes it begins with then unfold into an entire orchestral movement, a whole lifetime in a song. Another melodic track, "+she leaves |my day brightened+|", begins with classical guitar and winds out into a smooth, open, lush space, then unwinds back into evolved, intelligent expression of emotion with melody for resolution.

Overall, this album scores high for its experimental and classical qualities combined. It leaves the listener with "a mind enlightened -" and truly an experience in sound.