“Astronomy”

About “Astronomy”

Have you heard of a polyrhythm? A polyrhythm is the presence of two or more simultaneous rhythms in a musical work. This can happen in several ways, but the overall concept and practice is more commonly found in non-western music genres.

Playing music in two or more different time signatures leads to an interesting interlocking and intersecting feel. For example, suppose a composition has one musician playing in 3/4 and another musician playing in 4/4. In this instance, the two musicians will be “out of sync” with each other most of the time. However, the two musicians’ time signatures will align every 12 beats.

See the example below.

There are a number of polyrhythms in “Astronomy”—the entire second half of the song contains three different simultaneous time signatures. “Astronomy’s” meaning is very similar to a polyrhythm. It’s about being “out of sync” while holding onto hope that new “beats” will intersect again in the future.

Lyrics

Stand leveled
Polaris aligned
Aperture fixed
Collimated toward Utopia
This telescope needs no atlas

Nebula of control in iron sight
Clutter of consternation blocks the view
What serene discovery can I find?

Dark days are destined
Must find a respite
Pull out from bedlam

Dark days are destined
Search through the cosmos
Praying for something

Trapped among closed beliefs
Escape seems lightyears away
So I’ll search the sky
And dream of another world

Dark days are destined

Credits

Written and performed by Elliot Gavin Baldini.