The Present

Produced by 25th Parallel: CFB Flobare, Jay Zhidao, Chen Qilin, NAT

Recorded & Mixed by Nat Boda
Mastered by Neil Matharoo in New York, NY
Sampled drums recorded by Cent at Cen+8 Studio in Taipei, Taiwan

Lyrics by 25th Parallel
Music by Nat Boda

Additional instrumentation & samples:
Delbert Ty: sampled guitar

Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/ykgWROreVe0

THE DREAM is available at these online stores:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/6KycPaKGTxraUDpCFUWaTE
iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-dream/id1291750091?mt=1&app=itunes
Amazon: https://a.co/8ZpQaOb
KKbox: https://kkbox.fm/za1tCp

For info, or to order a limited-edition CD, visit:
25thparallel.artmouthmedia.com

Lyrics:
four bards, spitting hard with conviction
on a quest, embarking on expedition
no time like the present for presence to be presented
with power in numbers seeing our force augmented
ready to defy the tide
with every last ounce of strength and mind applied
committed to the cause in every line supplied
sublime required to vie for our space in time

age slower when I’m moving faster
my mind’s moving so fast thinking past disaster
getting busy with business, my musical interests
invest in the quest, all dressed, know my time’s pressed
eliminate limits and gimmicks every take
make day-drinks to daydreams through to daybreak
step out the shadows I’ve eclipsed in phases
focus on the basics and staying evasive

I rise to the occasion like the sun at summer solstice
rise to the mic as my hand demands hold this
don't drop this, you're going to need it
to enter the mind of this metropolis and free it, so be it
within the depths of me I converge qi centrally
merge it with the verse and disperse it instrumentally
incidentally, lids get lit mentally quick
it was now or never, now never doesn’t exist

we got to take it to the top
four minds, combined you can’t stop
embracing lucid schemes
wake up, disrupt those elusive dreams
pushing off from the past
fuck it, I’m done putting myself last
aim for better days
be in the present, engage the next phase

the motivation, euphonic elation
for sake of creation without hesitation
best tracks on rotation, equipped in my station
celebrations of the last generation
on to the next bet, the present set in retrospect
with respect, four minds combined and intersect
stay undefeated, complete it in the pull of resistance
in time with life’s limited existence

the bar I want to be setting
taken many years, blood, tears, a whole lot of sweating
forgetting regret and betting on my own ability
affinity creating a mind-body synergy
to advance, taking a chance, optimistic
misfit, persevere with what I love ‘til the bliss hit
persistent exertion and mental immersion
versed in subversion, ‘cause we’re the leaders emerging

disbelieve the fallacies, mocking our mortality
giving a smack back of reality, a fearless mentality
it’s tempting to quit, but if you focus on the quick fix
you might trip, slip, and fall back into the mind-tricks
stop for fear you’re feeling near to reaching your limit
admit it you’re in it too deep, it could all end in a minute
infinite and beyond skipping over the backtracks
no escaping the present, thought we’d already passed that

we got to take it to the top
four minds, combined you can’t stop
embracing lucid schemes
wake up, disrupt those elusive dreams
pushing off from the past
fuck it, I’m done putting myself last
aim for better days
be in the present, engage the next phase