EtherReal / Ob3Lisk / Key
From Candor
1991/2001/2006/2023

This is one of the earliest songs I wrote, an untitled composition dating back to 1991, before I even had the ability to sequence or record anything. I had to score it on staff paper to preserve it. It was not until 2001 where I rediscovered it and wanted to turn it into something. I was into VNV Nation and IDM at the time, so it was done in that style. The original composition had a basic melody which I was ultimately unhappy with, thus it was not included for the 2001 track and my view of the song was that it was remained consistently unfinished.
A few years later, a band I was associated with called Ob3lisk was writing songs and I was assisting in the studio. I suggested they write lyrics for this and use it on the album. So it took on the title Out Of Time and the structure of this iteration of the song remained basically the same but with a proper melody line this time. I later remixed the album version, which was completely re-produced in the style of the band, into a version which more closely resembled the 2001 production I originally did. The lyrical content of this version was split into both male and female vocals making it a kind of duet.
While compiling the Candor album in 2022, I decided to redo this track, as I felt it was one of my strongest compositions. I used the original lyrics from the Ob3lisk version but rewrote some of them slightly to make the subject matter a little more acute.
Lyrically, this song is open to interpretation, but you can assume that the underlying theme is one of reaching a state of stoicism.
Bloodwork
Perpetual Emotion Machine
This is the original song done in FastTracker in 2001.
Credits
written and produced by Perpetual Emotion Machine.
Out Of Time
Ob3lisk
The version of the song produced and co-written by the band. This version is slowed to half time and is a darker more IDM electro track with a definitely heavy vibe.
Out Of Time (Documentary Mix)
Ob3lisk
A remix of the Ob3lisk version which was more in line with my original Bloodwork version. Unfortunately, there is not a version of this left which has the vocals in tact.
Credits
music by Perpetual Emotion Machine. words by Tom Gerencser. produced and arranged by Ob3lisk. additional vocals by Penny Townsend.
Every Second Counts (Original Demo)
Key
This is the first Key version. an amalgam of Bloodwork and Out Of Time. I took Tom’s lyrics and revised them slightly for context. I went back to my four on the floor arrangement, except for the breakdown section where I used the best parts of Ob3lisk’s harder arrangement. The vocals and mix are rough and there are no female vocals yet, I am doing both parts.
Every Second Counts
Key
The album version for Candor, with Oceanwings on guest vocals.
Every Second Counts (Album Instrumental)
Key
Credits
music by Key. guest vocals by Oceanwings. produced and arranged by Key with thanks to Ob3lisk.
Lyrics
A lesson to remember in this age
If you had those days to live again
What would you want to change
Every memory has turned into a scar
Will you see yourself in another light
Or will you remain in the dark
So far and away
What have you gained
Struggling so needlessly
You lose yourself again
I feel it increasing, beginning
There’s no truth in what you find
You’re left without a sign
And running out of time
If this revelation is turn denied
With another new beginning
Another chance go by
By embracing what you find within yourself
Only then can you discover
What others did foretell
So now break away
What have you gained
You’re disappointed endlessly
And lose yourself again
This feeling is growing within me
There’s no truth in what you find
And left without a sign
You’re running out of time
So just take my hand
Don’t you understand
We’re running of time
We’re lost anyway
What have we gained
What happened to empathy
We lose ourselves again
I feel it increasing, beginning
No truth in what we find
We’re left without a sign
And running out of time
So just take my hand
Don’t you realize
We’re running of time
Just take my hand
You’ve got to realize
We’re running of time
And every second counts