ajearthlinggg

[ajearthlinggg]

the big one and the little one create such a community

[ajearthlinggg]

'Oh wow, I wonder who gave me all these notes?'

The faithful mutual:

[ajearthlinggg]

[ajearthlinggg]

vanisher, horizon scraper - quadeca analysis + review

 vanisher, horizon scraper is an album released on july 25th, 2025. artist quadeca combines several genres together to create the unique sound on vanisher, horizon scraper. some of these genres include art pop, neo-psychedelia, and experimental hip-hop sounds. this record was preceded by 3 strong singles to promote the album, GODSTAINED, FORGONE, and MONDAY. each of these tracks displayed a different sound that would be featured on the album. additionally, he released a movie for this album. the movie was a beautiful watch. i do recommend. 

now onto the track list and my opinions on each track. spoilers for the story mentioned. mentions of death and suicide. 

NO QUESTIONS ASKED:

track one ~ 5:59

personally i am usually displeased with albums that begin with a long first track; however, i would deem this song an exception to this. the instrumentals in this song are beautiful and exemplify what should be expected in the rest of the album. my one gripe with this song is that the vocals are incredibly repetitive. despite my mild distaste for the vocals i think this song was produced very well. on a scale of 1 to 10 i would give this song a 6/10. if i wasn't listening to the album front to back i would likely not listen to this song on its own, but it is a beautiful addition to the record and a wonderful opener.

WAGING WAR:

track two ~ 5:15

this song is the second on the record and features olēka. honestly i don't have many feelings toward this song. i do believe it is meant to foreshadow the end of the story that the album portrays both through the lyrics and the movie. this album is riddled with themes of struggles with mental health and this song is no exception. "all these common solutions but they won't suffice." the artist has tried all the solutions he knows, but they haven't helped. "i surrender and i can't fly. like, man down. my hands tied, and i can't die." these lyrics perpetuate the idea of drowning. the protagonist is stuck in his struggles and feels powerless to escape them. these lyrics along with the outro of the song foreshadow the eventual death of the protagonist. 

RUIN MY LIFE

track three ~ 4:41

this track explores the idea of having to destroy your comfort zone to create a life full of purpose. it is clear the protagonist is struggling against some sort of existential crisis. in the film quadeca is pictured setting sail. this could be linked to the ideas of leaving what he knows and "ruining his life to make it mine." escaping the land; therefore, escaping his struggles? "cause with his back turned, god hung up his sign, so i might have to ruin my life to make it mine." the notion of sailing out toward the sun is indicative of quadeca turning his back on everything he knows. he feels he must let himself rot away before taking back the purpose of his life with the endless sea in front of him. 

GODSTAINED

track four ~ 3:25

GODSTAINED was the first single quadeca released for this album. this track begins to explore a different sound from the first three tracks. despite the different sound this song still shows the themes of searching for meaning, finding purpose in what has been left behind. GODSTAINED appears to potentially be about a previously broken relationship. this relationship may have given his life meaning before, and now he feels lost. in the film quadeca finds a bottle in the water. this bottle gave him hope for a message or some meaning regarding the past love. the bottle was just a bottle though. he was hoping to find peace through this bottle. 

i will say GODSTAINED is one of my favorite tracks off of this album. i enjoy the slightly experimental sound, and i like the meanings behind it. i sort of resonate with the feelings of being lost and hoping to find solace. each person has their own path to purpose.

AT A TIME LIKE THIS

track five ~ 4:36

i neglected to mention this before but vanisher, horizon scraper has several references to struggles with substances. this song may allude to struggles with alcohol, mentions of "spirits" indicating both his spirit but also spirits (alcohol). "i thought getting old would make me stronger at a time like this." the protagonist has survived all of his struggles thus far, and expects that with age life would come easier. he has spoken about childhood naivety in previous tracks, and this further shows that concept. "you were just a child, life happened to you." again, he laments on his youth. time, and adversity, does not wait for anyone. surviving has not gotten easier, what's the point in trying at a time like this? the sea is endless, and he feels hopeless. "what's the point in dying at a time like this?" despite his vices he does not want to die. he embarked on this journey, and must find his horizon. 

MONDAY

track six ~ 4:03

"had my heart on the line airing out with my clothes." through all of his journey so far he has felt vulnerable. his heart exposed to anyone who can see it. his time begins to feel fruitless, airing out suggesting that he is losing his passion and fading away as time progresses (without him). often monday is representative of a new beginning. "darling, don't you give up on a monday." he knows that a new beginning is coming for him. monday is widely regarded as one of the most difficult days of the week. he knows he cannot give up just because one day is hard. "i wanna tell you i want you, you probably took it the wrong way." quadeca reminisces on his past relationship first discovered in GODSTAINED. we already know that this relationship did not last. he confessed his feelings, putting his heart on the line, and his person of interest may have rejected him, taking it the wrong way. "god i'm losing my grip on the runway." the protagonist knows he is losing hold over his emotions. he continues to spiral down his path of existential dread. 

each verse begins with "it's that time of the year," each verse exploring the new hardships that come with each season. "i can cover it up with a joint and a mess." the winter brings him more emotional turmoil, still unable to hold in his feelings. he uses weed as a way to distract from his discomfort, kind of like putting a bandaid over it to hold them in. "if i zip up my coat all the feathers will leak." even though he tries to hold his feelings inside, they still seep out. his lack of solving issues creates more and more problems for himself as time goes on. "if i keep moving on, i'll forget the way back." this may be about his romantic relationship, but this could also be interpreted literally, being about the expanse of the sea in front of him. he might forget how to make it back to the shore and back to his old life. 

if you can't tell, MONDAY is my favorite track. when it was released as a single i did not enjoy it very much. it has grown on me very strongly. i have zero complaints. i love it. 11/10 even.

DANCING WITHOUT MOVING

track seven ~ 3:19

this song moves toward a new type of sound. this leans more into the experimental sounds quadeca tried out on this album. this song is about relearning to express yourself. "i had this feeling since i was two, i might as well do my dance without a clue." currently the protagonist finds himself isolated in the middle of the ocean. this is his chance to reconnect with his younger self. the start of this song suggests that he had an idea of himself from a young age, before he know about the hardships that came with age. he describes himself now as a shooting star. he feels free from all previous attachments, maybe beginning to move on to all the struggles that anchored him to his depression. 

"i felt god when the power box was switched off." in this part of the film his ship loses its power, as this line suggests. just as he starts to feel free reality crashes back upon him. the darkness surrounds him with his fears once again. quadeca also talks about "turning a blind eye" perhaps leaving behind something he once cherished in hopes of something greater. which makes sense as the whole film is about his journey to try and find his greater purpose beyond his life of adversity. the only light he is offered right now is the moon. he attempts to feel peace in the light of the moon, reconnecting with what nature might have to offer him. however, he is still grieving his past, whether he realizes it or not. "the waves feel like bye, bye." as he continues out toward the horizon he is saying goodbye to what he once knew. 

"there's a man in the horizon. paradise is just behind him, but if he turns around, it disappears." he is the man in the horizon. this is where his departure has led him to. he has created this paradise in his mind where he is free from everything he experienced in the past. if he turns around, the fantasy will disappear. he will realize all the problems he left behind still exist. 

i think this track is pretty powerful, it really steers the story along. but sonically it sounds nice as well.

THAT'S WHY

track eight ~ 4:29

"they switched some shit around when i was 16. my hair's been falling out since i was 16." in the midst of his path to adulthood he begins to realize that the ideas he had of what life would be were not true. he discovers what difficulties come with aging. "like there's no room for me in me with the way that i'm thinking (that's why)." his feelings are constantly overwhelming him with the way he continuously bottles them up. there is no space left in his head to let things flow how they are meant to. the sea is a metaphor for how he is trying to find how to let his life flow, to let things be what they are supposed to be. he needs to learn to let go of himself. he is the thing holding him back. 

this song continues to show missed opportunities and feelings of guilt and maybe even dissociation. "i saw so many horizons and did not pursue it (and that's why). after all his missed opportunities he begins to try and find his own horizon. he is regretful about not pursuing these things earlier. he feels crazy, and like a broken record. all he thinks about is how he did not provide himself with better chances before it got to this point. "what's been keeping me afloat is barely a rope. every stranger i pass is wearing my clothes." the main character is barely holding on by a thread. he feels close to giving up. although he realizes that every stranger before him has taken this same path to finding themselves, therefore wearing his clothes. he sees pieces of himself in them. 

"if it wasn't me, would i still be here?" he questions whether or not everything he is doing is even worth it. if he woke up as another person would he still feel the same emptiness eating away at him? he believes he is the reason it doesn't get any better in this life. "every mirror in this life makes another blind spot." reflecting on himself and his journey is painful for him. he does not know who he is anymore. every missed chance is another piece of him he lost. would change even fix him at this point? if he cannot see himself, how does it get better?

i like the messages behind this song. i don't think it's one of my favorites though. still a strong track though.

I DREAM ABOUT SINKING

track nine ~ 3:53

i dream about sinking. he is so lost that the only solution feels like sinking, drowning. he is already drowning in feelings of depression, guilt, and loneliness. what more is sinking when it feels like change means nothing? 

NATURAL CAUSES

track ten ~ 3:49

"somebody's after me, somebody i can't see." quadeca feels that some, or all, of his struggles have been brought on by some unseen and unmoving force. however, we have seen that he is a person he cannot see. if he cannot look at himself, he may not realize that he is the one that has held himself back from greater peace. "all of 'em natural causes." he fears that no matter what he does it will not be enough. whatever force is dictating his life will not relent no matter what he does or how hard he tries. he fantasizes that suicide might be a solution to what he is going through. for him suicide would be a way of taking back control from the somebody he can't see. finally taking his life into his own hands.

THUNDRRR

track eleven ~ 4:39

this track explores a new side of his depression that he has not touched on before. anger. the storm, the thunder. he has begun to feel anger toward whatever higher power he believes in. almost mocking them, "rain down on me... bow down around me." his loss of identity has started a spiral of feeling more powerful than he actually is. "i love to steal your thunder." this phrase means to out-do someone, taking something they do and doing it better. he feels that he is able to do what the higher power does better. he brings out his own depression and anger in this track. "and i don't want an olive branch from you." he does not want to negotiate peace with this higher being anymore. he feels that he is starting to take control, whether it be of his life or his emotions. 

THE GREAT BAKUNAWA

track twelve ~ 5:39

this track features danny brown. bakunawa is a creature from filipino mythology. this creature eats the moon to cause lunar eclipses, effectively stealing light from the dark. danny brown raps from the perspective of bakunawa.

this creature has stolen the remaining light from quadeca. he believes that crossing paths with this creature is a trial to reach his horizon. he refuses to throw away another opportunity to make his life greater. ultimately his attempts to overpower bakunawa do not work. this sinks him back down into his hopelessness. 

"cutting the ribbon, the grand opening of the end." this line is another that foreshadows quadeca's ultimate demise. throughout the film quadeca is seen carrying a rope, holding onto it. this rope is his lifeline. once it is cut that is the end for him.

FORGONE

track thirteen ~ 7:54

this track is the second single he released preceding vanisher. quadeca has said that this is the song he is most proud of. 

"forgone, i see the child she once was." once again we find the main character mourning his past relationship. he still clings onto the comfort and naivety of childhood. "i'm still a child in the same vein, all i can do is remain." pieces of his youth still follow him. despite the challenges and changes he has experienced some parts of him will always remain the same. "foregone, you're the conclusion of everyone." he tried for so long to convince himself that he was not affected by the loss of this relationship. now he knows he must let himself be vulnerable in order to heal, and all along some part of him knew this relationship was bound to end. he knows he pushes people away. he is aggressive, and she is his comfort. 

"i wouldn't hurt you again." this line is full of his sorrows and regrets. he is aware of his behavior, but not how to fix it. his empty promises mean nothing to the girl who is his comfort. she is the one who remains for him, but he is not that person for her.

all i can do is remain. this lyric stands out strongly to me. 

FOREGONE is one of my favorite tracks. it brought out such powerful emotions in me when i listened to it the first time. truly, all we can do is remain. 

CASPER

track fourteen ~ 7:33

this track features maruja.

quadeca yearns for stillness. life doesn't stop moving. death is the stillness he wants to find. it is the place that will not move away from him. "hiding in overgrown grass." in the movie he is depicted in tall grass multiple times. if he had not departed on his adventure for the horizon he would have stayed anchored to his struggles. he would have stayed still. the horizon is representative of an impossible dream. it is not a place one can reach. it is a constantly moving goal. this track is quadeca surrendering to his dreams. the peace he sought only lead to more isolation. 

"my world ends so much worse, and so much harder." death is a liberation from how he feels. to him this is better. he stands alone. he knows that finding the horizon was an impossible dream. it is time to vanish, as the album title suggests.

"he cracks a bottle, it's the only friend he knows." this line calls back to themes from GODSTAINED. quadeca found the bottle in the water that he thought would be a message toward his peace. instead it is just another ordinary object. he has turned to alcohol to push his problems away. he knows his end is near. "fate is getting closer, faith was always lacking." he did not have adequate faith in himself, but even with his trying it was not enough. his inevitable demise is here. the darkness consumes him. "is that heaven's open wide, its hell on earth he knows."

---

if you can find the time to watch the film i highly recommend it. this concept allbum is executed beautifully. in my eyes this is a strong contender for the best 2025 album. 

in a brief summary this album explores the idea of self discovery and chasing after impossibilities. additionally the concepts of lack of control over your fate are shown through his inevitable demise.

[ajearthlinggg]

vanisher, horizon scraper - quadeca analysis + review

 vanisher, horizon scraper is an album released on july 25th, 2025. artist quadeca combines several genres together to create the unique sound on vanisher, horizon scraper. some of these genres include art pop, neo-psychedelia, and experimental hip-hop sounds. this record was preceded by 3 strong singles to promote the album, GODSTAINED, FORGONE, and MONDAY. each of these tracks displayed a different sound that would be featured on the album. additionally, he released a movie for this album. the movie was a beautiful watch. i do recommend. 

now onto the track list and my opinions on each track. spoilers for the story mentioned. mentions of death and suicide. 

NO QUESTIONS ASKED:

track one ~ 5:59

personally i am usually displeased with albums that begin with a long first track; however, i would deem this song an exception to this. the instrumentals in this song are beautiful and exemplify what should be expected in the rest of the album. my one gripe with this song is that the vocals are incredibly repetitive. despite my mild distaste for the vocals i think this song was produced very well. on a scale of 1 to 10 i would give this song a 6/10. if i wasn't listening to the album front to back i would likely not listen to this song on its own, but it is a beautiful addition to the record and a wonderful opener.

WAGING WAR:

track two ~ 5:15

this song is the second on the record and features olēka. honestly i don't have many feelings toward this song. i do believe it is meant to foreshadow the end of the story that the album portrays both through the lyrics and the movie. this album is riddled with themes of struggles with mental health and this song is no exception. "all these common solutions but they won't suffice." the artist has tried all the solutions he knows, but they haven't helped. "i surrender and i can't fly. like, man down. my hands tied, and i can't die." these lyrics perpetuate the idea of drowning. the protagonist is stuck in his struggles and feels powerless to escape them. these lyrics along with the outro of the song foreshadow the eventual death of the protagonist. 

RUIN MY LIFE

track three ~ 4:41

this track explores the idea of having to destroy your comfort zone to create a life full of purpose. it is clear the protagonist is struggling against some sort of existential crisis. in the film quadeca is pictured setting sail. this could be linked to the ideas of leaving what he knows and "ruining his life to make it mine." escaping the land; therefore, escaping his struggles? "cause with his back turned, god hung up his sign, so i might have to ruin my life to make it mine." the notion of sailing out toward the sun is indicative of quadeca turning his back on everything he knows. he feels he must let himself rot away before taking back the purpose of his life with the endless sea in front of him. 

GODSTAINED

track four ~ 3:25

GODSTAINED was the first single quadeca released for this album. this track begins to explore a different sound from the first three tracks. despite the different sound this song still shows the themes of searching for meaning, finding purpose in what has been left behind. GODSTAINED appears to potentially be about a previously broken relationship. this relationship may have given his life meaning before, and now he feels lost. in the film quadeca finds a bottle in the water. this bottle gave him hope for a message or some meaning regarding the past love. the bottle was just a bottle though. he was hoping to find peace through this bottle. 

i will say GODSTAINED is one of my favorite tracks off of this album. i enjoy the slightly experimental sound, and i like the meanings behind it. i sort of resonate with the feelings of being lost and hoping to find solace. each person has their own path to purpose.

AT A TIME LIKE THIS

track five ~ 4:36

i neglected to mention this before but vanisher, horizon scraper has several references to struggles with substances. this song may allude to struggles with alcohol, mentions of "spirits" indicating both his spirit but also spirits (alcohol). "i thought getting old would make me stronger at a time like this." the protagonist has survived all of his struggles thus far, and expects that with age life would come easier. he has spoken about childhood naivety in previous tracks, and this further shows that concept. "you were just a child, life happened to you." again, he laments on his youth. time, and adversity, does not wait for anyone. surviving has not gotten easier, what's the point in trying at a time like this? the sea is endless, and he feels hopeless. "what's the point in dying at a time like this?" despite his vices he does not want to die. he embarked on this journey, and must find his horizon. 

MONDAY

track six ~ 4:03

"had my heart on the line airing out with my clothes." through all of his journey so far he has felt vulnerable. his heart exposed to anyone who can see it. his time begins to feel fruitless, airing out suggesting that he is losing his passion and fading away as time progresses (without him). often monday is representative of a new beginning. "darling, don't you give up on a monday." he knows that a new beginning is coming for him. monday is widely regarded as one of the most difficult days of the week. he knows he cannot give up just because one day is hard. "i wanna tell you i want you, you probably took it the wrong way." quadeca reminisces on his past relationship first discovered in GODSTAINED. we already know that this relationship did not last. he confessed his feelings, putting his heart on the line, and his person of interest may have rejected him, taking it the wrong way. "god i'm losing my grip on the runway." the protagonist knows he is losing hold over his emotions. he continues to spiral down his path of existential dread. 

each verse begins with "it's that time of the year," each verse exploring the new hardships that come with each season. "i can cover it up with a joint and a mess." the winter brings him more emotional turmoil, still unable to hold in his feelings. he uses weed as a way to distract from his discomfort, kind of like putting a bandaid over it to hold them in. "if i zip up my coat all the feathers will leak." even though he tries to hold his feelings inside, they still seep out. his lack of solving issues creates more and more problems for himself as time goes on. "if i keep moving on, i'll forget the way back." this may be about his romantic relationship, but this could also be interpreted literally, being about the expanse of the sea in front of him. he might forget how to make it back to the shore and back to his old life. 

if you can't tell, MONDAY is my favorite track. when it was released as a single i did not enjoy it very much. it has grown on me very strongly. i have zero complaints. i love it. 11/10 even.

DANCING WITHOUT MOVING

track seven ~ 3:19

this song moves toward a new type of sound. this leans more into the experimental sounds quadeca tried out on this album. this song is about relearning to express yourself. "i had this feeling since i was two, i might as well do my dance without a clue." currently the protagonist finds himself isolated in the middle of the ocean. this is his chance to reconnect with his younger self. the start of this song suggests that he had an idea of himself from a young age, before he know about the hardships that came with age. he describes himself now as a shooting star. he feels free from all previous attachments, maybe beginning to move on to all the struggles that anchored him to his depression. 

"i felt god when the power box was switched off." in this part of the film his ship loses its power, as this line suggests. just as he starts to feel free reality crashes back upon him. the darkness surrounds him with his fears once again. quadeca also talks about "turning a blind eye" perhaps leaving behind something he once cherished in hopes of something greater. which makes sense as the whole film is about his journey to try and find his greater purpose beyond his life of adversity. the only light he is offered right now is the moon. he attempts to feel peace in the light of the moon, reconnecting with what nature might have to offer him. however, he is still grieving his past, whether he realizes it or not. "the waves feel like bye, bye." as he continues out toward the horizon he is saying goodbye to what he once knew. 

"there's a man in the horizon. paradise is just behind him, but if he turns around, it disappears." he is the man in the horizon. this is where his departure has led him to. he has created this paradise in his mind where he is free from everything he experienced in the past. if he turns around, the fantasy will disappear. he will realize all the problems he left behind still exist. 

i think this track is pretty powerful, it really steers the story along. but sonically it sounds nice as well.

THAT'S WHY

track eight ~ 4:29

"they switched some shit around when i was 16. my hair's been falling out since i was 16." in the midst of his path to adulthood he begins to realize that the ideas he had of what life would be were not true. he discovers what difficulties come with aging. "like there's no room for me in me with the way that i'm thinking (that's why)." his feelings are constantly overwhelming him with the way he continuously bottles them up. there is no space left in his head to let things flow how they are meant to. the sea is a metaphor for how he is trying to find how to let his life flow, to let things be what they are supposed to be. he needs to learn to let go of himself. he is the thing holding him back. 

this song continues to show missed opportunities and feelings of guilt and maybe even dissociation. "i saw so many horizons and did not pursue it (and that's why). after all his missed opportunities he begins to try and find his own horizon. he is regretful about not pursuing these things earlier. he feels crazy, and like a broken record. all he thinks about is how he did not provide himself with better chances before it got to this point. "what's been keeping me afloat is barely a rope. every stranger i pass is wearing my clothes." the main character is barely holding on by a thread. he feels close to giving up. although he realizes that every stranger before him has taken this same path to finding themselves, therefore wearing his clothes. he sees pieces of himself in them. 

"if it wasn't me, would i still be here?" he questions whether or not everything he is doing is even worth it. if he woke up as another person would he still feel the same emptiness eating away at him? he believes he is the reason it doesn't get any better in this life. "every mirror in this life makes another blind spot." reflecting on himself and his journey is painful for him. he does not know who he is anymore. every missed chance is another piece of him he lost. would change even fix him at this point? if he cannot see himself, how does it get better?

i like the messages behind this song. i don't think it's one of my favorites though. still a strong track though.

I DREAM ABOUT SINKING

track nine ~ 3:53

i dream about sinking. he is so lost that the only solution feels like sinking, drowning. he is already drowning in feelings of depression, guilt, and loneliness. what more is sinking when it feels like change means nothing? 

NATURAL CAUSES

track ten ~ 3:49

"somebody's after me, somebody i can't see." quadeca feels that some, or all, of his struggles have been brought on by some unseen and unmoving force. however, we have seen that he is a person he cannot see. if he cannot look at himself, he may not realize that he is the one that has held himself back from greater peace. "all of 'em natural causes." he fears that no matter what he does it will not be enough. whatever force is dictating his life will not relent no matter what he does or how hard he tries. he fantasizes that suicide might be a solution to what he is going through. for him suicide would be a way of taking back control from the somebody he can't see. finally taking his life into his own hands.

THUNDRRR

track eleven ~ 4:39

this track explores a new side of his depression that he has not touched on before. anger. the storm, the thunder. he has begun to feel anger toward whatever higher power he believes in. almost mocking them, "rain down on me... bow down around me." his loss of identity has started a spiral of feeling more powerful than he actually is. "i love to steal your thunder." this phrase means to out-do someone, taking something they do and doing it better. he feels that he is able to do what the higher power does better. he brings out his own depression and anger in this track. "and i don't want an olive branch from you." he does not want to negotiate peace with this higher being anymore. he feels that he is starting to take control, whether it be of his life or his emotions. 

THE GREAT BAKUNAWA

track twelve ~ 5:39

this track features danny brown. bakunawa is a creature from filipino mythology. this creature eats the moon to cause lunar eclipses, effectively stealing light from the dark. danny brown raps from the perspective of bakunawa.

this creature has stolen the remaining light from quadeca. he believes that crossing paths with this creature is a trial to reach his horizon. he refuses to throw away another opportunity to make his life greater. ultimately his attempts to overpower bakunawa do not work. this sinks him back down into his hopelessness. 

"cutting the ribbon, the grand opening of the end." this line is another that foreshadows quadeca's ultimate demise. throughout the film quadeca is seen carrying a rope, holding onto it. this rope is his lifeline. once it is cut that is the end for him.

FORGONE

track thirteen ~ 7:54

this track is the second single he released preceding vanisher. quadeca has said that this is the song he is most proud of. 

"forgone, i see the child she once was." once again we find the main character mourning his past relationship. he still clings onto the comfort and naivety of childhood. "i'm still a child in the same vein, all i can do is remain." pieces of his youth still follow him. despite the challenges and changes he has experienced some parts of him will always remain the same. "foregone, you're the conclusion of everyone." he tried for so long to convince himself that he was not affected by the loss of this relationship. now he knows he must let himself be vulnerable in order to heal, and all along some part of him knew this relationship was bound to end. he knows he pushes people away. he is aggressive, and she is his comfort. 

"i wouldn't hurt you again." this line is full of his sorrows and regrets. he is aware of his behavior, but not how to fix it. his empty promises mean nothing to the girl who is his comfort. she is the one who remains for him, but he is not that person for her.

all i can do is remain. this lyric stands out strongly to me. 

FOREGONE is one of my favorite tracks. it brought out such powerful emotions in me when i listened to it the first time. truly, all we can do is remain. 

CASPER

track fourteen ~ 7:33

this track features maruja.

quadeca yearns for stillness. life doesn't stop moving. death is the stillness he wants to find. it is the place that will not move away from him. "hiding in overgrown grass." in the movie he is depicted in tall grass multiple times. if he had not departed on his adventure for the horizon he would have stayed anchored to his struggles. he would have stayed still. the horizon is representative of an impossible dream. it is not a place one can reach. it is a constantly moving goal. this track is quadeca surrendering to his dreams. the peace he sought only lead to more isolation. 

"my world ends so much worse, and so much harder." death is a liberation from how he feels. to him this is better. he stands alone. he knows that finding the horizon was an impossible dream. it is time to vanish, as the album title suggests.

"he cracks a bottle, it's the only friend he knows." this line calls back to themes from GODSTAINED. quadeca found the bottle in the water that he thought would be a message toward his peace. instead it is just another ordinary object. he has turned to alcohol to push his problems away. he knows his end is near. "fate is getting closer, faith was always lacking." he did not have adequate faith in himself, but even with his trying it was not enough. his inevitable demise is here. the darkness consumes him. "is that heaven's open wide, its hell on earth he knows."

---

if you can find the time to watch the film i highly recommend it. this concept allbum is executed beautifully. in my eyes this is a strong contender for the best 2025 album. 

in a brief summary this album explores the idea of self discovery and chasing after impossibilities. additionally the concepts of lack of control over your fate are shown through his inevitable demise.

[ajearthlinggg]

vanisher, horizon scraper - quadeca analysis + review

 vanisher, horizon scraper is an album released on july 25th, 2025. artist quadeca combines several genres together to create the unique sound on vanisher, horizon scraper. some of these genres include art pop, neo-psychedelia, and experimental hip-hop sounds. this record was preceded by 3 strong singles to promote the album, GODSTAINED, FORGONE, and MONDAY. each of these tracks displayed a different sound that would be featured on the album. additionally, he released a movie for this album. the movie was a beautiful watch. i do recommend. 

now onto the track list and my opinions on each track. spoilers for the story mentioned. mentions of death and suicide. 

NO QUESTIONS ASKED:

track one ~ 5:59

personally i am usually displeased with albums that begin with a long first track; however, i would deem this song an exception to this. the instrumentals in this song are beautiful and exemplify what should be expected in the rest of the album. my one gripe with this song is that the vocals are incredibly repetitive. despite my mild distaste for the vocals i think this song was produced very well. on a scale of 1 to 10 i would give this song a 6/10. if i wasn't listening to the album front to back i would likely not listen to this song on its own, but it is a beautiful addition to the record and a wonderful opener.

WAGING WAR:

track two ~ 5:15

this song is the second on the record and features olēka. honestly i don't have many feelings toward this song. i do believe it is meant to foreshadow the end of the story that the album portrays both through the lyrics and the movie. this album is riddled with themes of struggles with mental health and this song is no exception. "all these common solutions but they won't suffice." the artist has tried all the solutions he knows, but they haven't helped. "i surrender and i can't fly. like, man down. my hands tied, and i can't die." these lyrics perpetuate the idea of drowning. the protagonist is stuck in his struggles and feels powerless to escape them. these lyrics along with the outro of the song foreshadow the eventual death of the protagonist. 

RUIN MY LIFE

track three ~ 4:41

this track explores the idea of having to destroy your comfort zone to create a life full of purpose. it is clear the protagonist is struggling against some sort of existential crisis. in the film quadeca is pictured setting sail. this could be linked to the ideas of leaving what he knows and "ruining his life to make it mine." escaping the land; therefore, escaping his struggles? "cause with his back turned, god hung up his sign, so i might have to ruin my life to make it mine." the notion of sailing out toward the sun is indicative of quadeca turning his back on everything he knows. he feels he must let himself rot away before taking back the purpose of his life with the endless sea in front of him. 

GODSTAINED

track four ~ 3:25

GODSTAINED was the first single quadeca released for this album. this track begins to explore a different sound from the first three tracks. despite the different sound this song still shows the themes of searching for meaning, finding purpose in what has been left behind. GODSTAINED appears to potentially be about a previously broken relationship. this relationship may have given his life meaning before, and now he feels lost. in the film quadeca finds a bottle in the water. this bottle gave him hope for a message or some meaning regarding the past love. the bottle was just a bottle though. he was hoping to find peace through this bottle. 

i will say GODSTAINED is one of my favorite tracks off of this album. i enjoy the slightly experimental sound, and i like the meanings behind it. i sort of resonate with the feelings of being lost and hoping to find solace. each person has their own path to purpose.

AT A TIME LIKE THIS

track five ~ 4:36

i neglected to mention this before but vanisher, horizon scraper has several references to struggles with substances. this song may allude to struggles with alcohol, mentions of "spirits" indicating both his spirit but also spirits (alcohol). "i thought getting old would make me stronger at a time like this." the protagonist has survived all of his struggles thus far, and expects that with age life would come easier. he has spoken about childhood naivety in previous tracks, and this further shows that concept. "you were just a child, life happened to you." again, he laments on his youth. time, and adversity, does not wait for anyone. surviving has not gotten easier, what's the point in trying at a time like this? the sea is endless, and he feels hopeless. "what's the point in dying at a time like this?" despite his vices he does not want to die. he embarked on this journey, and must find his horizon. 

MONDAY

track six ~ 4:03

"had my heart on the line airing out with my clothes." through all of his journey so far he has felt vulnerable. his heart exposed to anyone who can see it. his time begins to feel fruitless, airing out suggesting that he is losing his passion and fading away as time progresses (without him). often monday is representative of a new beginning. "darling, don't you give up on a monday." he knows that a new beginning is coming for him. monday is widely regarded as one of the most difficult days of the week. he knows he cannot give up just because one day is hard. "i wanna tell you i want you, you probably took it the wrong way." quadeca reminisces on his past relationship first discovered in GODSTAINED. we already know that this relationship did not last. he confessed his feelings, putting his heart on the line, and his person of interest may have rejected him, taking it the wrong way. "god i'm losing my grip on the runway." the protagonist knows he is losing hold over his emotions. he continues to spiral down his path of existential dread. 

each verse begins with "it's that time of the year," each verse exploring the new hardships that come with each season. "i can cover it up with a joint and a mess." the winter brings him more emotional turmoil, still unable to hold in his feelings. he uses weed as a way to distract from his discomfort, kind of like putting a bandaid over it to hold them in. "if i zip up my coat all the feathers will leak." even though he tries to hold his feelings inside, they still seep out. his lack of solving issues creates more and more problems for himself as time goes on. "if i keep moving on, i'll forget the way back." this may be about his romantic relationship, but this could also be interpreted literally, being about the expanse of the sea in front of him. he might forget how to make it back to the shore and back to his old life. 

if you can't tell, MONDAY is my favorite track. when it was released as a single i did not enjoy it very much. it has grown on me very strongly. i have zero complaints. i love it. 11/10 even.

DANCING WITHOUT MOVING

track seven ~ 3:19

this song moves toward a new type of sound. this leans more into the experimental sounds quadeca tried out on this album. this song is about relearning to express yourself. "i had this feeling since i was two, i might as well do my dance without a clue." currently the protagonist finds himself isolated in the middle of the ocean. this is his chance to reconnect with his younger self. the start of this song suggests that he had an idea of himself from a young age, before he know about the hardships that came with age. he describes himself now as a shooting star. he feels free from all previous attachments, maybe beginning to move on to all the struggles that anchored him to his depression. 

"i felt god when the power box was switched off." in this part of the film his ship loses its power, as this line suggests. just as he starts to feel free reality crashes back upon him. the darkness surrounds him with his fears once again. quadeca also talks about "turning a blind eye" perhaps leaving behind something he once cherished in hopes of something greater. which makes sense as the whole film is about his journey to try and find his greater purpose beyond his life of adversity. the only light he is offered right now is the moon. he attempts to feel peace in the light of the moon, reconnecting with what nature might have to offer him. however, he is still grieving his past, whether he realizes it or not. "the waves feel like bye, bye." as he continues out toward the horizon he is saying goodbye to what he once knew. 

"there's a man in the horizon. paradise is just behind him, but if he turns around, it disappears." he is the man in the horizon. this is where his departure has led him to. he has created this paradise in his mind where he is free from everything he experienced in the past. if he turns around, the fantasy will disappear. he will realize all the problems he left behind still exist. 

i think this track is pretty powerful, it really steers the story along. but sonically it sounds nice as well.

THAT'S WHY

track eight ~ 4:29

"they switched some shit around when i was 16. my hair's been falling out since i was 16." in the midst of his path to adulthood he begins to realize that the ideas he had of what life would be were not true. he discovers what difficulties come with aging. "like there's no room for me in me with the way that i'm thinking (that's why)." his feelings are constantly overwhelming him with the way he continuously bottles them up. there is no space left in his head to let things flow how they are meant to. the sea is a metaphor for how he is trying to find how to let his life flow, to let things be what they are supposed to be. he needs to learn to let go of himself. he is the thing holding him back. 

this song continues to show missed opportunities and feelings of guilt and maybe even dissociation. "i saw so many horizons and did not pursue it (and that's why). after all his missed opportunities he begins to try and find his own horizon. he is regretful about not pursuing these things earlier. he feels crazy, and like a broken record. all he thinks about is how he did not provide himself with better chances before it got to this point. "what's been keeping me afloat is barely a rope. every stranger i pass is wearing my clothes." the main character is barely holding on by a thread. he feels close to giving up. although he realizes that every stranger before him has taken this same path to finding themselves, therefore wearing his clothes. he sees pieces of himself in them. 

"if it wasn't me, would i still be here?" he questions whether or not everything he is doing is even worth it. if he woke up as another person would he still feel the same emptiness eating away at him? he believes he is the reason it doesn't get any better in this life. "every mirror in this life makes another blind spot." reflecting on himself and his journey is painful for him. he does not know who he is anymore. every missed chance is another piece of him he lost. would change even fix him at this point? if he cannot see himself, how does it get better?

i like the messages behind this song. i don't think it's one of my favorites though. still a strong track though.

I DREAM ABOUT SINKING

track nine ~ 3:53

i dream about sinking. he is so lost that the only solution feels like sinking, drowning. he is already drowning in feelings of depression, guilt, and loneliness. what more is sinking when it feels like change means nothing? 

NATURAL CAUSES

track ten ~ 3:49

"somebody's after me, somebody i can't see." quadeca feels that some, or all, of his struggles have been brought on by some unseen and unmoving force. however, we have seen that he is a person he cannot see. if he cannot look at himself, he may not realize that he is the one that has held himself back from greater peace. "all of 'em natural causes." he fears that no matter what he does it will not be enough. whatever force is dictating his life will not relent no matter what he does or how hard he tries. he fantasizes that suicide might be a solution to what he is going through. for him suicide would be a way of taking back control from the somebody he can't see. finally taking his life into his own hands.

THUNDRRR

track eleven ~ 4:39

this track explores a new side of his depression that he has not touched on before. anger. the storm, the thunder. he has begun to feel anger toward whatever higher power he believes in. almost mocking them, "rain down on me... bow down around me." his loss of identity has started a spiral of feeling more powerful than he actually is. "i love to steal your thunder." this phrase means to out-do someone, taking something they do and doing it better. he feels that he is able to do what the higher power does better. he brings out his own depression and anger in this track. "and i don't want an olive branch from you." he does not want to negotiate peace with this higher being anymore. he feels that he is starting to take control, whether it be of his life or his emotions. 

THE GREAT BAKUNAWA

track twelve ~ 5:39

this track features danny brown. bakunawa is a creature from filipino mythology. this creature eats the moon to cause lunar eclipses, effectively stealing light from the dark. danny brown raps from the perspective of bakunawa.

this creature has stolen the remaining light from quadeca. he believes that crossing paths with this creature is a trial to reach his horizon. he refuses to throw away another opportunity to make his life greater. ultimately his attempts to overpower bakunawa do not work. this sinks him back down into his hopelessness. 

"cutting the ribbon, the grand opening of the end." this line is another that foreshadows quadeca's ultimate demise. throughout the film quadeca is seen carrying a rope, holding onto it. this rope is his lifeline. once it is cut that is the end for him.

FORGONE

track thirteen ~ 7:54

this track is the second single he released preceding vanisher. quadeca has said that this is the song he is most proud of. 

"forgone, i see the child she once was." once again we find the main character mourning his past relationship. he still clings onto the comfort and naivety of childhood. "i'm still a child in the same vein, all i can do is remain." pieces of his youth still follow him. despite the challenges and changes he has experienced some parts of him will always remain the same. "foregone, you're the conclusion of everyone." he tried for so long to convince himself that he was not affected by the loss of this relationship. now he knows he must let himself be vulnerable in order to heal, and all along some part of him knew this relationship was bound to end. he knows he pushes people away. he is aggressive, and she is his comfort. 

"i wouldn't hurt you again." this line is full of his sorrows and regrets. he is aware of his behavior, but not how to fix it. his empty promises mean nothing to the girl who is his comfort. she is the one who remains for him, but he is not that person for her.

all i can do is remain. this lyric stands out strongly to me. 

FOREGONE is one of my favorite tracks. it brought out such powerful emotions in me when i listened to it the first time. truly, all we can do is remain. 

CASPER

track fourteen ~ 7:33

this track features maruja.

quadeca yearns for stillness. life doesn't stop moving. death is the stillness he wants to find. it is the place that will not move away from him. "hiding in overgrown grass." in the movie he is depicted in tall grass multiple times. if he had not departed on his adventure for the horizon he would have stayed anchored to his struggles. he would have stayed still. the horizon is representative of an impossible dream. it is not a place one can reach. it is a constantly moving goal. this track is quadeca surrendering to his dreams. the peace he sought only lead to more isolation. 

"my world ends so much worse, and so much harder." death is a liberation from how he feels. to him this is better. he stands alone. he knows that finding the horizon was an impossible dream. it is time to vanish, as the album title suggests.

"he cracks a bottle, it's the only friend he knows." this line calls back to themes from GODSTAINED. quadeca found the bottle in the water that he thought would be a message toward his peace. instead it is just another ordinary object. he has turned to alcohol to push his problems away. he knows his end is near. "fate is getting closer, faith was always lacking." he did not have adequate faith in himself, but even with his trying it was not enough. his inevitable demise is here. the darkness consumes him. "is that heaven's open wide, its hell on earth he knows."

---

if you can find the time to watch the film i highly recommend it. this concept allbum is executed beautifully. in my eyes this is a strong contender for the best 2025 album. 

in a brief summary this album explores the idea of self discovery and chasing after impossibilities. additionally the concepts of lack of control over your fate are shown through his inevitable demise.

[ajearthlinggg]

vanisher, horizon scraper - quadeca analysis + review

 vanisher, horizon scraper is an album released on july 25th, 2025. artist quadeca combines several genres together to create the unique sound on vanisher, horizon scraper. some of these genres include art pop, neo-psychedelia, and experimental hip-hop sounds. this record was preceded by 3 strong singles to promote the album, GODSTAINED, FORGONE, and MONDAY. each of these tracks displayed a different sound that would be featured on the album. additionally, he released a movie for this album. the movie was a beautiful watch. i do recommend. 

now onto the track list and my opinions on each track. spoilers for the story mentioned. mentions of death and suicide. 

NO QUESTIONS ASKED:

track one ~ 5:59

personally i am usually displeased with albums that begin with a long first track; however, i would deem this song an exception to this. the instrumentals in this song are beautiful and exemplify what should be expected in the rest of the album. my one gripe with this song is that the vocals are incredibly repetitive. despite my mild distaste for the vocals i think this song was produced very well. on a scale of 1 to 10 i would give this song a 6/10. if i wasn't listening to the album front to back i would likely not listen to this song on its own, but it is a beautiful addition to the record and a wonderful opener.

WAGING WAR:

track two ~ 5:15

this song is the second on the record and features olēka. honestly i don't have many feelings toward this song. i do believe it is meant to foreshadow the end of the story that the album portrays both through the lyrics and the movie. this album is riddled with themes of struggles with mental health and this song is no exception. "all these common solutions but they won't suffice." the artist has tried all the solutions he knows, but they haven't helped. "i surrender and i can't fly. like, man down. my hands tied, and i can't die." these lyrics perpetuate the idea of drowning. the protagonist is stuck in his struggles and feels powerless to escape them. these lyrics along with the outro of the song foreshadow the eventual death of the protagonist. 

RUIN MY LIFE

track three ~ 4:41

this track explores the idea of having to destroy your comfort zone to create a life full of purpose. it is clear the protagonist is struggling against some sort of existential crisis. in the film quadeca is pictured setting sail. this could be linked to the ideas of leaving what he knows and "ruining his life to make it mine." escaping the land; therefore, escaping his struggles? "cause with his back turned, god hung up his sign, so i might have to ruin my life to make it mine." the notion of sailing out toward the sun is indicative of quadeca turning his back on everything he knows. he feels he must let himself rot away before taking back the purpose of his life with the endless sea in front of him. 

GODSTAINED

track four ~ 3:25

GODSTAINED was the first single quadeca released for this album. this track begins to explore a different sound from the first three tracks. despite the different sound this song still shows the themes of searching for meaning, finding purpose in what has been left behind. GODSTAINED appears to potentially be about a previously broken relationship. this relationship may have given his life meaning before, and now he feels lost. in the film quadeca finds a bottle in the water. this bottle gave him hope for a message or some meaning regarding the past love. the bottle was just a bottle though. he was hoping to find peace through this bottle. 

i will say GODSTAINED is one of my favorite tracks off of this album. i enjoy the slightly experimental sound, and i like the meanings behind it. i sort of resonate with the feelings of being lost and hoping to find solace. each person has their own path to purpose.

AT A TIME LIKE THIS

track five ~ 4:36

i neglected to mention this before but vanisher, horizon scraper has several references to struggles with substances. this song may allude to struggles with alcohol, mentions of "spirits" indicating both his spirit but also spirits (alcohol). "i thought getting old would make me stronger at a time like this." the protagonist has survived all of his struggles thus far, and expects that with age life would come easier. he has spoken about childhood naivety in previous tracks, and this further shows that concept. "you were just a child, life happened to you." again, he laments on his youth. time, and adversity, does not wait for anyone. surviving has not gotten easier, what's the point in trying at a time like this? the sea is endless, and he feels hopeless. "what's the point in dying at a time like this?" despite his vices he does not want to die. he embarked on this journey, and must find his horizon. 

MONDAY

track six ~ 4:03

"had my heart on the line airing out with my clothes." through all of his journey so far he has felt vulnerable. his heart exposed to anyone who can see it. his time begins to feel fruitless, airing out suggesting that he is losing his passion and fading away as time progresses (without him). often monday is representative of a new beginning. "darling, don't you give up on a monday." he knows that a new beginning is coming for him. monday is widely regarded as one of the most difficult days of the week. he knows he cannot give up just because one day is hard. "i wanna tell you i want you, you probably took it the wrong way." quadeca reminisces on his past relationship first discovered in GODSTAINED. we already know that this relationship did not last. he confessed his feelings, putting his heart on the line, and his person of interest may have rejected him, taking it the wrong way. "god i'm losing my grip on the runway." the protagonist knows he is losing hold over his emotions. he continues to spiral down his path of existential dread. 

each verse begins with "it's that time of the year," each verse exploring the new hardships that come with each season. "i can cover it up with a joint and a mess." the winter brings him more emotional turmoil, still unable to hold in his feelings. he uses weed as a way to distract from his discomfort, kind of like putting a bandaid over it to hold them in. "if i zip up my coat all the feathers will leak." even though he tries to hold his feelings inside, they still seep out. his lack of solving issues creates more and more problems for himself as time goes on. "if i keep moving on, i'll forget the way back." this may be about his romantic relationship, but this could also be interpreted literally, being about the expanse of the sea in front of him. he might forget how to make it back to the shore and back to his old life. 

if you can't tell, MONDAY is my favorite track. when it was released as a single i did not enjoy it very much. it has grown on me very strongly. i have zero complaints. i love it. 11/10 even.

DANCING WITHOUT MOVING

track seven ~ 3:19

this song moves toward a new type of sound. this leans more into the experimental sounds quadeca tried out on this album. this song is about relearning to express yourself. "i had this feeling since i was two, i might as well do my dance without a clue." currently the protagonist finds himself isolated in the middle of the ocean. this is his chance to reconnect with his younger self. the start of this song suggests that he had an idea of himself from a young age, before he know about the hardships that came with age. he describes himself now as a shooting star. he feels free from all previous attachments, maybe beginning to move on to all the struggles that anchored him to his depression. 

"i felt god when the power box was switched off." in this part of the film his ship loses its power, as this line suggests. just as he starts to feel free reality crashes back upon him. the darkness surrounds him with his fears once again. quadeca also talks about "turning a blind eye" perhaps leaving behind something he once cherished in hopes of something greater. which makes sense as the whole film is about his journey to try and find his greater purpose beyond his life of adversity. the only light he is offered right now is the moon. he attempts to feel peace in the light of the moon, reconnecting with what nature might have to offer him. however, he is still grieving his past, whether he realizes it or not. "the waves feel like bye, bye." as he continues out toward the horizon he is saying goodbye to what he once knew. 

"there's a man in the horizon. paradise is just behind him, but if he turns around, it disappears." he is the man in the horizon. this is where his departure has led him to. he has created this paradise in his mind where he is free from everything he experienced in the past. if he turns around, the fantasy will disappear. he will realize all the problems he left behind still exist. 

i think this track is pretty powerful, it really steers the story along. but sonically it sounds nice as well.

THAT'S WHY

track eight ~ 4:29

"they switched some shit around when i was 16. my hair's been falling out since i was 16." in the midst of his path to adulthood he begins to realize that the ideas he had of what life would be were not true. he discovers what difficulties come with aging. "like there's no room for me in me with the way that i'm thinking (that's why)." his feelings are constantly overwhelming him with the way he continuously bottles them up. there is no space left in his head to let things flow how they are meant to. the sea is a metaphor for how he is trying to find how to let his life flow, to let things be what they are supposed to be. he needs to learn to let go of himself. he is the thing holding him back. 

this song continues to show missed opportunities and feelings of guilt and maybe even dissociation. "i saw so many horizons and did not pursue it (and that's why). after all his missed opportunities he begins to try and find his own horizon. he is regretful about not pursuing these things earlier. he feels crazy, and like a broken record. all he thinks about is how he did not provide himself with better chances before it got to this point. "what's been keeping me afloat is barely a rope. every stranger i pass is wearing my clothes." the main character is barely holding on by a thread. he feels close to giving up. although he realizes that every stranger before him has taken this same path to finding themselves, therefore wearing his clothes. he sees pieces of himself in them. 

"if it wasn't me, would i still be here?" he questions whether or not everything he is doing is even worth it. if he woke up as another person would he still feel the same emptiness eating away at him? he believes he is the reason it doesn't get any better in this life. "every mirror in this life makes another blind spot." reflecting on himself and his journey is painful for him. he does not know who he is anymore. every missed chance is another piece of him he lost. would change even fix him at this point? if he cannot see himself, how does it get better?

i like the messages behind this song. i don't think it's one of my favorites though. still a strong track though.

I DREAM ABOUT SINKING

track nine ~ 3:53

i dream about sinking. he is so lost that the only solution feels like sinking, drowning. he is already drowning in feelings of depression, guilt, and loneliness. what more is sinking when it feels like change means nothing? 

NATURAL CAUSES

track ten ~ 3:49

"somebody's after me, somebody i can't see." quadeca feels that some, or all, of his struggles have been brought on by some unseen and unmoving force. however, we have seen that he is a person he cannot see. if he cannot look at himself, he may not realize that he is the one that has held himself back from greater peace. "all of 'em natural causes." he fears that no matter what he does it will not be enough. whatever force is dictating his life will not relent no matter what he does or how hard he tries. he fantasizes that suicide might be a solution to what he is going through. for him suicide would be a way of taking back control from the somebody he can't see. finally taking his life into his own hands.

THUNDRRR

track eleven ~ 4:39

this track explores a new side of his depression that he has not touched on before. anger. the storm, the thunder. he has begun to feel anger toward whatever higher power he believes in. almost mocking them, "rain down on me... bow down around me." his loss of identity has started a spiral of feeling more powerful than he actually is. "i love to steal your thunder." this phrase means to out-do someone, taking something they do and doing it better. he feels that he is able to do what the higher power does better. he brings out his own depression and anger in this track. "and i don't want an olive branch from you." he does not want to negotiate peace with this higher being anymore. he feels that he is starting to take control, whether it be of his life or his emotions. 

THE GREAT BAKUNAWA

track twelve ~ 5:39

this track features danny brown. bakunawa is a creature from filipino mythology. this creature eats the moon to cause lunar eclipses, effectively stealing light from the dark. danny brown raps from the perspective of bakunawa.

this creature has stolen the remaining light from quadeca. he believes that crossing paths with this creature is a trial to reach his horizon. he refuses to throw away another opportunity to make his life greater. ultimately his attempts to overpower bakunawa do not work. this sinks him back down into his hopelessness. 

"cutting the ribbon, the grand opening of the end." this line is another that foreshadows quadeca's ultimate demise. throughout the film quadeca is seen carrying a rope, holding onto it. this rope is his lifeline. once it is cut that is the end for him.

FORGONE

track thirteen ~ 7:54

this track is the second single he released preceding vanisher. quadeca has said that this is the song he is most proud of. 

"forgone, i see the child she once was." once again we find the main character mourning his past relationship. he still clings onto the comfort and naivety of childhood. "i'm still a child in the same vein, all i can do is remain." pieces of his youth still follow him. despite the challenges and changes he has experienced some parts of him will always remain the same. "foregone, you're the conclusion of everyone." he tried for so long to convince himself that he was not affected by the loss of this relationship. now he knows he must let himself be vulnerable in order to heal, and all along some part of him knew this relationship was bound to end. he knows he pushes people away. he is aggressive, and she is his comfort. 

"i wouldn't hurt you again." this line is full of his sorrows and regrets. he is aware of his behavior, but not how to fix it. his empty promises mean nothing to the girl who is his comfort. she is the one who remains for him, but he is not that person for her.

all i can do is remain. this lyric stands out strongly to me. 

FOREGONE is one of my favorite tracks. it brought out such powerful emotions in me when i listened to it the first time. truly, all we can do is remain. 

CASPER

track fourteen ~ 7:33

this track features maruja.

quadeca yearns for stillness. life doesn't stop moving. death is the stillness he wants to find. it is the place that will not move away from him. "hiding in overgrown grass." in the movie he is depicted in tall grass multiple times. if he had not departed on his adventure for the horizon he would have stayed anchored to his struggles. he would have stayed still. the horizon is representative of an impossible dream. it is not a place one can reach. it is a constantly moving goal. this track is quadeca surrendering to his dreams. the peace he sought only lead to more isolation. 

"my world ends so much worse, and so much harder." death is a liberation from how he feels. to him this is better. he stands alone. he knows that finding the horizon was an impossible dream. it is time to vanish, as the album title suggests.

"he cracks a bottle, it's the only friend he knows." this line calls back to themes from GODSTAINED. quadeca found the bottle in the water that he thought would be a message toward his peace. instead it is just another ordinary object. he has turned to alcohol to push his problems away. he knows his end is near. "fate is getting closer, faith was always lacking." he did not have adequate faith in himself, but even with his trying it was not enough. his inevitable demise is here. the darkness consumes him. "is that heaven's open wide, its hell on earth he knows."

---

if you can find the time to watch the film i highly recommend it. this concept allbum is executed beautifully. in my eyes this is a strong contender for the best 2025 album. 

in a brief summary this album explores the idea of self discovery and chasing after impossibilities. additionally the concepts of lack of control over your fate are shown through his inevitable demise.

[ajearthlinggg]

vanisher, horizon scraper - quadeca analysis + review

 vanisher, horizon scraper is an album released on july 25th, 2025. artist quadeca combines several genres together to create the unique sound on vanisher, horizon scraper. some of these genres include art pop, neo-psychedelia, and experimental hip-hop sounds. this record was preceded by 3 strong singles to promote the album, GODSTAINED, FORGONE, and MONDAY. each of these tracks displayed a different sound that would be featured on the album. additionally, he released a movie for this album. the movie was a beautiful watch. i do recommend. 

now onto the track list and my opinions on each track. spoilers for the story mentioned. mentions of death and suicide. 

NO QUESTIONS ASKED:

track one ~ 5:59

personally i am usually displeased with albums that begin with a long first track; however, i would deem this song an exception to this. the instrumentals in this song are beautiful and exemplify what should be expected in the rest of the album. my one gripe with this song is that the vocals are incredibly repetitive. despite my mild distaste for the vocals i think this song was produced very well. on a scale of 1 to 10 i would give this song a 6/10. if i wasn't listening to the album front to back i would likely not listen to this song on its own, but it is a beautiful addition to the record and a wonderful opener.

WAGING WAR:

track two ~ 5:15

this song is the second on the record and features olēka. honestly i don't have many feelings toward this song. i do believe it is meant to foreshadow the end of the story that the album portrays both through the lyrics and the movie. this album is riddled with themes of struggles with mental health and this song is no exception. "all these common solutions but they won't suffice." the artist has tried all the solutions he knows, but they haven't helped. "i surrender and i can't fly. like, man down. my hands tied, and i can't die." these lyrics perpetuate the idea of drowning. the protagonist is stuck in his struggles and feels powerless to escape them. these lyrics along with the outro of the song foreshadow the eventual death of the protagonist. 

RUIN MY LIFE

track three ~ 4:41

this track explores the idea of having to destroy your comfort zone to create a life full of purpose. it is clear the protagonist is struggling against some sort of existential crisis. in the film quadeca is pictured setting sail. this could be linked to the ideas of leaving what he knows and "ruining his life to make it mine." escaping the land; therefore, escaping his struggles? "cause with his back turned, god hung up his sign, so i might have to ruin my life to make it mine." the notion of sailing out toward the sun is indicative of quadeca turning his back on everything he knows. he feels he must let himself rot away before taking back the purpose of his life with the endless sea in front of him. 

GODSTAINED

track four ~ 3:25

GODSTAINED was the first single quadeca released for this album. this track begins to explore a different sound from the first three tracks. despite the different sound this song still shows the themes of searching for meaning, finding purpose in what has been left behind. GODSTAINED appears to potentially be about a previously broken relationship. this relationship may have given his life meaning before, and now he feels lost. in the film quadeca finds a bottle in the water. this bottle gave him hope for a message or some meaning regarding the past love. the bottle was just a bottle though. he was hoping to find peace through this bottle. 

i will say GODSTAINED is one of my favorite tracks off of this album. i enjoy the slightly experimental sound, and i like the meanings behind it. i sort of resonate with the feelings of being lost and hoping to find solace. each person has their own path to purpose.

AT A TIME LIKE THIS

track five ~ 4:36

i neglected to mention this before but vanisher, horizon scraper has several references to struggles with substances. this song may allude to struggles with alcohol, mentions of "spirits" indicating both his spirit but also spirits (alcohol). "i thought getting old would make me stronger at a time like this." the protagonist has survived all of his struggles thus far, and expects that with age life would come easier. he has spoken about childhood naivety in previous tracks, and this further shows that concept. "you were just a child, life happened to you." again, he laments on his youth. time, and adversity, does not wait for anyone. surviving has not gotten easier, what's the point in trying at a time like this? the sea is endless, and he feels hopeless. "what's the point in dying at a time like this?" despite his vices he does not want to die. he embarked on this journey, and must find his horizon. 

MONDAY

track six ~ 4:03

"had my heart on the line airing out with my clothes." through all of his journey so far he has felt vulnerable. his heart exposed to anyone who can see it. his time begins to feel fruitless, airing out suggesting that he is losing his passion and fading away as time progresses (without him). often monday is representative of a new beginning. "darling, don't you give up on a monday." he knows that a new beginning is coming for him. monday is widely regarded as one of the most difficult days of the week. he knows he cannot give up just because one day is hard. "i wanna tell you i want you, you probably took it the wrong way." quadeca reminisces on his past relationship first discovered in GODSTAINED. we already know that this relationship did not last. he confessed his feelings, putting his heart on the line, and his person of interest may have rejected him, taking it the wrong way. "god i'm losing my grip on the runway." the protagonist knows he is losing hold over his emotions. he continues to spiral down his path of existential dread. 

each verse begins with "it's that time of the year," each verse exploring the new hardships that come with each season. "i can cover it up with a joint and a mess." the winter brings him more emotional turmoil, still unable to hold in his feelings. he uses weed as a way to distract from his discomfort, kind of like putting a bandaid over it to hold them in. "if i zip up my coat all the feathers will leak." even though he tries to hold his feelings inside, they still seep out. his lack of solving issues creates more and more problems for himself as time goes on. "if i keep moving on, i'll forget the way back." this may be about his romantic relationship, but this could also be interpreted literally, being about the expanse of the sea in front of him. he might forget how to make it back to the shore and back to his old life. 

if you can't tell, MONDAY is my favorite track. when it was released as a single i did not enjoy it very much. it has grown on me very strongly. i have zero complaints. i love it. 11/10 even.

DANCING WITHOUT MOVING

track seven ~ 3:19

this song moves toward a new type of sound. this leans more into the experimental sounds quadeca tried out on this album. this song is about relearning to express yourself. "i had this feeling since i was two, i might as well do my dance without a clue." currently the protagonist finds himself isolated in the middle of the ocean. this is his chance to reconnect with his younger self. the start of this song suggests that he had an idea of himself from a young age, before he know about the hardships that came with age. he describes himself now as a shooting star. he feels free from all previous attachments, maybe beginning to move on to all the struggles that anchored him to his depression. 

"i felt god when the power box was switched off." in this part of the film his ship loses its power, as this line suggests. just as he starts to feel free reality crashes back upon him. the darkness surrounds him with his fears once again. quadeca also talks about "turning a blind eye" perhaps leaving behind something he once cherished in hopes of something greater. which makes sense as the whole film is about his journey to try and find his greater purpose beyond his life of adversity. the only light he is offered right now is the moon. he attempts to feel peace in the light of the moon, reconnecting with what nature might have to offer him. however, he is still grieving his past, whether he realizes it or not. "the waves feel like bye, bye." as he continues out toward the horizon he is saying goodbye to what he once knew. 

"there's a man in the horizon. paradise is just behind him, but if he turns around, it disappears." he is the man in the horizon. this is where his departure has led him to. he has created this paradise in his mind where he is free from everything he experienced in the past. if he turns around, the fantasy will disappear. he will realize all the problems he left behind still exist. 

i think this track is pretty powerful, it really steers the story along. but sonically it sounds nice as well.

THAT'S WHY

track eight ~ 4:29

"they switched some shit around when i was 16. my hair's been falling out since i was 16." in the midst of his path to adulthood he begins to realize that the ideas he had of what life would be were not true. he discovers what difficulties come with aging. "like there's no room for me in me with the way that i'm thinking (that's why)." his feelings are constantly overwhelming him with the way he continuously bottles them up. there is no space left in his head to let things flow how they are meant to. the sea is a metaphor for how he is trying to find how to let his life flow, to let things be what they are supposed to be. he needs to learn to let go of himself. he is the thing holding him back. 

this song continues to show missed opportunities and feelings of guilt and maybe even dissociation. "i saw so many horizons and did not pursue it (and that's why). after all his missed opportunities he begins to try and find his own horizon. he is regretful about not pursuing these things earlier. he feels crazy, and like a broken record. all he thinks about is how he did not provide himself with better chances before it got to this point. "what's been keeping me afloat is barely a rope. every stranger i pass is wearing my clothes." the main character is barely holding on by a thread. he feels close to giving up. although he realizes that every stranger before him has taken this same path to finding themselves, therefore wearing his clothes. he sees pieces of himself in them. 

"if it wasn't me, would i still be here?" he questions whether or not everything he is doing is even worth it. if he woke up as another person would he still feel the same emptiness eating away at him? he believes he is the reason it doesn't get any better in this life. "every mirror in this life makes another blind spot." reflecting on himself and his journey is painful for him. he does not know who he is anymore. every missed chance is another piece of him he lost. would change even fix him at this point? if he cannot see himself, how does it get better?

i like the messages behind this song. i don't think it's one of my favorites though. still a strong track though.

I DREAM ABOUT SINKING

track nine ~ 3:53

i dream about sinking. he is so lost that the only solution feels like sinking, drowning. he is already drowning in feelings of depression, guilt, and loneliness. what more is sinking when it feels like change means nothing? 

NATURAL CAUSES

track ten ~ 3:49

"somebody's after me, somebody i can't see." quadeca feels that some, or all, of his struggles have been brought on by some unseen and unmoving force. however, we have seen that he is a person he cannot see. if he cannot look at himself, he may not realize that he is the one that has held himself back from greater peace. "all of 'em natural causes." he fears that no matter what he does it will not be enough. whatever force is dictating his life will not relent no matter what he does or how hard he tries. he fantasizes that suicide might be a solution to what he is going through. for him suicide would be a way of taking back control from the somebody he can't see. finally taking his life into his own hands.

THUNDRRR

track eleven ~ 4:39

this track explores a new side of his depression that he has not touched on before. anger. the storm, the thunder. he has begun to feel anger toward whatever higher power he believes in. almost mocking them, "rain down on me... bow down around me." his loss of identity has started a spiral of feeling more powerful than he actually is. "i love to steal your thunder." this phrase means to out-do someone, taking something they do and doing it better. he feels that he is able to do what the higher power does better. he brings out his own depression and anger in this track. "and i don't want an olive branch from you." he does not want to negotiate peace with this higher being anymore. he feels that he is starting to take control, whether it be of his life or his emotions. 

THE GREAT BAKUNAWA

track twelve ~ 5:39

this track features danny brown. bakunawa is a creature from filipino mythology. this creature eats the moon to cause lunar eclipses, effectively stealing light from the dark. danny brown raps from the perspective of bakunawa.

this creature has stolen the remaining light from quadeca. he believes that crossing paths with this creature is a trial to reach his horizon. he refuses to throw away another opportunity to make his life greater. ultimately his attempts to overpower bakunawa do not work. this sinks him back down into his hopelessness. 

"cutting the ribbon, the grand opening of the end." this line is another that foreshadows quadeca's ultimate demise. throughout the film quadeca is seen carrying a rope, holding onto it. this rope is his lifeline. once it is cut that is the end for him.

FORGONE

track thirteen ~ 7:54

this track is the second single he released preceding vanisher. quadeca has said that this is the song he is most proud of. 

"forgone, i see the child she once was." once again we find the main character mourning his past relationship. he still clings onto the comfort and naivety of childhood. "i'm still a child in the same vein, all i can do is remain." pieces of his youth still follow him. despite the challenges and changes he has experienced some parts of him will always remain the same. "foregone, you're the conclusion of everyone." he tried for so long to convince himself that he was not affected by the loss of this relationship. now he knows he must let himself be vulnerable in order to heal, and all along some part of him knew this relationship was bound to end. he knows he pushes people away. he is aggressive, and she is his comfort. 

"i wouldn't hurt you again." this line is full of his sorrows and regrets. he is aware of his behavior, but not how to fix it. his empty promises mean nothing to the girl who is his comfort. she is the one who remains for him, but he is not that person for her.

all i can do is remain. this lyric stands out strongly to me. 

FOREGONE is one of my favorite tracks. it brought out such powerful emotions in me when i listened to it the first time. truly, all we can do is remain. 

CASPER

track fourteen ~ 7:33

this track features maruja.

quadeca yearns for stillness. life doesn't stop moving. death is the stillness he wants to find. it is the place that will not move away from him. "hiding in overgrown grass." in the movie he is depicted in tall grass multiple times. if he had not departed on his adventure for the horizon he would have stayed anchored to his struggles. he would have stayed still. the horizon is representative of an impossible dream. it is not a place one can reach. it is a constantly moving goal. this track is quadeca surrendering to his dreams. the peace he sought only lead to more isolation. 

"my world ends so much worse, and so much harder." death is a liberation from how he feels. to him this is better. he stands alone. he knows that finding the horizon was an impossible dream. it is time to vanish, as the album title suggests.

"he cracks a bottle, it's the only friend he knows." this line calls back to themes from GODSTAINED. quadeca found the bottle in the water that he thought would be a message toward his peace. instead it is just another ordinary object. he has turned to alcohol to push his problems away. he knows his end is near. "fate is getting closer, faith was always lacking." he did not have adequate faith in himself, but even with his trying it was not enough. his inevitable demise is here. the darkness consumes him. "is that heaven's open wide, its hell on earth he knows."

---

if you can find the time to watch the film i highly recommend it. this concept allbum is executed beautifully. in my eyes this is a strong contender for the best 2025 album. 

in a brief summary this album explores the idea of self discovery and chasing after impossibilities. additionally the concepts of lack of control over your fate are shown through his inevitable demise.

[ajearthlinggg]

“his cherubic, baby face…giving him the appearance of a brooding, camp history professor…his body and strange charisma”

[ajearthlinggg]

milo blast

Nero blast

[ajearthlinggg]

my two fav things i love quadonka and kitty

[ajearthlinggg]

YOUR ART IS SO COOL I REALLY LIKE THE SKETCHY LINES AND WARM COLORS 💥💥💥 idk if you take requests (feel free to ignore if you don't) but i would love to see quadeca in your style after seeing you draw diggy graydon and riley!!! and i hope you are having a good day/night/whenever youre reading this ☺️

poorly organized quadeca page that doesn’t really look all that much like him but was fun to draw anyways !! grateful that the boys introduced me to a very talented guy and grateful 4 u as well!!! o7

[ajearthlinggg]

vanisher bracelet :3

[ajearthlinggg]

[ajearthlinggg]

i'm so normal.

[ajearthlinggg]

this is my favorite picture of them so jovial so elated so jolly so wait hold on

what is a sandboy and who the hell is larry