collage-tls

[collage-tls]

謀殺石蓮 // Murder the Echeveria

NATSUKO: i wanted to envision a future from an ethnic minority perspective. this song tells the story of an indigenous scientist who appears in the future and invents very powerful laser gun technology, which stands in for the production of a sufficiently powerful force to be able to escape all oppression and discrimination. this is the “deus ex machina” story at the heart of the entire album. the scientist obtains the descended god’s power, but the sudden appearance of a god also reflects the fact that its author doesn’t believe this can come to pass, indirectly illustrating the reality of how difficult it is to break free of oppression and how hopeless it feels. the arrangement has a very cyberpunk feel, with a mechanically rhythmic beat, composed using an east asian-style pentatonic scale. the first half of the song describes the scientist’s plight, her cry out to the universe, her inability to break through the barriers she faces. then the latin phrase pops up in the middle—this is the “deus ex machina” moment! after that, the breakdown has a very smooth electronic feel as it describes the aftermath of the revolution and the lifeless landscape it leaves behind.

tayniay cangra midateng to semot no mako they came to pick the weeds from my land, ikor to i, ’afas han nangra ko tireng no mako then they took my body. caayay ka piliyas cangra they never left.

nengneng han kora semot hato hana the weed that looks like a flower mapitpit ko ‘adingo nora hana has had its soul plucked from its stem

o rihaw iso hato ngiha ni Alikakay your voice is as hoarse as a ghost's mana tomangic kiso? why are you crying?

aya, mahecaday to hana a semot ah, the weed that looks like a flower ‘enoc sa to kahengangay a odax has swallowed the red candy cengawen ko mata, mana caka co’a’angen iso? open your eyes, why resist? samaanen ako? what would you have me do?

malafaliay ko mi’ang’ang no mako my cries became the wind malahedaway to i kana sawad a tokay disappearing into the overgrown city mapatayay to kora tahada’ocay a fu’is a star long dead mafolfol koni langdaway ka’oripan a cikiw shattered this blue planet malao’raday to ko losa’ no mako my tears turned to rain malakoliay to koni ki’etecay a kikay and froze into ice-cold machinery samaanen ako na madodo’ ko faloco’ iso? what else would you have me do?

lomowad a ma'orip nai patay rise from the dead nai to’emanay a kakarayan from the dark expanse of space

(ecce Deus ex machina)

malacidal ko keter no mako, my rage has become the sun matodoh nira ko sahekalan it will burn its earth to ash o ci’edilay a kowang a gun emitting beams of light o kimad no kikay the legend of a machine

nengneng han kora semot hato hana the weed that looks like a flower （you are approaching the truth） （they will steal it from you）

hawikiden ko ataneng no kalokawas carries the wisdom of the gods （now pick up your laser gun） （till the smoke erases the sun）

cowa to tanotireng kako hatini i am no longer alone （so aggressive, so rude） （they are gonna murder you）

caay to ka palit iso ko tireng ako you cannot imprison me again （my dear, my dear little echeveria）

aya, mahecaday to hana a semot ah, the weed that looks like a flower （you have witnessed the truth） （they can’t take it from you）

hawikiden ko ’icel no kalokawas carries the strength of the gods （drop your smoking laser gun） （there is no more place to run）

cowa to tanokamay kako i am no longer defenseless （so aggressive, so rude） （they are gonna murder you）

taniwaniway sa tahira i tolas no kakarayan wandering to the ends of the universe （my dear, my dear little echeveria）

[collage-tls]

Natsuko's Commentary on "Murder the Echeveria":

I just get a little frustrated sometimes, because every time I write lyrics in Amis or include some kind of easily identifiable indigenous element in my songs, 70-80% of responses mention dancing and celebrating, contentment with life, laughing away one’s troubles, and so on, even if the lyrics are dark and serious. It’s to the point where even if I’m candidly describing the pain of loss and grief, I’ll still get cheerful responses. I carry the skeletons of my people through my work and watch the audience consume their cries like a black hole, swallowing up all traces of sound. Like viewers in front of a blockbuster exploitation film, or a movie with a charming white male savior, or a popcorn flick about defying authority, emotions are stirred while people are in their seats, and once they leave the theater, their hearts can be at ease. Issues of gender, race, ethnicity, class, etc. all resolve themselves neatly. Everyone forgives, everyone departs. Everyone returns to their daily lives. But the real world is no less free of suffering, suffering which has seen no end, no resolution, no compensation, no atonement. Suffering that has yet to be directly faced, or even acknowledged. I continue to live in an endlessly broadcasting horror movie. I am blamed by outsiders for not performing enough, or performing too much, and I blame myself even more. The weed that looks like a flower lived well in its natural state. Only once forced to submit to the will of ruling powers and economic circumstance, once “she” has been pulled up by the roots and replanted in a plastic flower pot, does she attempt to fit this new appearance. But her captors just hold the pot in their hands and degrade her without end, because, after all, a weed cannot become a flower.

At the start of the film Nope, the flying, man-eating monster that is Hollywood and mainstream society throws down a nickel from the sky, killing the figure of the Black cowboy erased from Western film history. What do you want from me? What else will it take to satisfy you?

[collage-tls]

鏨頭長命 // Long May You Live, Off With Your Head

HUNTER: in the latter half of the album, I wanted to experiment with some new musical styles. the “tn̂g-miā” （長命） character in this song is based off of the old testament heroine judith. she went to assassinate an enemy general for her people and ended up seducing him to get close, only to then chop off his head. despite this, we didn’t really want to write a typical female revenge story. true conflict won’t be resolved through the consumption of yet another exploitation narrative. thus, the final metaphor at the heart of the song is that, in the process of recklessly carrying out her plan, tng-mia kills herself, too. i used a more relaxed musical style and made the BPM slowly decrease throughout the song. the song originally seems very steady and determined, but the belief that “this act will resolve everything” introduces a wavering sense of stability, and it leaves people with a sense of conflict and uncertainty. NATSUKO: it's very easy for the subject of female revenge to slip into the kinds of narratives that exploitation films use to sell bloodshed without actually addressing any solutions to the problems women face. these works have a very limited capacity to evoke any real gender awareness in their audiences, and so, in this song, the one the heroine ends up killing is herself, which is us trying to explore the ways in which, ultimately, bloody revenge plots don’t serve anyone. this song’s lyrics are the least subtle on the album, and we liked playing with this kind of conflicting feeling between the lyrics and music.

this is your turn for termination so pick up my sword, assassination

恐驚是足失望 ê 結局 khióng-kiann sī tsiok sit-bōng ê kiat-kio̍k i fear this will be a very disappointing end 聽邊仔笑破喙 ê 聲 thiann pinn-á tshiò phuà tshuì ê siann as you hear the sound of laughter beside you in 講這个悲劇 是你愛擔毋才著 in kóng tsit-ê pi-kio̍k, sī lí ài tann m̄-tsiah tio̍h they say this tragedy‘s surely yours to bear 做伙死死咧嘛無差 tsò-hué sí-sí leh mā bô-tsha what do i care they die, too?

all right, this is my turn, revolution pick up my sword, assassinate the man*

頭前 ê 路 彎彎斡斡 thâu-tsîng ê lōo uan-uan-uat-uat the road before me is long and winding 行踏輕聲跤步 kiânn-ta̍h khin-siann kha-pōo my footsteps tread softly

月下 gue̍h-hā below the moon 掠你 ê 身軀 挖目睭 lia̍h lí ê sin-khu, óo ba̍k-tsiu clutching your body, i dig out your eyes oh 真快活 oh tsin khuìnn-ua̍h oh, how lovely 共你埋佇遮 kā lí tâi tī tsia i’ll bury you here 無人知 祝你幸福 bô-lâng tsai, tsiok lí hìng-hok where no one knows, best of luck to you

為你奏 ê 歌 你就愛綴予好 uī lí tsàu ê kua, lí tiō ài tuè hōo hó imprisoned by the song i play for you 莫煩惱 這世間種種 mài huân-ló, tse sè-kan tsióng-tsióng don’t worry, there are all kinds of things in this world

無定著 誠實會當看著 bô-tiānn-tio̍h tsiânn-si̍t ē-tàng khuànn tio̍h perhaps it's really possible to see 彼个反倒爿 ê 人間 hit-ê píng tò-pîng ê jîn-kan that mirrored world 悲傷佮快樂 全部攏還予轉來 pi-siong kah khuài-lo̍k, tsuân-pōo lóng hîng hōo tńg—lâi sorrow and joy, they’ve all returned and come back 免閣過 破空 ê 人生 bián koh kuè phuà-khang ê jîn-sing no need to continue living this broken, empty life

all right, this is my word, complete erasure pick up his head, final destination

頭前 ê 路 直直落去 thâu-tsîng ê lōo tit-tit loh-khì the road before me goes straight down 行踏輕鬆跤步 kiânn-ta̍h khin-sang kha-pōo my footsteps tread lightly

我會 guá ē i will 攢一束鮮花 tsuân tsi̍t-sok tshinn-hue prepare fresh flowers 徛佇遮 恬恬思念 khiā tī tsia, tiām-tiām su-liām and stand here, calmly reflecting 終點 禮堂聲 tsiong-tiám, lé-tn̂g siann the sound of the hall when the ceremony’s through 望魂魄 戇戇咧行 bāng hûn-phik, gōng-gōng teh kiânn i gaze on at my soul as it foolishly departs

身軀破一空 心肝哪會遮疼 sin-khu phuà tsi̍t khang, sim-kuann nā ē tsia thiànn there’s a hole pierced through my body, and my heart aches so 土內ê 敢會是我家己？ thóo-lāiê, kám ē sī guá ka-kī? could it be i’m the one who’s been buried?

*interestingly, they use “you” in the chinese translation of this line (take your life)

[collage-tls]

千屈菜 // Awry the Loosestrife

NATSUKO: this is my conclusion to the narrative that begins in “murder the echeveria.” the scientist in "echeveria" becomes the sole survivor of the revolution she incites, so she's left with no choice but to take a spaceship and seek out life elsewhere in the universe. she tells the story of humanity to the beings there, passing on her language and scientific knowledge. this song is sung from the perspective of the aliens, set several hundred years after the scientist’s arrival, and provides an account of the person who fell from the sky long ago. i deliberately wanted to place “murder the echeveria” and “awry the loosestrife” in a futuristic context, because if something like this really did take place, i would like to believe the people of the future could make better choices. hence the lyrics “she passed down her words, but not so that we would obey, / rather, she wished for us to learn to speak for ourselves.”

matengilay iso ko sowal ningra haw? have you heard her story? o masalisinay a wawa that of the cursed child itiya ho, talahekal sa nai kakarayan cingra who fell down from the sky so very long ago tomangic i namahofoc a wawa the child born weeping

pasifana'en ningra kita to tilid she passed down her words caay ka siharateng to, nga' mitoor ko tamdamdaw saan but not so that we would obey nanay mafana' kita a misomowal sanay rather, she wished for us to learn to speak for ourselves

nanay talahekal ko pikowan Iso may Thy kingdom come

then we wove a song in the tongue of ancient echoes omnipresent atrocities sank into expanding pond

faded chronicles all those wandering little ghosts we would never know the universe left her without a choice

we sent out her soul rested at the edge of the world burdened with suffering unknown scrawled on surface of black hole

inner cosmos imploded all those little particles she had already known we were prisoners of tomorrow

[collage-tls]

極樂金花 // Mandalas Rain for Thee (ki̍k-lo̍k kim-hue)

HUNTER: the title of this song uses my a-ma’s real name [kim-hue/金花，lit. “golden flower”]. i only recently discovered that my a-ma never really had a concept of home growing up—she was born to an impoverished family and then sold to my a-kong like an object. a-ma spent her whole life on others; she was never given the opportunity to study or the freedom to love. during mourning rituals in the year of my a-ma’s death, i encountered a piece of scripture that affected me very deeply, the amitabha sutra. it described in depth the scenery of the afterlife in sukhavati, the land of bliss (極樂世界). heavenly music plays without end, the roads are paved with gold, and mandalas flutter through the air, day and night. the “deus ex machina” of this song is the wish I cast for my a-ma: i hope that when she arrived in sukhavati, she was given the opportunity to start her life anew, like a golden flower sprouting from within the earth. i also quoted from the text of the “the great compassion bodhisattva’s vows” in the lyrics. the original text is “一念顷，生极乐国” (in the space of a moment, you will be reborn in the land of bliss), and a bodhisattva carries away the soul of the deceased with a golden medal in hand. this, too, is my way of honoring my a-ma’s memory.

「 彼佛國土，常作天樂。黃金為地，晝夜六時，雨天曼陀羅華。」 「 In that land of the Buddha, there is always heavenly music. The ground is golden, and a heavenly rain of mandala flowers falls throughout the six periods of day and night. 」

離開 ê 彼工 lī-khui ê hit kang the day i left 雄雄 看著彼个城 hiông-hiông khuànn-tio̍h hit ê siânn i suddenly saw that city 金花搖規暝 kim-hue iô kuì-mê where golden flowers gently sway all night 毋知 敢是迷戀 m̄-tsai kám-sī bê-luân have i been enchanted?

對塗內 peh 起去 tuì thôo-lāi peh—khit-lìh i climb up from the earth 四界 爬仔爬袂停 sì-kè pê-á pê buē-thîng climbing and climbing, without direction 幼骨 伸手探血池 iū-kut tshun-tshiú thàm hueh-tî young bones reach out of the Blood Pool 想無 進前佇佗位 siūnn bô tsìn-tsîng tī tó-ūi i can’t think clearly—where was i before?

重新閣開始 tiōng-sin koh khai-sí starting anew 這改 袂予人買去 tsit kái buē hōo lâng bé--khì this time, i won't be sold by anyone, 小可仔袂慣勢 sió-khuá-á buē kuàn-sì an unfamiliar feeling 迒過 生份身屍 hānn-kuè tshenn-hūn sin-si i step over this strange corpse

戇戇 tshāi佇遐照鏡 gōng-gōng tshāi tī hia tsiò-kiànn i foolishly stand at the mirror, reflecting 花血紅顏 hue-hiat hông-gân a bright faced young woman 驚邪風 又閣吹來 kiann siâ-hong iū-koh tshue-lâi afraid the wind will come back around 隨倒頭栽 suî tó-thâu-tsai to suddenly bring her world to the ground

認真 jīn-tsin sincerely 感受戀愛 kám-siū luân-ài experiencing love 佮學習智識 kah ha̍k-si̍p tì-sik and pursuing studies 糊塗拍算未來 hôo-thôo phah-sǹg bī-lâi in unclear, open futures 無定 會當生成人 bô-tiānn ē-tàng senn-sîng lâng i might just become somebody

每一工 muí tsi̍t-kang every day 行佇 紅磚仔路 kiânn tī âng-tsng-á lōo walking down brick-lined streets 下暗城市 ē-àm siânn-tshī in the city at night 霓虹伴落雨 neon phuānn lo̍h-hōo neon lights accompany rain 人海中 jîn-hái tiong in a sea of people 相挨相 kheh 拑牢伊 ê 衫 sio-e-sio-kheh, khînn-tiâu i ê sann i tightly hold onto his sleeve

若傳說 nā thuân-suat if legend 沃澹我 ê 名 ak-tâm guá ê miâ drowns out my name: 我只想欲 guá tsí siūnn-beh i only wanted 全心共你承咧 tsuân-sim kā lí sîn--leh to accept you with all my heart 細粒 ê 目睭貯大夢 sè-lia̍p ê ba̍k-tsiu té tuā-bāng for such small eyes hold such big dreams

門開一點仔 mn̂g khui tsi̍t tiám-á the door cracks open 看著 神秘 ê 未來 khuànn-tio̍h sîn-pī ê bī-lâi i glimpse an unknown future 彼爿 閃爍閣迷人 hit-pîng siám-sih koh bê-lâng over there, flickering and enchanting 恬恬 講袂出聲 tiām-tiām kóng buē tshut-siann i am left quiet and speechless

想東閣想西 siūnn-tang koh siūnn-sai my imagination runs free 想欲 逐著彼个影 siūnn-beh jiok-tio̍h hit ê iánn i want to chase that shadow 金花落滿地 kim-hue lak muá-tē golden flowers fall across the ground 莫名 開始軟跤 bo̍k-bîng khai-sí nńg-kha suddenly, my feet start to fail me

敢講 到這个坎站 kám-kóng kàu tsit-ê khàm-tsām could it be a wasted effort 嘛無彩工？ mā bô-tshái-kang? to even try to go on now? 佇人間借來 ê 體 tī jîn-kan tsioh-lâi ê thé in this borrowed mortal body 呔會爛去？ thài ē nuā--khì how did it decay so?

後壁 āu-piah behind me 跤步聲綴真絚 kha-pōo-siann tuè tsin ân footsteps follow closely 狂風絞天樂 kông-hong ká thinn-ga̍k gusts of wind weave themselves through the heavenly music 遍地斷籬倒壁 piàn-tē tn̄g-lî tó-piah as the world falls to ruin 就賰 一步化成⋯⋯ tō tshun tsit pōo huà sîng… just one more step…

(身足疼心不安) sin tsiok thiann sim put-an (a body in pain, a heart ill at ease) (毋知愛對佗位行) m̄-tsai ài tuì tó-ūi kiânn (i don’t know which way i want to go)

萬世金花 花開見佛 bān-sè kim-hue, hue khui kìnn-hut eternal golden flower, may you bloom and see the buddha 一念生極樂國 it-liām sing ki̍k-lo̍k kok in the space of a moment, you’ll be reborn in the land of bliss 虛空有盡 我願無窮 hu-khong iú-tsīn, guá guān bû-kiông though the void may have an end, my prayer for you is infinite 頭前是臨終西方 thâu-tsîng sī lîm-tsiong se-hong before you lies that final western paradise

萬世金花 花開見佛 bān-sè kim-hue, hue khui kìnn-hut eternal golden flower, may you bloom and see the buddha 一念間生極樂國 it-liām-kan sing ki̍k-lo̍k kok in the space of a moment, you’ll be reborn in the land of bliss 若虛空有盡 我願無窮 nā hu-khong iú-tsīn, guá guān bû-kiông even if the void meets its end, my prayer for you is infinite 頭前就是臨終西方 thâu-tsîng tō-sī lîm-tsiong se-hong right before you lies the final western paradise

身袂疼心不貪 sin buē thiànn sim put tham a body without pain, a heart without hunger 只要我直直仔行 tsí-iàu guá ti̍t-ti̍t-á kiânn as long as i keep moving straight forward 攑金臺來迎接 gia̍h kim-tâi lâi gîng-tsiap that golden platform will rise to welcome me, 魂脫曼陀破迷城 hûn thuat bān-tôo phuà bê-siânn my soul will part from the mandalas, and the lost city will be left behind

tn: this is one of the most beautiful songs off the album both musically and lyrically, and was also one of the hardest to translate. did my utmost to do it justice. 🫡

[collage-tls]

機械降神 // Deus Ex Machina

NATSUKO: so far, we’ve explored a number of different struggles through a kind of science fiction lens, but we also know that these societal issues are not things that can be solved by singing a few songs. perhaps the “descending god” at the center of the album is really the act of giving a sense of possibility to the suffering, some imagined space wherein it’s possible to break free of reality. so, this final song emphasizes that we can’t place all our hopes on a savior figure, on the sudden appearance of a “descending god” to magically solve all our problems. we must pay a price to solve these things. HUNTER: we cannot rely too much on a leader or savior to guide us to a world free of discrimination. what’s more important is to hope that everyone can care about one another a little more and make a society-wide effort to move us in a better direction. it’s like a huge gear, and it needs all of us to push it forward together.

so that's the path we've never found before in the darkest moment, we seek the door that ghost in sight has stayed too long the weak, the lost, where do they belong?

i burn my bridges just to watch them fall with every crack, i stand a little tall laugh through the pain, i crown it in gold but nothing's left, so why don't i— —bend the rules, rewrite the world?

now rise into dark night don't look back, leave yourself behind surrender your pride there's no free ride it's your time to fly your time to—

i hear you cry echoes cut through the sky as the blood dries nobody left to try

now i'm done playing the game done hiding in despair done fighting those battles who am i? (taste my vice)

oh right, fall into my arms feel chains that bind you tight let the truth devour your life surrender your pride to pay those prices it's your time to dive your time to—

(adveniat regnum tuum fiat voluntas tua, sucut in caelo, et in terra.)

let go of the lies make your sacrifice your time to—

[collage-tls]

蓮花空行身染愛 // The Lotus Dakini’s Stained Love

welcome to my twisted annotated lian-hue lyric translation. unfortunately there is a reason ppl post internet essays on interpretations of this song. i did my utmost to make a clarifying translation where i could, but ultimately the original lyrics are simply very convoluted and metaphor-packed, and i didnt want to twist them to the point of overly-imposing my own interpretation. should u desire to "know what this song is about," there is a synthesis of things the artists have said about it, things i've read others say about it, references i've looked up, and, of course, my own reading of the lyrics @ the end. annotations interspersed between stanzas. expand at your own risk. do listen to the song either way tho its a banger

「由本自性清淨故，令諸愛染悉無垢」 (1) because of our own pure nature, all love-stains are rendered unblemished

(1) my own understanding of this quote is that since our essential/original nature is pure, even impure things like excessive attachment/desire are also ultimately pure in their own sense as part of the natural world/human experience…? thus complicating a term which seems to often carry negative connotations.

om Gu-lu-gu-lie chu-li so-ha om Gu-lu-gu-lie chu-li so-ha (2)

(2) the essential mantra of Kurukulla (transliterated to chinese as 咕嚕咕列Gulugulie)

又閣是彼个 無代無誌想著的形影  there it is again, that uninvited silhouette 親像一陣風 吹落來 是春風少年(3) it's funny how carefree young men blow past you just like a gust of wind 坐嘛是思念(4) 坐袂牢 真無聊的思念 in moments of stillness my thoughts turn to you, this same old restless longing 倒咧眠床頂 予月娘 笑規个暗暝 i lay in bed and watch the moon laugh through the night

(3)  this line gave me endless grief and is still subject to edit tbh. lit. "just like a gust of wind blowing by is spring breeze young man." after much deliberation, i decided that 少年, meaning either young man or youth, most likely means young man here and the overall phrase w/ "spring breeze" is referencing a particular image of male youth and its fleeting nature and impact on the women around them in this moment where our female narrator is recalling the memories of a lost love in her life. so. that is what i was aiming to capture (4) lit. to sit is to long [for you], which is imagery i quite like but maps awkwardly to english phrasing esp w the rest of the line.

我行過你的世界(5) i have walked through your world 啥物我攏無愛 there's nothing there i want 只想欲佇你心內（寫一條歌）   i just want to be in your heart (to write a song)

(5) this line has the first actual pronoun uses of “i”(我) and “you”(你) in the original lyrics (chinese languages often drop pronouns, but it feels like an interesting artistic choice 2 me anyhow)

車行過𪜶的期待 your train has run past their expectations 這站閣無落來  it still hasn’t reached this station 無想欲對誰交代（心內驚驚）  i don’t want to explain myself to anyone (the fear in my heart)

想起我彼暗小可仔歹勢(6) i recall the slight shame i felt that night 予你揣著我  you found me, 規身軀藏無好勢的委屈 my whole body composed of exposed grievances

(6) 歹勢；to my understanding, this word carries connotations of both shyness & embarrassment/shame. the only english word i can think of that somewhat comparably includes both of those is abashment, which no one has heard anyone say out loud ever. so i picked the one that resonated more w my personal interpretation.

風中的飛龍咧吼  a dragon cries in the wind 聲 聲予天搖地動  the sound shakes the heavens and the earth 愛你的傳說寫佇頂懸  the legend of my love for you is written up above 感情紲來愈飛愈懸  emotions rise the higher it flies

花 開佇你蹛的樓(7) flowers bloom where you reside 想 當時欲綴你走 i wonder what could have been if I’d gone with you then 多情的雨崁著目睭  a downpour of emotions obscures my view 你的代誌(8)講袂清楚 and my understanding of you blurs

(7) i have always wondered if this was supposed 2 be a hua(花)  manlou(樓) pun here w/ the first & last character but who knows lol. see notes on song inspirations for context. (8) more headaches. the mandarin word 事情(shìqíng), which seems to be the universal tl of the taiwanese word 代誌, does not map super easily onto any 1 english word. the general definition is matter/affair/business, but it is often used in contexts where actually using any of those words in an english tl would sound super out of place. like this one. most literal tl i can think of is your actions/situation/circumstance/affairs are not clearly explained. went with ‘my understanding of you blurs’ to go with the line b4 it, since my understanding of the lines’ collective meaning is something along the lines of like. ive been so blinded by my feelings for you that ive lost sight of who you really are/wonder if i ever knew you at all

看你行過千山萬水  i have watched you cross a thousand mountains, ten thousand rivers 手內薔薇微微仔芳 the fragrance of the rose you hold seeps into the air 行踏輕鬆跤步的我 (恬恬佇遮攏無出聲)  i tread through life lightly (staying here quietly, noiselessly, still)

日子過一工閣一工  day after day goes by 你的一切攏猶未放  you still have not let anything go 越頭欲揣過去的我  i turn back to search for a former version of myself 煞來袂記家己的名 and find I have forgotten my own name

(拆開你的 [心肝內底] tearing open your [heart] 會看著 暗淡的愛 i can see our hopeless love) (9)

(9)  this interlude section features 2 abbreviated lines from another collage song, 《這該死的拘執佮愛》(this damn unyielding love)   the full two lines are 「是按怎拆開你的 心肝內底 / 會看著 暗淡的愛流成水/血」（tl: Why do I tear open your heart? I can see our hopeless love flowing like water/blood)—parts used in this song have been bolded. since it only says "tear open your... i can see our hopeless love" in this song, i decided to add minimal context and complete the first clause

是我欲陪你流浪  i am willing to accompany you as you wander 長路終點滿天花雨 (10) at the end of this long road lies a sky full of petals and rain 雺霧內底戇神 in the mist your expression looks dazed 千年流轉你的世界 (11) a thousand years pass in your eyes

(10) reference to buddhist verse cited in background section of extended notes (11)  lit. a thousand/thousands of years flow through/in your world

自作多情的人  unrequited lovers 眼前地獄家己揀的  reside in a hell of their own making 天上 地下 人間   heaven, hell, and the land of the living 四方妖孽請恁退下 (12) demons from all realms, i beg you to withdraw

(12) this and the prev line are definitely a make of it what you will set of lines. i did my best to help comrades, now it's up to you. will add comments on realms imagery wrt fictional characters used as inspiration eventually but u are currently reading first iteration of this post.

這繁華世間 in this flourishing world 眾生有情人  all living things have lovers 有情生煩惱（甘願受罪）  to be in love brings troubles (willingness to suffer) 心狂閣火著  anger burns 明知會艱苦   i'm fully aware of the hardships ahead 千錯萬錯 （攏佮你無關）  countless mistakes (none concerning you)

NOTES:

1) KEY BACKGROUND. imo what follows is the most important piece of context, & everything after is more optional set dressing: in his initial lengthy instagram post around the song’s release, hunter shared that the primary inspiration for the song was the story of Guo Xiang, a side character in Jin Yong’s 1950s-60s wuxia series The Condor Trilogy, known for the unrequited love she harbors for the story’s protagonist.

(he also explains that this character’s story came to mind after a chance encounter with a particular verse from the Kṣitigarbhasūtra: 《南方世界湧香雲，香雨香雲及花雨》, which you can see references to w/in the song [10])

he mentions additional inspiration from the Eileen Chang novella protagonist Ge Weilong + a secondary character from Gu Long’s Legend of Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou [7]. Chang’s novella tells the story of a young girl’s loss of innocence and faith in love, and i am sorry to admit the hua manlou one defeated me i honestly still cannot tell how he fits into the themes here lol. sorry.

i think knowing this does rly help create a cohesive narrative throughout the song and situates it/the many metaphors w/in it as part of an exploration of the internal world of the narrator through the experience of unrequited/lost love.

2) RELIGIOUS IMAGERY. firstly, a deconstruction of the title & intro, 蓮花空行身染愛 (The Lotus Dakini’s Stained Love) : 

蓮花空行，lit. Lotus Dakini, refers to Kurukulla, a dakini belonging to the lotus family in buddhist mythology. the song opens on her essential mantra. (the om gu lu gu lie chant [2])

i understood 身 here to be serving as a possessive (oneself/one’s own), hence the ’s. however, on its own it means body.

lastly, 染愛，lit. stained love, composed of 染(to dye, stain, contaminate) and 愛(love); these characters are a reverse of the traditional buddhist concept of 愛染, as seen in the scripture quote relating to kurukulla that serves as an epitaph to the posted lyrics 「由本自性清淨故，令諸愛染悉無垢」 [1]

i could not find any evidence of an established english tl/explanation of this term, so to my (limited!!) understanding, 愛染 (lit. love-stain) refers generally negatively to a concept of excessive attachment to things or people, with underlying—though not exclusive—associations w romantic/lustful attachment due to the characters used. note that this is a noun; in the case of the song title, stain染 has been moved to the position of adjective modifying love愛. do with that what you will.

[collage-tls]

excerpt from the part of a 2022 interview collage did w/ streetvoice where natsuko discusses "talacowa"

(interview by Lizzy Hsu/徐韻軒)

In 1945, the US military began bombing Taiwan, and Japan was on the verge of facing the reality of their imminent loss. A group of young Amis men were at the Takasago volunteer military camp in Taichung, witnessing the chaos firsthand and fearing deployment under such circumstances. They resolved not to fight any more on another nation’s behalf, and a number of them decided to desert and return to Taitung on foot. Natsuko’s grandfather was among them.

This is the basis of “Talacowa”’s narrative. Through music, Natsuko summons the imagery of her grandfather’s journey.

The song begins with an indigenous style of call and response singing, imitating a soldier calling out and receiving a collective response from his companions as they enter the forest. To create contrast with its historical setting, she chose a distorted electric guitar for the Showa-style melody that plays through the chorus.

The snare drum evokes the rigid rhythm of a military march, while other percussion instruments mimick the frog, insect, and bird calls they would have heard during their journey. As the narrative of the long and difficult trek structures itself around day and night imagery, the trumpet becomes the rising sun and the guitar strings become the stars that populate the night sky. Hunter says he hopes that the song’s vivid melody can illuminate the long journey once taken by Natsuko’s grandfather.

“The Amis people are very good at stargazing—the contents of the sky are very important.” In the song’s lyrics, the eight-pointed star guides the Amis youth towards their destination. In addition to symbolizing the protection of the ancestors, it also references the way they would have used the stars as a navigation tool. “My father always stressed to me that the Amis people are excellent survivors,” Natsuko says with a smile.

She shares that in all honesty, although she knew immediately upon hearing the story that she wanted to write the song, she began to question herself several times over the course of its composition. After all, her grandfather passed away before she was born, so what connection did she really have to the song?

Unexpectedly, she not only climbed through the Central Mountains as her grandfather once had, but also began to flip through the pages of her own lost history. “To write the lyrics, I did a lot of reading on the Takasago volunteer soldiers. I realized I was doing something I hadn’t done in my first [Amis language] song—that is to say, I hadn’t integrated my culture into the lyrics of my first song.”

Not everyone joined the Japanese to fight overseas out of submission or deception. She saw that at that time, many indigenous coming of age rituals had been banned. From the perspective of the “civilized” Japanese, rituals such as leaving children alone in forests or tasking them with hunting monkeys were deemed too barbaric. But once indigenous boys were robbed of the opportunity to become men in the eyes of their traditional tribal social structures, they felt it was necessary to prove their courage on the battlefield, instead.

“Why would the colonized wish to fight for their colonizers? In fact, it’s not as simple as everyone may think.”

There is one part of the song that I particularly like:

awaay ma’araw ako ko soda i ca’ang no kilang. awaay ma’araw iso ko taneng niyam. latek cowa kafana’ kako to kararoman no miso. kaorira i, caay ka patadoen ako kiso a malalo’od. we may be strangers to snow-covered branches but you are strangers to our wisdom perhaps i am simply unable to understand your struggles but i will not fight your battles

The “struggles” here refer to the rise of an invading imperial power, and the fact that the Japanese self-concept was inseparable from the many years of discrimination they had suffered from Western powers. Unsure whether her grandfather’s relationship with the Japanese was marked more by animosity or camaraderie, Natsuko chose to use a relatively neutral tone in the absence of her grandfather’s ability to speak for himself.

[collage-tls]

TALACOWA

o nani cowaay kita? where have we come from? nani tira i kahadakan no cidal from the place where the sun rises tatalacowa kita? micelemayto ko cidal where are we going? the sun has already set malingad to kita! we are setting off! pasiwali kita heading all the way east

aあぁ　太陽に背を向けて　刀を振って a~a taiyō ni se o mukete katana o futte with the sun behind me, i will carve my path forward

道を照らしてくれた八芒星 michi o terashite kureta hachibōsei as the eight-pointed star¹ guides my way 夜の帳が降りた　黒くぬれ yoru no tobari ga orita kuroku nure night falls and slowly dyes the sky black

「そなたは何処に向かう？」 “sonata wa doko ni mukau?” “where are you going?”

教えて oshiete please tell me

awaay ma’araw ako ko soda i ca’ang no kilang. we may be strangers to snow-covered branches awaay ma’araw iso ko taneng niyam. but you are strangers to our wisdom latek cowa kafana’ kako to kararoman no miso. perhaps i am simply unable to understand your struggles kaorira i, caay ka patadoen ako kiso a malalo’od. but i will not fight your battles

tatalacowa kita? micelemayto ko cidal. where are we going? the sun has already set minokay to kita! we’re going home! あぁ　東に向かって　山を越えて a~a higashi ni mukatte yama o koete to the east, past the mountains

耳元で囁いていた八芒星 mimimoto de sasayaite ita hachibōsei the eight-pointed star whispers in my ear and guides my way

戊夜の霧に抱かれた　蒼くぬれ boya no kiri ni daka reta aoku nure the fog of night surrounds us and slowly dyes the world blue

「そなたは何と呼ばれる？」 “sonata wa nanto yoba reru?” “what is your name?”

教えて oshiete please tell me

あぁ　旭日がいらないや　銃を棄てて a~a kyokujitsu ga iranai ya jū o sutete abandon the rising sun, lay down your guns

平原に沈んでいた八芒星 hirahara ni shizunde ita hachibōsei as the eight-pointed star sinks beneath the plains

暁が開けて来た　赤くぬれ akatsuki ga akete kita akaku nure day breaks and slowly dyes the sky red

誰にも覗き込まれない行く末 darenimo nozoki koma renai yukusue and we reach the end of our journey, safe from prying eyes

¹reference to an important amis/pangcah cultural symbol, visible in the cover art in the center of the soldier's hat. i could not find the actual word for it in amis and, interestingly, it only appears in the japanese sections of the song. will edit the post if i find it T-T

this song is the story lead singer (and lyricist on this song) Natsuko once heard from her father about her grandfather's experience as an amis volunteer soldier during the final days of WWII. full translation of the portion of the interview that talks about this particular song in very great depth here. brief excerpt for basic context:

In 1945, the US military began bombing Taiwan, and Japan was on the verge of facing the reality of their imminent loss. A group of young Amis men were at the Takasago volunteer military camp in Taichung, witnessing the chaos firsthand and fearing deployment under such circumstances. They resolved not to fight any more on another nation’s behalf, and a number of them decided to desert and return to Taitung on foot. Natsuko’s grandfather was among them.

[collage-tls]

萬千花蕊慈母悲哀 // The Countless Flowers of a Loving Mother's Grief

*the "loving mother" in question refers to the female Buddha Tara, but I liked the indirectness of the original wording in the title

「 多羅大悲者，一切之慈母 」 「 Tara of Great Compassion, Loving Mother of All 」

下晡 一個人踮厝內 ē-poo, tsi̍t ê lâng tiàm tshù-lāi one afternoon, i was home alone

西北雨 沃澹窗外的衫 sai-pak-hōo, ak-tâm thang-guā ê sann a sudden downpour drenched the clothes outside the window

外口的人 猶未轉來 guā-kháu ê lâng iah-buē tńg-lâi the one who left has yet to return

戇戇咧等 戇戇攑一支雨傘 gōng-gōng--leh tán, gōng-gōng gia̍h tsi̍t ki hōo-suànn i foolishly waited with an umbrella in hand

為你 幾若擺睏袂去 uī lí, kuí-nā pái khùn bē khì in your absence i have endured so many sleepless nights

全世界 揣袂著你的形影 tsuân-sè-kài, tshuē bē tio̍h lí ê hîng-iánn in all the world no trace of you remains

凡勢 會當共你放捒 huān-sè, ē-tàng kā lí pàng-sak perhaps i will be able to give up someday

氣身惱命 我哪會攏無要無緊 khì-sin-lóo-miā, guá ná-ē lóng bô-iàu-bô-kín my heart fills with resentment, how could i be so indifferent?

踮遮規暝 看電火閃爍 tiàm tsia kui-mê, khuànn tiān-hué siám-sih staying here all night, watching the light flicker

我踮遮等待 拍無去的人 guá tiàm tsia tán-thāi, phah-bô--khì ê lâng i wait for the one i have lost

聽厝內的聲 聲聲佇咧吼 thiann tshù-lāi ê siann, siann-siann tī-leh háu i listen to the house and it sounds like it’s weeping

我踅來踅去 思念火燒房 guá se̍h-lâi-se̍h-khì, su-liām hué sio pâng-king i pace around the room, my longing for you burns

袂開的花 無欲轉來的人 buē khui ê hue, bô beh tńg—lâi ê lâng the flower that will never bloom, the person who will never return

美麗的你啊 想著你彼當時 攑懸你的旗仔 bí-lē ê lí--ah, siūnn tio̍h lí hit-tong-sî, gia̍h kuân lí ê kî-á my dear, i still remember when you raised your flag

路邊的話 滿街路雨紛飛 lōo-pinn ê uē, muá ke-lōo hōo hun-hui words spoken by the roadside pour across the streets like rain

時代的變卦 孤單的我一个人 問天也毋捌 sî-tāi ê piàn-kuà, koo-tuann ê guá tsi̍t ê lâng, mn̄g thinn iā m̄-bat i am alone in changing times, even the heavens will not answer me

手內啥物攏無 只賰我欲予你的愛 tshiú lāi siánn-mih lóng bô, tsí tshun guá beh hōo lí ê ài my hands are empty, my love for you is all that’s left to hold

有血有肉的人 煞下落不明 ū hueh ū bah ê lâng, suah hē-lo̍h-put-bîng but your flesh and blood have disappeared without a trace

[instrumental break]

共你的 記持啊 囥佇我的心內 kā lí ê kì-tî--ah, khǹg tī guá ê sim-lāi your memory lies deep in my heart

騎你的 白馬啊 行你欲行的路 khiâ lí ê pe̍h-bé--ah, kiânn lí beh kiânn ê lōo ride your white horse, follow your chosen path

風吹來 花落塗 點一欉香祈求：南無觀世音菩薩 hong tshue lâi, hue lo̍h-thôo, tiám tsi̍t tsâng hiunn kî-kiû: lâm-bô kuan-sè-im-phôo-sat the wind blows; blossoms fall to the ground. i light incense and pray, “namo avalokiteshvara,

若準講你 算著這齣悲劇 nā-tsún kóng lí, sǹg tio̍h tsit tshut pi-kio̍k "if you could foresee this tragedy

你敢會看顧 紲落來伊頭前 彼逝歹行的路 lí kám ē khuànn-kòo, suà--lo̍h-lâi i thâu-tsîng, hit tsuā pháinn kiânn ê lōo “could you continue to accompany him on the difficult road ahead?”

夢中的我 看你沓沓仔行 bāng-tiong ê guá, khuànn lí ta̍uh-ta̍uh-á kiânn in my dreams, i see you walking slowly

牽你的亡魂 有一工咱做伙 轉去彼个所在 khan lí ê bông-hûn, ū tsi̍t kang lán tsò-hué, tńg-khì hit ê sóo-tsāi guiding your departed soul, one day we’ll go back to that place together

我 蔫去的愛（規路攏是你） guá, lian-khì ê ài（kui-lōo lóng sī lí） my withered love (your memory fills the streets)

佮你 恬去的心 kah lí, tiām—khì ê sim and your stilled heartbeat

佇這烏暗時代（佇這烏暗時代） tī tse oo-àm sî-tāi（tī tse oo-àm sî-tāi） in these dark times (in these dark times)

是有緣無份（想欲講出的） sī ū-iân bô-hūn（siūnn beh kóng-tshut ê） destined to meet and doomed to part (i wish that i could speak)

寫袂了的批 siá bē liáu ê phue letters left unfinished

佮講袂煞的話（奈何） kah kóng bē suah ê uē（nāi-hô） and words left unspoken (what else can i do?)

(亻因) 開袂完的銃（開袂完的銃） in khui bē uân ê tshìng（khui bē uân ê tshìng） the gunfire continues

看人去樓空（火烌猶在） khuànn lâng-khì lâu-khang（hué-hu iû-tsāi） all have gone, nothing remains (only ashes)

雨 微微仔落 hōo, bî-bî-á lo̍h the rain falls softly

天 微微仔光 thinn, bî-bî-á kng the day breaks softly

看你 微微仔笑 khuànn lí, bî-bî-á tshiò and you, smile softly

後世人再會 āu-sì-lâng tsài-huē “we will meet in the next life”

[collage-tls]

made this blog as a lil depository for my collage lyric & interview translations instead of my personal blog. pinning this as a directory of posts

lyric translations (in order of release/album tracklisting):

MEmento MORI: 萬千花蕊慈母悲哀 TALACOWA Deus Ex Machina: 謀殺石蓮 // murder the echeveria 鏨頭長命 // long may you live, off with your head 千屈菜 // awry the loosestrife 極樂金花 // mandalas rain for thee 機械降神 // deus ex machina Non-album Releases: 蓮花空行身染愛 （the lotus dakini's stained love）[annotated original ver.]

interview & commentary translations:

2022 BLOW interview excerpt on TALACOWA natsuko's commentary on murder the echeveria

other misc info:

bio: im a usamerican native english speaker & i do my lyric tls based off of the standard written chinese translations on streetvoice provided w all of their songs + other resources (amis->zh/taigi->zh & jp->eng) to edit/check over my work (so basically: i wont pretend theyre not largely reliant upon translations since no amnt of research makes up for the fact that i do not speak those languages. but they r informed by the source texts 2 the best of my ability.)

formatting: lyrics in color are original lyrics, lyrics in default text formatting are english translation. when english is in color, that means there is english used in the original lyrics. latin characters used for non-english languages are italicized.

there are tags to make the archive navigable so everything is labeled w/ translation type + album + language(s) + title song title <3