05. Telepath (1:32)

[adecentman]

I think I've noticed a thing or two in telepath that hasn't been brought up yet:

at :41 i believe he's saying "sseevvenn, hhaatte, niine", or at least it sounds that way to me. I feel like it'd be classic BoC form if they added a subtle "h" sound to the eight to make this a little ambiguous.

the more interesting one however is at 1:04, if you listen very closely after the drawn out "fiiiiiiiiiive", it sounds as if they very quietly tacked on a "six" as if in the same breath as the long five. This would then give us "5iiive 6 6 6 7".

yeah, definitely a triple 6 in this track

BoC feat. Triple 6 Mafia, I wish...

[etokle]

Registered just to post this, as I was surprised this hadn't been mentioned yet.

This track was my immediate favorite, particularly how strongly it recalled this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGsv0pJemTY

from John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness (1987):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093777/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

This sequence in the movie freaked the *shit* out of me as a kid. Something about that static-distorted voice just sounds so futile, so ominous. The reveal at the end (when they ultimately show the end of the transmission) is terrifying in the context of the movie.

That said, I am absolutely in love with Tomorrow's Harvest and have come to regard it as BoC's masterpiece (this after being a huge fan since 1998). I literally cannot stop listening to it.

[paultomba]

Registered just to post this, as I was surprised this hadn't been mentioned yet.

This track was my immediate favorite, particularly how strongly it recalled this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGsv0pJemTY

from John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness (1987):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093777/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

This sequence in the movie freaked the *shit* out of me as a kid. Something about that static-distorted voice just sounds so futile, so ominous. The reveal at the end (when they ultimately show the end of the transmission) is terrifying in the context of the movie.

That said, I am absolutely in love with Tomorrow's Harvest and have come to regard it as BoC's masterpiece (this after being a huge fan since 1998). I literally cannot stop listening to it.

These Prince of Darkness segments are sampled in their entirety in DJ Shadow's seminal Endtroducing, in the very slim chance that you didn't know that.

[laurasia]

It's plainly concealed. [/color][/b]."

Nice work! I added in a couple of edits.
Dunno where it's from.... reminds me of Vincent Price.

I heard before that "really well concealed" so was disappointed to find the bocpages wiki has something completely different. Im so convinced that this is a sign post to a hidden message to something that lies just behind the music on this album.

I think he says, follow the right and turn it up on counting..... this is quite close ... its very very concealed I'm/un certainly?

[telephasicworkshop]

Just made this account because I want to put in my two cents on this song. I feel like this song is about spying on people be it the government or something more sinister. It actually reminded me of Minority Report a little bit, like a pre-crime sort of thing. Just the vocals I've heard and the relevant political situation going on right now gave me this vibe. Also the name of the track just really reminded me of that book/movie.

Just my view, I could be very wrong and look forward to posting more on this forum.

*I should mention that BoC has named this album political in nature, something I don't think they've delved into too much before. I think it could very well be relevant to look into what's happening in this country and other countrys right now.

[FernieCanto]

The idea of telepathy is, to me, completely linked with Cold War paranoia. It could be as much about countries spying on each other as countries spying on their own people. Probably both.

[aperture]

From Wikipedia:
"A telecommunications port—or, more commonly, teleport—is a satellite ground station.."

I can't find evidence for a similar use of Telepath, but it could be a telecommunications path, maybe the place where the transmissions heard in the track are intercepted.

[gfresh]

"Testing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10... (This) up and down pi thing...."

I am convinced this is what the voice is saying first. Like its a recording of someone reading off a frequency chart or some mathematical test, the guy sees a pi symbol or something that reminds him of that symbol... Dunno. (The voice DOES remind me of John Peel... Wouldn't that be something!)

[seanandcandy]

"Testing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10... (This) up and down pi thing...."

I am convinced this is what the voice is saying first. Like its a recording of someone reading off a frequency chart or some mathematical test, the guy sees a pi symbol or something that reminds him of that symbol... Dunno. (The voice DOES remind me of John Peel... Wouldn't that be something!)

pi thing? uh........nah

[Torn n Frayed]

And then second voice says "talk louder!". And again it's says "you'll have to talk louder Sir/still". Not "it's too loud".

[Fireal420]

out of all the "shorter" tracks on the album


telepath is my favorite


the voices are really creepy and interesting. and the keyboard in the background is absolutely amazing, one of my favorite melodies made by boc.

[jbond007]

with Telepath + Cold Earth i basically hear very similar cord progression to Olson + Pete standing alone. I feel a connection big time and takes me back, both on TH & MHTRTC

more specifically to Telepath alone i hear a ridiculously similar vibe to Olson Ver3 and as 1 person already mentioned Under the Coke Sign

in playlists i would put Olson, Olson Ver3 and Under the Coke Sign in proximity due to the way they all sound deliberately familiar to me, and would often think of Under the Coke Sign as Olson ver2

i'm very surprised this hasn't had more of a mention/connection for people here. Anyway i guess nostalgia works different for everybody, but this strikes me blatantly obvious like the brothers a drilling it into my mind.

The track itself is fucking amazing and just vibrates through my body as i follow the voice letting it sooth my mind effortlessly. Anyone who's used tryptamines/entheogens (like the brothers have) could perhaps relate to the massaging effect the vocal tones and manipulations have in this track and the way its done to affect the mind. very deliberate, and very effective in aforementioned emotions.

I haven't tripped for years and i'm not condoning it, just my point of view as those experiences never leave a person

[jbond007]

a reference link for any sleuths...

http://www.moviecus.com/movie_search/telepathy


Scanners (1981) - A scientist sends a man with extraordinary psychic powers to hunt others like him.


Some of these look right up the Hexagon Sun alley...

I know this is a tad off topic, but nevertheless it caught my eye and is defiantly interesting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-9mRGgRsg8

[JosephG]

Testing.. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7[inaudible consonant--maybe t or d?], (h)8, 9, 10..(inhale+exhale) up and down, oh I see.
Start the tape(s?) back over on the right (alright?) and then turn it up while I'm counting.
1, ...3, 4, fiiiive, 6(inhale), 7, (h)8, 9
well this is quite close
...it's plainly inconcievable to.... our reception
1,2,3,4,fiiiiiiiiiive,6,7,

this is by far my favorite song ever by boc.

[rd1994]

Testing.. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7[inaudible consonant--maybe t or d?], (h)8, 9, 10..(inhale+exhale) up and down, oh I see.
Start the tape(s?) back over on the right (alright?) and then turn it up while I'm counting.
1, ...3, 4, fiiiive, 6(inhale), 7, (h)8, 9
well this is quite close
...it's plainly inconcievable to.... our reception
1,2,3,4,fiiiiiiiiiive,6,7,

this is by far my favorite song ever by boc.

sound good
even thoguh I can't hear that "start the tapes" bit

[ONTHE88]

Testing
One, two, three, four, five
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten
Up and down, I think

(On repeat, give me a count)
The stuff that they know
The one on the right and then turn it up while I'm counting
One.... three, four, five, six, seven, eight
It's too loud

Well, this is quite close to me
Let's play it back and see what it sounds like
(Could I get the one voice?)
(Nervous? Don't be nervous)
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven

[Maxima]

Testing
One, two, three, four, five
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten
Up and down, I think

(On repeat, give me a count)
The stuff that they know
The one on the right and then turn it up while I'm counting
One.... three, four, five, six, seven, eight
It's too loud

Well, this is quite close to me
Let's play it back and see what it sounds like
(Could I get the one voice?)
(Nervous? Don't be nervous)
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven

After listening to this a few times, I'm thinking that this track may be a tongue-in-cheek reference to the absurd extents to which fans of BoC will go to analyze, interpret and dissect their samples and references.

The counting pattern is obviously not new for BoC, but the voice(s) in the track appear to be looking for something, which, I think, supports this idea. We'll analyze various frequencies, play them back at different volumes to decipher hidden vocals, count the number of seconds in a song, etc. just to get a glimpse at the intended meaning in any given track. "Don't be nervous" could be a reference to the fact that (particularly after Geogaddi) we have come to expect and anticipate some form of sinister backmasking and subliminal messaging by default.

The track title, "Telepath", would appear to be the icing on the cake that ties this interpretation together, in that we're essentially trying to read BoC's minds in our analysis of their work. Personally, I find it deliciously ironic (and not uncharacteristic of the duo's past releases) that we should spend such a long time painstakingly parsing out details only to find that what we've been aiming at all along is our own efforts in analysis...

Food for thought?


EDIT:

Oh - and the final count ends on "seven"...

[lyrical]

Has anyone mentioned the voice saying "top bananas" at 0.58? I swear that's what i hear.

[ONTHE88]

Has anyone mentioned the voice saying "top bananas" at 0.58? I swear that's what i hear.

The sequence starts at :53 and lasts through :56. And its "Could I get the one voice? NEEHHHRRVOUSSSS. Dont be nervous."

[everythingyoudoisorange]

i love this track