https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRgtB8lWUc8

Comment by Sophie Filo

Hour-long comment below. Forgive me, I wrote an essay earlier today. (Edited for a few typos made at 2am.)

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The elephant, the gentle giant. No other cover picture on this EP has depicted the animal as being a friend (an equal) of the children as opposed to simply something to be chased, pampered, observed, or near to. Both children make physical contact with the elephant without any intentions besides simply making a connection. In this way, the gentle giant has bridged the gap between species and perhaps even gender. It does this alone, out of its own free will, without any ulterior motive.

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This is the simplest song on the EP in terms of instrumentation. No frills are needed. The Type Nine would prefer to keep things simple and calm if it is an option. Even within this, the Nine has their moments of creativity, beauty, intense emotion, and vulnerability. Yes, this is a song about the Type Nine, but even more so, it is a song about Ryan. This is his confession to each of us, expressed as gently and purposefully as a Nine could muster, not wanting to be untrue to the listeners, the Nines, nor himself.

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"I've been sleep-walking since I was fourteen." When you're playing for both teams, as the Nine often does to avoid conflict, you are likely to miss the game entirely. Being stubbornly neutral subtracts from one's experiences in life as they have never taken their life as their own.

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"I've been less than half myself for more than half my life." For those who insist on adapting every point of view, the realization eventually comes that while they were understanding and explaining the views of others, they never took the time to see their own. At this point, after so many years of mimicking others, it is hard to determine what is the true self and what is the fluctuating conglomeration of everyone else. For these individuals, their mid-life crisis is actually an awakening. They awaken the parts of themselves that remained dormant for so many years, parts that they may have never known were there. "Wake up."

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"It looks like empathy to understand all sides, but I'm just trying to find myself through someone else's eyes." The Nine, having denied themselves of themselves, seeks to discover their own views by trial and error. How much do I agree with this person? Do I feel like this person is more right or that person? If I see both points of view, does that mean I'm in the middle or outside of it all? Do I actually see both points of view, or am I just trying to equalize them?

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"How do I forgive myself for losing so much time?" After the Nine realizes they have been "sleep-walking" through life, they feel regret for all the decisions never made, experiences never had, beliefs never explored. They regret their passiveness in times when confrontation would have worked best. They regret holding back opinions for the sake of temporary, shallow peace. They regret having lived subtly, not allowing themselves to remember bluntness and instability were options as well. "Wake up."

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The choral singers erupt (harmonious, balanced) as Ryan insists to wage war on one of the most difficult and eternal opponents--gravity. This is surely a futile battle, one that no earth-bound creature could ever win on their own. And yet, winning isn't the goal. "There's so much to fight for, you'll see." The goal is to become connected to life through conflict, going against Nine instincts to discover themselves.

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Now, the dominoes are falling into place, fulfilling their purpose and becoming apart of something magnificent. Progress is no longer hindered, and an old stranger--hidden within the pattern of the unfallen dominoes--can now be accessed as the picture is finally revealed. The scales are tipping, and the unbalanced, the instability and recklessness, are welcomed as new experiences.

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On Ryan's final note, he expresses the two most difficult yet rewarding achievements of humans: knowing oneself as well as others. This is a message for not only Nines but everyone, an overall summary of this EP, which served as an introspective to human personality at its best and most fragile. And through this EP, Ryan was indeed able to show his understanding of himself and others. And to those who have been able to interpret each of these nine songs and identify aspects of themselves along the way, you have done the very same. We have all faced one of the greatest challenges of this world and, in overcoming it, contributed to the beauty of our world as well...