Touching The Divine
Is the third studio album from Intelligent Music Project and the second all-star line-up, creating a remarkable infusion by its author and producer’s musically erudite and unconventional style, and the full creative input of the legendary musicians.
The production features session aces Simon Phillips (drums and percussion), Nathan East (bass) & Tim Pierce (guitars), and the remarkable voices of John Payne (ex-Asia) and Toto`s Joseph Williams, who bring their own flavor to all 14 equally outstanding pieces in the album.
Intelligent Music Project III is showcasing the chemistry and versatile style that went into IMP II – rich and layered, guitar-centric, melodic-progressive sound. Catchy tunes, and dynamic riffs melt flawlessly with Payne’s and Williams’ trademark vocals while the immaculate Phillips – Pierce – East stamp their blueprint on the record all the way through.
The band’s overall musicianship blends impressively with the complexity of musical arrangements, including unforgettable symphonic expansions. Matching the classic rock energy and instrumental charge with his lyrical patterns, rapt and diverse music theme development is the signature style that propels this all-star project of Milen Vrabevski, author and producer of TOUCHING THE DIVINE.
Stand out tracks:
Bursting out with track 1. “Opening (Cool inside)” – sounds like introductory rhapsody, seamlessly blending the exceptionally tasteful instrumental part into Joseph Williams’ illustrative singing.
The pilot single “Sky” is a melodic, hard rocking piece, propelled by powerful guitar riffs and Joseph Williams’ gently hitting vocals, scored by uncompromising guitar virtuosity.
“Escape” feat. John Payne’s evocative timbre is a timeless rock ballad immediately reaching to the charts.
From the soul retriever “We Can” sung by John, through Joe’s passion “Life” and the duet “Stay Up” (John & Joe) to the key tracks “Simply Feels Good” (featuring lead and backing vocals by John Payne, Joseph Williams and Carl Sentence, recently appointed as Nazareth’s lead singer) and “Mind Projection” – Intelligent Music Project III marks its producer’s determination to make one solid addition to the AOR classics of all times.
Says Simon Phillips : “It’s really interesting to do a second project with Milen. In this new project ‘Touching the Divine’, musically the composition has developed, it’s developed from the first record… and that’s good to see.”
Says Tim Pierce : “This project is great, because it’s very, very challenging and musical, in a way like Queen is musical… and it’s got all of these layers and colors. Musically it’s very fun, because it travels a lot of different places.”
Says Joseph Williams : “It’s wonderful to explore working with Milen. The project has a wonderful message, accompanied with some beautiful music and some great rock ‘n’ roll – the musicians in this project are top ‘noch.”
Says Nathan East : “This project is very special to me, because of the nature of the message of the project. I was very inspired and happy with the idea, because the message has value and meaning and I am about that. The word ‘inspirational’ is what I use to describe this project.”
Says Carl Sentence : “There is a lot of music and a sense of depth in Milen’s songs. They are not ordinary. They are very beautiful… and the way these songs are composed is very, very good.”
Says John Payne : “It’s incredible opportunity to work with such great people – Nathan East, Tim Pierce… Wonderful songs – my favorite so far is ‘Mind Projection’, but there are a lot of great songs, a lot of great melodies and some great playing. You’ve got some world class players – Simon, Tim, Nathan East…and Joseph Williams singin’, I mean – he is amazing!”
Says Milen Vrabevski : “This is a super band, which every producer would be happy to work with, and it gave a very good finish to our Intelligent Music Project, in this case – number III. I was enormously fortunate to be the author and producer of the whole project. The idea we want to share with the audience through this album is simple – we must find the Divine within ourselves in order to become the successful individual we want to be. We try to show how to do that.”
Intelligent Music Project III – TOUCHING THE DIVINE
Author and producer – Milen Vrabevski, MD
Featuring:
Simon Phillips – drums and percussion
Nathan East (appears courtesy of Yamaha Entertainment Group) – bass
John Payne – lead & backing vocals
Joseph Williams – lead & backing vocals
Carl Sentance – backing vocals & ad-libs, lead vocal part on track 7.
Tim Pierce – guitars
All: Invaluable full creative input!
Release date: October 2, 2015
Lyrics and Producer’s Note
Opening (Cool Inside)
A/ Touching the Devine…
||: A2 | E | Bm7 | F#m7 | A2 | E | Bm7/5- | E4 E7 :||
||: F#m7 | Bm7 :|| F#m7 | Bm7/5- | E4 | E7 |
B/ Cool Inside…
| G | Cadd9 | Am7 | D | Am7 | D | Am | D |
| G | Cadd9 | Am7 | D | Am7 | D | Am | Dm | E |
You’re lonesome there, no love affair…
Can this be serious?
Try to face reality for us…
It’s fine to try what is worthwhile,
And make it progress now.
Creation is priority, so you endow
Your mind and heartful feelings,
Acceptance, humbleness…,
So you find all the ways to see finesse.
Through beauty and abundance, (it’s so fine)
Your goodwill is to shine (out there and now)…
So finally you’re touching the Devine… (And you’re touching the Devine).
Cool inside, not a thing to hide…
Cool inside to facing up to…
You will see what is to find,
What is there you must do!
This opening is to bring us in the subject about essence of life we’re about to follow throughout the whole album. It directs to searching for this special place within our souls that brings the spiritual satisfaction we often call happiness. It is our source of love and creation, balance and harmony. This place is the Divine in us all…
Escape
Vs: | Am Dm | G Em | Am Dm | Em | Dm C | Cm Bb | Dm Bb | Fmaj7 |
1/ Escape from all the suffering through me, that’s all
Escape from all the fear you have known
You’ve got the strength to be yourself
This state of mind ain’t gonna fail.
Escape from disbelief to leave a trail…
2/ You find the inspiration for the things you do.
No better way to make your dreams come true.
That’s how you grew / to heights I knew
The main thing to believe is you
The way the big success is joining you…
Ch/ | Am Dm | G E | Am G | E | Am Dm | G E | Am G | E Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 |
Time still left to decide, if you live for certain, delivering light.
You keep changing your mind and making it searching /
To find all the routes to go high… (CODA: as life isn’t just to go by…)
3/ You’re touching the Devine with ev’ry step you make
Of bringing harmony and lovin’ care…
Self-confident in what you do
You find what you believe comes true
It’s you of life, and truth, and beauty there.
Mid Part/ | Am Fmaj7 | Dm G | Em F | Fmaj7 G-Am-Em | Am Fmaj7 | Dm G | Em F | D2 |
To me life brings pictures of you in my mind/
Your soul is the thing I’m to get to/…
Your heart’s getting things for you the winning kind
Just mind that a life’s not to make through…
A great deal of our troubles comes from the fact our minds are occupied by nothing better, nothing meaningful and sustainable. If trying to reach the Divine presence within us, we should learn to listen to our hearts, on the way to becoming a source of love and harmony to our environment… One could hardly get the essence of life until he turns into the energy that created him – the energy of love.
Sky
| Am | Am | Dm | E7 | Am | C | F | E7 |
1/ Stars shine more brightly
The closer I get to the sky.
Life shows politely
It’s worth livin’ when you fly.
2/ My wings are my strive
For the creation where I go
A source of abundance
Peace and harmony I’m sure.
Ch/ How can I reach you through that sky and simplify its meaning/ get the same old feeling
…Reach you through that sky’s my feeling …now…
You know the reasons why.
You and I rise across our sky. Through the reach of heating. Wings ain’t melting, hearts are beating
…I rise across our sky through heating …now…
We know love so we get by…
3/ My wings are my life.
Acceleration comes within.
Heading to the sky means I care,
At least I try.
4/ The higher I’m flyin’
The greater affluence I find.
In-depth conclusions
Run through my liberated mind.
The Icarus legend is no longer applicable if you learn to live for the others. The status of care is THE flight of your soul whose wings no heat could melt. Then you float down the mainstream of your ability to be in constant spiritual satisfaction. You would not need a fortune-teller then – you will know all the answers about your life. It becomes purposeful – an open door to understanding its meaning.
Stay Up
Vs: | Gm | Cm7 | F | Bb | Cm7 | Gm | Am7/5- | D7 |
Rf: | Gm Eb | Cm7 | F | Bb | Cm | Cm | D7 | D7 |
Mid Part: | Bb | C | Am | Dm | Bb | C | F | F |
1/ Well, you know I focus on
The things that I desire,
That makes me live, that’s setting up my fire.
I won’t forget to make a bet
I never put an accent
On what I’ve missed.
My dream-world’s never absent.
2/ And you know I see the sight
Of things that I’ve forgiven,
So life gets more, than tryin’ make a living…
Then I know the world outside,
Is place of no misgiving!
The more you give,
The greater the receiving… (And now/again…!):
Ch/ If I could stay up, listen to me, babe! Keep all the troubles away.
If I could rise up, simply the reason could be my mind, that’s my way…
3/ I’m truly fine to train my mind
To mark my dreams as given.
This is the way my life is my-thoughts-driven.
What’s in my heart is my proof that
Imagination’s real.
A power inside
For changing life, you feel…
Mid Part/
It seems to me you promise me
The love that pictures that.
And it’s my mind you step inside to stay at.
We’re bound to see life’s meant be
Creative, loving, balanced, free.
It’s all a matter of your mind, you see…
Rising up above the day-to-day concerns is a process that starts in your mind. What you focus on is what really happens… Eliminate stress by living in the present. Concentrate on what you’ve got, not on what’s missing. This is our world of attraction and quants of energy. Its correct exchange is a product of your mind.
A Smile Away to Love You
| Gm9 Cm9 | D7 Gm | Gm Cm7 | A7/5+ A7 D7 |(2)
1/ A smile away to love you, a smile against the dark
Or could it be the one that I would rush to?
Or could it be the one thing that is to find inside.
The one thing I could follow watching your wings…
Br. ||: Cm Bb | F Gm | Cm A7 | D7 :||
You follow me, so good to be
The following brings living.
This world of ours appears to be the giving.
I follow you, you follow me…
This is to be our living.
It’s more than I could get of all my dreams.
Ch/ ||: Gm | Cm7 | F | Bb D7 :||
Unfold any minute! That someone that you love
Anyone’s hope to unfold. Anyone’s dream is to find that someone. Then there’s a goal you
I found that someone now
To chase in your life
Behold. To chasing along the dimensions you run.
2/ A promptly given promise, is what your eyes can tell.
There’s no disguise for true belief, if you fell.
This energy is thoughtful. It is the sense of time.
It is the one of beauty, truth, it’s our life…
Br/ You generate this energy and spirit so intense,
That we do touch the essence of existence.
It’s meaningful to form the source that brought us to this world.
So now we see beyond – as we have love…
Mid Part/
And you follow me. So good to be
The one thing that would set me free.
The thing I’m living for is just that moment…
This makes me say it’s good to see
That brighter light that shines on me.
It’s good to know there’s someone I could get to…
It’s the love in our hearts that keeps us alive… and efficient, understanding the meaning of purposeful life… Then we get it’s a life with a mission and love is to facilitate its accomplishment. And we remain faithful to light, knowing what we live for.
We Can
||: Gm9 | Cm7 :|| D7/9+ | D7/9- | Gm9 | Gm9 |
1/ And again I need a friend to help me show through the truth.
It is all about living taking place in good sooth.
Why is it rather hard to pretend
That I’m ready to listen? Mm…
2/ There’s nothing I can’t let go. I see where I am.
I need you to prove the glow and grandeur of man.
As we’re born to present majesty of our Universe
And we can…
Ch/ | Gm9 | Gm9 | Gm9 | Eb D7 | D7 | D7 |
Yes, we can now! It’s in all of us…!
The strength to change the world is in our subconscious!
3/ There’s more I would need to share: Develop your mind
Spiritual, emotional, rise up any kind.
Get the intention to build,
And to serve, and you will be thrilled
Mid Part: ||: Gm | F | Gm | F | Gm | Dm Cm Bb/C Cm7 | Am7/5-/11 | D7 :||
Looking at it, but together, babe
I’m bound to it so we take it
Taking us out for the show
It’s time we know
Now looking back makes no sense, so think of
Present time, you know.
Last Part:
I’m not alone, if I could only see you.
Won’t see you gone, if I could only drive my mind
I now have you, so I can only say now, / life’s in good sooth, although I may stumble and fall
Only say now… I’d state that
4/ Counterpart:
Now I have you so I can go through the truth.
It appears my living’s taking place in good sooth.
It is no vegetation at all,
Although I may stumble and fall…
One of the best ways to find the Divine inside of you is to keep on developing and upgrading… in any sense. If concentrated on present, and not on the past, provided you learned to see love everywhere in your environment, it brings you closer to understanding the difference between vegetation and living.
Simply Feels Good
| Gm | Bb F Ab Eb F C | Gm | F | F | Eb | Bb Eb | F |
1/ You could never try to win.
You could never try such fever.
Exclusively, what stays within,
Is loving what you do, you feel it…
2/ There’s absolutely no finesse
In chasing higher ground, so you know
That serving others you express
Would carry you to orbits to glow…
Ch/ | Gm | F | Gm | F | Gm | F | Eb F | Eb F | Gm |
Simply feels good what is to care for.
Simply feels right – you’re sure
Got to extend this feeling you know.
It’s reachable through your soul…
Mid Part 1: | Gm | Gm6 | Gm7 | Eb C | Gm | Gm6 | Cm7 F | D |
Simply forget the fighting. Simply forget the chance.
You don’t ignore the loving lighting
Of care – that’s your nuance.
3/ It’s a state of your lifetime
You don’t crush in love, that’s certain.
In this way God writes your rhymes
And rules through you behind your curtain.
Feel it!
Mid Part 2: ||: Gm Bb | Eb Bb F :|| x2
| Gm || Gm | Gm | Bb Eb | F ||
Simply feels good! Sensation…
I must have found (it’s) my life.
Simply feels good! Sensation…
I must have found love too.
It’s the essence of your life. In this way God writes your rhymes.
Mid Part (Reprise)
Fills: So get on board & feel this rhythm…
It’s a state of a lifetime, you don’t crush in love.
In the state of care… It’s your nuance…
Your feelings are the measure of how much of the Divine energy you attract to accomplish your plans. If they are devoted to your fellows you will feel the passion in life. Then you would need no appreciation from others, no need of any type of contest ending with victory. You just get the sensational power of love and care…
Dream
Vs: | G | Cadd9 | Am7 | D7 | G | C | Fmaj7 | Bb | Dm | C D7 |
1/ We are as great, as good, as high, just as our dreams inside.
Dreaming appears to make you start to fly
Where nothing’s gone. You always win, as life goes on.
2/ And there’s a thought to have in mind to cite, as you might.
You climb up the stairs of fruitful life, alright…
You forget to count, and you’ve found where is the light…
Ch/ | Bm | G | Bm | Em7 | Bm | F#m | Bm | A |
||: Bm | G | Bm | Em7 | Bm | G | Bm | A :|| Em C | D | Em C | D |
Get the clue to your heart! I got the pair of finest things to share.
Your goal and trip to it are one, so fare!
Share your dreams with God only. He’d care.
The clue to you is in that pair of things I’d share, oh yeah!
Your dream and trip to it are one, so share with God only. He’d care…
3/ Hope you can see that dreams exclude ego. That’s the only way.
And there’s a faith you step inside… You find
You attract your fate through your mind to be your mate.
Mid Part: || Em7 Am7 | D G | Em7 Am7 | D G | C Am7 | D || D |
The dream is your reflection – a blend of your streamline
To placing all the products (of your mind) – a blend of your best time.
And it appears it brings to you the winning kind.
Your mission in life is a state of mind. Your dreams – a projection of your capacity to be devoted to the people. Even thinking of your mission is already a part of the process of its realization and a dream-come-true. Then you see the higher causes, those that are higher than your ego…
Coming Soon
| Gm C | Bb D7 | Gm C | Am7/5- D7 | Eb Bb | Cm Gm | D7 | D7 |
Ch/ It will be coming soon – the spark of life.
So soon you’ll call the tune
Of your own dream line.
It’s up to you to make it true
To be your own shrine…
|| Gm | Gm | Gm | Cm7 | Eb | Bb | Am7/5- | D7 || D |
1/ Because it’s you it’s devoted to.
So what you do is enlightened too
Never bound to store thoughts of getting more,
As by giving you receive.
2/ Despair’s through. Nothing new for you.
Define your truth: you’re a success that’s true.
No need for reasons why you’re a happy guy
The intention for it’s fine.
Mid Part/ | A ||: D | A | Bm | F#m | G | A | D | D :||
Get your upbeat tempo, get your upbeat time
It seems your loving shelter
Runs up the spine so fine.
3/ That’s your world. It’s so good for you
Because you feel in it you’re so true
To your cause-to-be a source of love, you see
What you give is what you get.
The sparks of life in your environment could turn out to be your sacred fire of existence, if treated adequately. The bigger the distance to greediness, the greater the ability to give more, and more to this environment. What follows is…you get more and more of what you’ve dreamt of… The perfect victory over the ego…
Life
| G C | Am7 D | G C | Em7 Bm7 | Fmaj7 | Bm7 | Bbmaj7 | Am7 | Fmaj7 | Em7 D |
| G C | Am7 D | G C | Am7 D | Bm7 Em | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 |
||:Em7 | Bm7 | Fmaj7 Cmaj7 | B7 :||
1/ Life runs through everything – humbleness is your promotion.
It glows as silence flows into your mind to guide.
The loving care you share is embodied in your soul.
It’s no surprise you would attract the same, and that’s a goal.
It’s the Devine in us all…
Ch/ Life is all that matters, the benefit for all
While you’re staying faithful (to us all) to the light, that’s all.
And it appears you are the change you’re longing for…
2/ Life runs through everything – the nucleus is your devotion.
Its sparks grow to sacred fire within yourself in time.
Ignoring ‘Hail’, ’Hosanna’, lets your spirit lead the show.
The feeling you belong to all around you lets you know
That life’s the joy of your soul.
Mid Part/
It feels like years since troubled times are over.
It’s rather true, as you go ‘round with me.
The very peak of this life is your shoulder
My world’s upon
It’s life essentially.
Life runs through you… Make it true!
You meet all kinds of people, but you sure go off at score
Ignoring premonitions through your life you give them more –
The sun rays run through your door…
Life runs through everything. It’s up to what you think…
Life needs you too…
No, you don’t need anybody’s appreciation. You definitely do not depend on anyone’s opinion. Be yourself, and use your prosperity to add value to lives of those around you. This is what matters in life…
Fate
| Am | C G | Am | C G | Am | C G | F | C G |
1/ Fate has simple meaning.
One could just define
It tends to occupy our being.
It wouldn’t really matter
Once we’d found our line
So our hopes would hardly shatter.
| Dm | Em Am | F G | Am | Dm | Em Am | F G | E7/9+ |
Br/ Falling down you try. You try starting over.
Just imagine in your mind you possess the things
You are trying to get to
And your road would hardly wind…
| Am | Am G | Am F |B F G |
| Am | Am G | Am F | Dm F G | A m |
Ch/ See again me, see again our life!
Visions of you make me live! (Visions that make me live)
It is so true we accept our strife
Hoping our love is to be. (We hope our love’s to be)
(‘’Knowing’’ 2nd time and by the end)
2/ You outpace the minutes.
Try to stop the race.
Get a hint for your existence:
Life is bringing more the more you give and listen,
Giving ‘fate’ a strong resistance.
Br/
Mid Part: | F G | D2 | F G | D2 | F G | D2 | F G | Em | Em |
Our fate is our mission. We don’t even need to plan.
You don’t need no recognition.
Still the fate is in your hands…
It’s a song about having our fate in our hands. Inspired by love – to ourselves, to our fellows, to our sweethearts…, we do understand the importance of positive exchange with the environment. Then we would need no fortune-teller to tell us our future. We get a hold on it, floating down our own mainstream…
Roots
Vs: | E7 | E7 | E7 | A7 | A7 | B7 I B7 | E7 | B7 |
1/ Standing out there you dare
Dealing with things so fine,
Bringing internal balance
To make you feel alright…
2/ Judging the fools brings nothing.
Stay with your truth on sight
Indifference is just bluffing.
Passion is your life.
Br: | E7 | E7 | B7 | A7 | E7 | E7 | B7 | A7 | E7 | B7 |
Br: Hey, on profound roots we stay
Gotta find just how we do along the way
Life is not just a game we’re bound to play…
Ch: ||: E | E | E | A | B | B | F#m | B :|| E | E |
Ch/ I got this rain starting over – a rain of thoughts is on my mind.
Tolerate, it makes no sense to clobber – a gut feeling kind.
I got this rain starting over…
You kind of see what is to grind.
Gotta live as if there ain’t no problem.
Your talent’s what you find… That’s right!
3/ Boldness is magic, beauty,
The genius of your mind.
Starting your plan’s your duty.
A thought of a flop’s declined…
4/ Suddenly you’re tune’s catchy.
Roughly, you speed up life.
It’s so close to you, just grab it.
It doesn’t take a lot…
One should liberate his mind, to make it give its best. So do not limit your expectations. There’s no use to judge and criticize. Consider yourself a success, and let love and good be your response to the bad feelings of others to you.
My World
Vs: ||: Em7 | Em7 | Em7 | Em7 | Am7 | A | D | D7 :||
Ch: ||: G | G | Bm | Bm | Fmaj7 | Fmaj7 | C | Am :||
1/ Care for me,
And believe that we are meant to be
Endlessly, in our fever
Stay with me…
Through the emptiness we are so free
With the love we deliver.
2/ Silently
I give up to what I used to be.
The change I see make me shiver (You stay along with me)
Currently
I give way to rhythms deep in me.
That’s the key my soul to quiver (I know my heart).
Ch/ Any day I would get back to
Would show I’m aware when love’s in full glare…
Any day I feel it’s brought my way
Delivers the fine line to trace out my world for you
(End: My world… is you).
You hear your inside rhythms, which are the gates to the essence of your being – your soul. If filled with love, it will help you catch the respective rhythms of the person by your side. Then it’s easy to understand it’s better to listen to your heart than any logic.
Mind Projection
Vs: | Am | G/B | Dm | F G C | Am | G/B | Dm | F G Em |
| G | Dm | C | Am | Dm | Em | F G Em | Am |
Mid Part: | F | G | Am | Am | F | Em | Fmaj7 | F G | Em |
Rf: ||: Am | G/B | Dm | F G | Am | G/B | Dm | F G :|| Am |
Vs: 1/ Way down inside things are moving right
(You need kind of goin’ in)
Your heart and soul bring no lie
Giving all answers – the core of your life
Emit what you’d like to receive in time.
Rf: Looking’ at me, I’m waiting…
How can I miss the chance…?
I’ll give you a lead, so take it
Through a brand new life.
You’ve got the power of action.
What you achieve in sum
Is just your mind projection
Of your fate to come.
2/ Your scope of mind forms reality
(You should get a deal with it).
Don’t limit dreams, faith, and plans.
Feel inside rhythms of those around,
Living your life as a nature power.
Mid Part: All through the tears
Think who’s behind your back.
It kills all your fears
You know that.
Your mind is not a stationary unit that only your legs can move… Inside of you there’s this Divine part you should discover.
Don’t let the survival rush block your spirit. God is behind your back. Life is no vegetation…It’s meant to be lived.