AIboran

Named for the sea

A close crop of the word MALAGUETA sculpted in sand on the beach at Málaga, lit gold from below at night. Only the middle letters are in frame. Palms and a curve of city lights stand behind them, and the words YAM ZAKAR are set in the dark blue sky.

The poem

More pamti Mirise kože I sva pisma Na pesku More pamti Kad su plivale boginje A Vavilon goreo More pamti ko je koga Voleo Jednom More ne zna budućnost Ali šapuće Šta bi moglo da se desi.

In English

The sea remembers The scent of skin. And every letter Written in sand. The sea remembers When goddesses swam And Babylon burned. The sea remembers. Who loved whom. Once. The sea does not know the future But it whispers What might happen.

The lyrics

As given to the machine, unedited.

[Intro — waves, wind, distant footsteps on sand, low drone]

Aiboran

[Verse 1 — close whispered female vocal, ritual tone]

The sea remembers

Yam zakar

The scent of skin.

Rīḥ ʿōr

And every letter

Kol sēfarīm

Written in sand.

ʿAl ḥōl

[Percussion enters — slow frame drum, deep pulse]

The sea remembers

Yam zakar

When goddesses swam

Kī šaṭū ʾilōt

And Babylon burned.

Wa-Bābel śarap

The sea remembers.

Yam zakar

[Chorus — hypnotic chant, darker, more sensual]

Yam zakar

The sea remembers

Yam zakar

[Verse 2 — footsteps closer, wind through ruins]

Who loved whom.

Mi ʾahab mi

Once.

Paʿam

The sea remembers.

Yam zakar

[Bridge — whispered, almost spoken, waves louder]

The sea does not know the future

Yam lā yadaʿ ʾaḥarīt

But it whispers

Wa-lāḥaš

aah… gii…

[Final — rising ritual percussion, low bass, repeated whisper]

What might happen.

Mah yihyeh

A… G… I…

What might happen…

Mah yihyeh…

aaaa—giiii

Yam zakar

What might happen…

Šta bi moglo da se desi…

The song