A Notion

Shwesmo (Yoel Genin) and Sharon Renold

Music
“In a time of uncertainty, turmoil, fake news, bad news, war, and polarity — this is a song for those wandering through thoughts, wondering: do we even have the freedom of choice? Is the way we were raised, where we were born, our identity — all paving our path through life with nothing more than the illusion of free will?

Reflecting on their past, their path, struggles and pain, the song plays with the idea: if it were possible to go back, erase it all, and choose a different path — would it end up being the same one anyway?”

The song was written by Shwesmo (Yoel Genin) and Sharon Renold. Yoel and Sharon are both Berklee alumni, and Yoel is an assistant professor at the college. They are both also part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble.

Credits:

Lyrics and music by Shwesmo & Sharon Renold
Vocals – Sharon Renold
Acoustic Drums – Yogev Gabay
Guitar – Shwesmo
Produced and mixed by Shwesmo
Mastered by DKS

Lyrics:

I rise to see light
The same one as before
Somehow with each day
It gets harder to ignore
The pain that follows

Is freedom just a notion
I held on to
Just a little too long

I find it hard to cope
But it doesn’t keep the world
From spinning round and round
Pretending that it’s just
The way life ends up going for you

Is freedom just a notion
I held on to
Just a little too long

Not lost or found
Oblivion
Is there a past,
A version of me,
Free of this weight

Keep floating in
This turbulence
What would it take
a retrograde
to erase it all

Not lost or found
Oblivion
Is there a past,
A version of me,
Free of this fate

What would it take
A retrograde
Erase it all

I rise to see light
The same one as before
Somehow with each day
It gets harder to ignore
The pain

Yoel Genin (a.k.a. Shwesmo) is a producer and guitarist who combines metal, fusion, Middle Eastern, and electronic influences. With vast experience as a composer, guitarist, and producer, Genin is devoted to endless artistic exploration and breaking musical borders. Yoel grew up in Israel and moved to Boston for undergraduate studies at Berklee. He is now faculty at the College, part of the Grammy nominated Berklee Indian Ensemble, and teaching Harmony, Ensemble and the Complex Rhythm Composition class.

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Sharon Renold is a Swiss-born bassist, vocalist, composer, and producer. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, she was featured on the Grammy-nominated Shuruaat album as a composer, bassist, and vocalist. Her career includes international performances, work with the United Soloists Orchestra, and ongoing collaborations with Grammy-nominated artist J.Views. As a lead presenter and course author for Scott’s Bass Lessons, she’s become a key voice in the global bass community, with credits alongside artists like Henrik Linder, Guy Pratt, and Mohini Dey. Sharon currently lives in Seattle, balancing performance, education, and production.

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