The most shocking thing to me, after reading The Ocean Outlaw, was how lawless the open seas truly are. Though there appear to be some laws in place regarding international waters, they are not really enforced or they are easily circumnavigated. I think music is a universal language unique to humanity, which allows it to lend itself into this project. It is expressed in all cultures and societies throughout the world. Music instantly conveys emotion and it’s a powerful form of storytelling. Like a story, music has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The music I’ve composed for The Ocean Outlaw Music Project serves as an undercurrent to the narrative told throughout Ian Urbina’s book The Outlaw Ocean. 

My intent with the music is to augment the emotions and struggles highlighted in the book, and I wanted the music to highlight both the struggle for equity and despair that Ian Urbina has so masterfully conveyed in his book. The word “discord,” which is also the title of the album for this project, is defined as both a disagreement between people and in musical terms a lack of harmony between notes. I think music engages the listener in ways words cannot. My hope with the music I’ve composed for this music project is to tell the story through the lens of the individuals enslaved on the fishing boat and tie the listener emotionally to the issues raised in Ian Urbina’s book The Outlaw Ocean.

Gavin Luke