"shifting sands" opens the album, setting the tone for the entire journey. It is a prologue that immerses the listener in a state of fluid transition between worlds, where boundaries blur like moving sands.
The very title symbolizes impermanence, change, and the relativity of everything around us. A world that seems stable can shift at any moment - this idea flows through the entire album.
The sound of the track reflects this philosophical concept. The duduk - a deeply nostalgic and mystical instrument - creates the sensation of ancient knowledge being passed through time. Its timbre resembles the voice of the past, whispering through the winds over a vast desert. The track’s atmosphere wraps around the listener, as if inviting them to step into the unknown, leaving behind everything familiar.
This is not just a beginning - it is a gateway through which the journey unfolds, moving through different stages of life and perception. "shifting sands" does not provide clear answers but subtly introduces the album’s main theme: everything changes, nothing is eternal, and the journey has only just begun.