Been listening to this original concept album:
https://soundcloud.com/thomas-welleson/sets/the-emerald-conspiracy
The album is framed as a sonic documentary, with each of its 14 tracks functioning as a chapter in a larger story about a sprawling human trafficking network, referred to as "The Board." Drawing inspiration from the ancient "Emerald Tablets" as a metaphor for hidden truths, the album exposes modern societal failures—specifically, how silence and apathy enable predatory systems. Thomas Welleson, the fictional documentary filmmaker, serves as the narrative guide, with his voiceovers and writings grounding the album’s purpose: to reveal uncomfortable truths and demand accountability.
The album is structured in four acts:
Act I: The Bait (Tracks 1–4) introduces the seductive, glamorous facade of the trafficking empire, luring listeners into its world of power and excess before shattering the illusion with "The Reveal."
Act II: The Truth (Tracks 5–8) humanizes the victims through stories like "Sarah’s Story," exposes systemic failures in "Detective’s Lament," and unveils the corporate machinery behind the crimes in "The Board Room" and "Seventeen Cities."
Act III: The Hunt (Tracks 9–11) escalates the tension with law enforcement’s efforts to dismantle the network, culminating in the dramatic "Warehouse Burning," where Detective Maria Santos sacrifices her life.
Act IV: The Reckoning (Tracks 12–14) brings the story to a public reckoning through congressional testimony, a tribute to Maria Santos, and a sobering reminder in "The Next Stone" that the fight against such systems is ongoing.
(After the warehouse fire, Detective Maria Santos returns:
https://erinsjenningsgmail.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/bad-detective-columbo-a-family-mystery-adventure/
Could Santos be a subconscious stand-in for the album's author?)
