The Fourth Planet is a synthetic song cycle using the latest vocal synthesis tools to tell the story of the founding of a libertarian colony on Mars.

Inspired by Elon Musk's offer of free passage to Mars (one way) in return for bonded labour, 'The Fourth Planet' is more rock than opera, it's closest relative being Jeff Wayne's 1978 'War of the Worlds'.

The 'Tech Titan', a Palmer Eldritch type figure sings of an escape from Earth's 'cruel gravity'- tax and regulation, and establishing a new , streamlined social structure, comprising two just classes, Utility and Investor.

We see the establishment of two settlements, 'U-Topia, and I-Land as Mars is terraformed using atomics to thicken the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, the blanket of cloud, intended to globally warm the planet, induces depression in the workforce, which in turn leads to the founding of an indigenous pharmaceutical industry.

After the failure of terraforming, comes an experiment in bioforming. If we can't change Mars to suit man, why not change man to suit Mars?

This, in turn, has unexpected consequences, when the solar energy powered 'Star People' give up work to sit in the sun.

A final attempt is made to alter perception rather than reality, which results in the Star People leaving Mars to become a space dwelling race, with the aid of the builderbots, with whom they can communicate telepathically as a result of drug induced mutation.

Left to fend for themselves, the settlers revert to the old ways, repurpose their landing craft into starships, and set out for new worlds to colonize.

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