Totally nailing that 80s synth, but with modern clarity

Heavily synth driven … absolutely love 10/10

Really fun song, I enjoy how nostalgic it sounds. 💜

spot on retrro feel - yet also quite modern

This song is my way of riding through the darker highways of my past and present—the parts of me that carry scars, secrets, and regrets I don’t always let the world see. It’s about the weight we carry when pain turns inward, when mistakes follow us like shadows, and when we feel like redemption is always just out of reach. 

The line “hurt people hurt people” became the heart of this song. I borrowed it directly from Melissa Etheridge’s powerful documentary I’m Not Broken and her song “A Burning Woman.” When Melissa sang those words for the women she met and captured their stories with such compassion, it cut straight into me. It was like she gave language to something I’d always known but never had the courage to admit out loud—that I’ve been both the one hurt and the one doing the hurting. 

Watching I’m Not Broken was an emotional punch. I laughed, I cried, and I saw myself in those women—broken, self-medicating, sometimes reckless, sometimes just trying to survive. In my younger years, I could have easily ended up where they did, and Melissa’s message of compassion and healing reminded me that broken doesn’t have to mean lost. 

So this song isn’t just about pain—it’s about honesty. It’s about facing the ghosts that ride beside you, owning the mistakes carved into your skin, and still searching for some kind of mercy down the road. It’s my confession, but also my reminder that we’re all fragile, we’re all human, and music has the power to shine a light even on the darkest highway.


LYRICS: 

[Verse 1]
I got ashes in my pocket, gasoline in my veins
Running from a memory I can’t outrun or explain
The night is heavy silence, the sky is painted low
And every mile behind me still whispers what I owe 

[Pre-Chorus]
Hurt people, hurt people, I’ve been both in my time
Cut my hands on the edges of my own crooked lines 

[Chorus]
I’d rather crash and burn than fade out slow
Carrying the weight of things I’ll never show
Father forgive me, for the secrets I keep
Mother, don’t cry when I sink too deep
Hurt people, hurt people—that’s all I know
On this shadow highway where the black crows go 

[Verse 2]
I’ve got a bottle full of thunder, and a fistful of pain
The ghosts ride beside me, calling out my name
Every wrong turn’s a marker carved into my skin
I keep losing the battle I was never meant to win 

[Pre-Chorus]
Hurt people, hurt people, I’ve been both in my time
Cut my hands on the edges of my own crooked lines 

[Chorus]
I’d rather crash and burn than fade out slow
Carrying the weight of things I’ll never show
Father forgive me, for the secrets I keep
Mother, don’t cry when I sink too deep
Hurt people, hurt people—that’s all I know
On this shadow highway where the black crows go 

[Verse 3]
It’s pretty when you’re fearless, it’s bitter when you’re old
The truth is just a fever you can’t ever hold
Am I closer to redemption, or just further gone?
The road keeps on rolling, but I can’t ride it long 

[Bridge]
The signs blur together, the nights turn to rust
I’m a sinner on the run, and I’ve broken what I trust
But somewhere in the distance, maybe mercy will glow
Till then I ride haunted by the shadow of a crow 

[Chorus X2]
I’d rather crash and burn than fade out slow
Carrying the weight of things I’ll never show
Father forgive me, for the secrets I keep
Mother, don’t cry when I sink too deep
Hurt people, hurt people—that’s all I know
On this shadow highway where the black crows go 

[Outro]
So if I vanish in the night, don’t follow me down
I was born for the silence, not a hero’s crown
Hurt people, hurt people, and that’s how it ends
With a crow at my shoulder and no chance to mend

Shadow Highway

Ebb and Flow

You’re Gonna Go Far

Inspired by Stranger Things and my daughter’s enthusiasm for it, I’ve reimagined one of my guitar tracks as an atmospheric ’80s electronic homage.
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The original track: https://soundcloud.com/guiville/martini-money
--
Playlist with three versions:
https://soundcloud.com/guiville/sets/martini-money
--
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@rolanddeason
https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-holding-three-balloons-S2Zg5RMXl1I

Martini Money - 80s Instr.

Sometimes it’s not about perfection, it’s about feeling — and this one has it


A DreamStyle signature 

"From Flames" By-DreamStyle (An atmospheric beat filled with emotions and vibes)

This started off as a track entitled 'Conflicted Thoughts' which was an instrumental. When I recorded the vocals I thought'Broken Echo' fitted better as a title and the arrangement reflects that. It's a bit strange but hey ..... !

Lyrics

Broken Echo

When I first met you 
I was so proud 
I proclaimed my love out loud
But that has waned 
My heads in flames   

Am I stuck here in a cage 
Or am I the one who turns the page   

Stay or go I don’t know 
My heart’s a broken echo 
Every yes feels like a no 
Stay or go 
I don’t know   

Your hands feel like a safety net 
But the threads 
Twist cruelly and I’m set 
With no escape 

If I leave 
Will I still feel whole 
If I stay 
Do I lose my soul 
This push and pull is taking its toll   

Stay or go I don’t know 
My heart’s a broken echo 
Every yes feels like a no 
Stay or go I don’t know

When I first met you 
I was so proud 
I proclaimed my love out loud
But that has waned 
My heads in flames   

Am I stuck here in a cage 
Or am I the one who turns the page   

Stay or go I don’t know 
My heart’s a broken echo 
Every yes feels like a no 
Stay or go 
I don’t know   

Your hands feel like a safety net 
But the threads 
Twist cruelly and I’m set 
With no escape 

If I leave 
Will I still feel whole 
If I stay 
Do I lose my soul 
This push and pull is taking its toll   

Lyrics by Phil Hawker

Broken Echo

"Miniature" is a swift polyphonic piece, brought to life by a string ensemble. Its energy lies in the perpetual motion and interweaving voices that create a complex yet harmonious flow. Devoid of a pronounced emotional message, this composition captivates with its sheer dynamism, inviting the listener to appreciate the beauty of the process itself — an endless striving forward.

MINIATURE

ELLTORIO

ACUSTIC VOCAL

Dreamline

Whispers Beneath the Sunrise

Solo artist/producer from Swindon, UK - dabbling in sounds while others sing. No idea what I’m doing 😉. Love to all who listen, comment, and repost! x
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イギリス、スウィンドン出身のソロアーティスト／プロデューサー。他の人が歌っている間に音作りをしています。何をやっているか全く分かりません😉。聴いてくださって、コメントしてくださって、リポストしてくださる皆さん、本当にありがとうございます！x
--
日本のリスナーの皆さん、本当にありがとうございます。毎回の配信に本当に感謝しています！

Martini Money - 80s Instr.

Guiville

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