After the harrowing collapse (Demise) and the stark realization of utter isolation (Lost), a musical lament begins to unfold. Tears pour forth— for the loss of all that was familiar: life, hope, the rhythm of what once was.
The English horn leads the orchestra through a descent into despair, guiding it gently, relentlessly, to the edge of desolation.
This piece ends not with silence, but with one final, desperate cry— a powerful minor chord, resonating with the weight of sorrow.

Pandemic Suite – 07. Lamento

(Verse 1)
She’s sitting on her little bed,
Warm candlelight, a glow of red.
A letter to Santa, like every year,
Lies in a bin — no postman near.
No postman comes to take it home.

Mom says softly, “That’s the magic,”
Dad just smiles, a little tragic.
But something’s different this cold night —
The truth is cracking, thin as ice.

(Chorus)
If you lie for dreams of glitter,
Of bunnies, sleighs, and season’s glow —
How can I trust what’s out there waiting,
What’s truly real in all I know?
If you lie for shiny stories,
For Easter bunnies, Christmas glory —
Then what is true beyond this light,
When "perfect worlds" turn into fight?
A child begins to lose her peace,
And sees the world’s sharp edge increase.
If you feed me tales and wonder,
Who will scream when truth goes under?
If Mom just lies to keep me whole —
From love and fear and gentle soul —
What about the harsh, cold voices,
Who speak of care, yet steal our choices?

(Verse 2)
Mom just says, "That’s how it goes —
A dream can guard where nothing grows."
But she knows well: soft lies and walls
Are still a cage when darkness calls.

…they’re fences made of thorns and wire,
Disguised as dreams that we admire.

(Bridge)
She counts the stars above the roof,
And wonders if there's any proof —
That somewhere out in all this night,
Another child still seeks the light.

auf Deutsch
 (Strophe 1) Sie sitzt auf ihrem Kinderbett, die Kerzen glühn in warmem Licht Ein Brief an Santa, wie jedes Jahr, liegt in einer Tonne die Post hlot ihn nicht  und die Post holt Ihn nicht Die Mama sagt, das sei Magie, der Papa nickt und lächelt leis. Doch dieses Mal ist alles anders, die Wahrheit liegt auf dünnen Eis. (Refrain) Wenn ihr schon lügt für Glitzerträume, für Hasen, Schlitten, Wunderzeit – wie soll ich glauben, was da draußen noch echt ist in der großen Welt? Wenn ihr schon lügt für Glitzerbäume, für Osterhasen,  Weihnachts -Träume   was ist da draußen wirklich echt die heile  Welt wird groß und schlecht Das Kind verliert sein Paradies  und sieht die Welt so hart und fies  Wenn ihr mich mit Märchen füttert ? wer schreit dann laut, das "Wahre Leid"? wenn Mamma lügt(um mich zu schützen)  aus Liebe, Angst ( und Zärtlichkeit –) was ist dann mit den kalten Stimmen, die sprechen für die Menschlichkeit?  Mama sagt: „So ist das eben – man schützt das Herz mit einem Traum.“ Doch sie weiß jetzt: Auch sanfte Lügen, -sind hohe Mauern in, (unserem Lebensraum.)  ....sind Mauern "Stacheldraht und Zaun" (Bridge) Sie zählt die Sterne überm Dach, und fragt sich, ist noch jemand wach. Ob irgendwo ,in einer  Welt  ein Kind wie sie die Sterne Zählt.

True Lies ( Deutsch )

Roll out of bed get a caffeine hit
Endorphin brain keep me sane
Ready? Yeah! Bring it on

People tend to drive me crazy
Why they telling me what to think?
I’m turning off my dummy pad

While you’re telling me how you feel
I’m off wondering how I’ll feel
About you if you ever shut up

Better settled on my plain
Certainly my zen is straight
In a zone flying on

While you’re telling me how you feel
I’m off wondering how I’ll feel
About you if you ever shut up

And I believe there are
Other ways to express yourself 
Don’t wave your flag in my face

While you’re telling me how you feel
I’m off wondering how I’ll feel
About you if you ever shut up

While you’re telling me how you feel
I’m wondering, wondering 
What I think about you

And I believe there are
Other ways to express yourself 
Don’t wave your flag in my face


Endorphin Brain

I have added some guitar layers and I am experimenting with the mix. Hope you like the chaos of this mix. 

I will continue to refine this track.

Please feel free to leave a comment as I really appreciate your feedback.

Pathways (Chaotic Neutral Mix )

This instrumental track builds on a collaboration with my brother https://soundcloud.com/skai-eriksson/desert-odyssey-acoustic-guitar-and-piano 
The original song just had acoustic guitar and piano.  Torben Fugger heard the song on SC and took it to a new level of orchestration adding tasty slide+electric guitar work.  At that point it sounded like it needed some low end, and Wayne Cribbs stepped in to add a tasteful bass guitar track.

You can listen to Torben's other elegant orchestral music on SC: @torben-fugger

Here is the credit in the order the instruments were added.

Acoustic guitar: Timothy Lundberg
Piano: Skai Eriksson
Electric guitars: Torben Fugger
Bass guitar: Wayne Cribbs
Mixing/Mastering: Erik Lundberg (Skai Eriksson) with lots of help/feedback from the rest of the group.

Desert Odyssey (w/ additions by Torben Fugger and Wayne Cribbs)

Blue jewel on sand

Hidden World III

The Prophecy

Cast of characters:

Llanpsych -- @llanpsych -- Tez – Fender Telecaster electric guitar, mix, production, and composition

Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – synthesizer, vocals, and lyrics

K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken -- drums

Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Warwick fretless four string bass

TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson cutom T electric guitar, sometimes with an ebow

J.J. Terrell– @j-j-terrell – synth


This song began as an idea Tez came up with on his guitar while on holiday not far from his home in Wales. It had such a solid form, it inspired Mark to write lyrics and come up with vocal melodies within a few days of hearing it for the first time. The two of them have written several songs like this, making them a solid songwriting source for Eclectic Collective.

Once the song had a even more solid form, Ken took added his dynamic, bouncy-groove drums to it. As soon as Ken had the drums down, Josh took his turn, adding the fretless bass and solidifying the groove. Now that the basic framework was done, Stephen added his thrilling electric guitar. Last, but certainly not least, JJ added his really cool psych synth part in the two bridges. Mark also added some awesome backing synth to it, as well, filling out the sound. At the very end of the process, Tez also dropped in the hot intro and outro solos, as well.

Once we had it all in the can, it was time to turn it over to Tez for his expert production and mix. He came up with the idea of adding reverb to the drums, as well as some other compression tricks, which he employed with subtle style.

This, as mentioned, is a great example of what Eclectic Collective can do in house with the composition and songwriting skills of Tez and Mark. The rest of us really had fun working on this one, too, of course. We hope you enjoy listenig to this as much as we enjoyed making it.


Original lyrics by mistermark:


There’s something I’m seeking that I’ve never found

but the seed that you planted went deep in the ground

there’s a journey that I’m on and the path is uncertain

the magic fades when you pull back the curtain


Wherever you go I will follow

there’s always another tomorrow


There will never come a time when I do you harm

cause my soul is steady when I’m in your arms

and never have I heard music like your Voice

when you call me to you I have no choice


Wherever you go I will follow

there’s always another tomorrow


Like a puzzle on the table all the pieces fit

like I’m standing in the dark and a match is lit

and what it all means man I just don’t know

but it’s a powerful feeling and it’s starting to grow


Wherever you go I will follow

there’s always another tomorrow

Wherever U Go (Eclectic Collective)

Sitting alone at night around a remote campfire in the Bieszczady Mountains, a fascinating area with free-roaming wolves and bears, you feel much more at ease when you can hear a group of horses grazing behind you and enjoy the peace and coolness of the night after a hot day spent carrying riders on long journeys over hills, fields, and meadows.

Horsepower

20250719 c#

The Earth Love II

Mysterious Forest Spirits

No marketing messages please. I immediately assume all such messages are sent by fraudsters. Messages from people who ask artists whether they may become 'fans' are guaranteed to be from fraudsters. Messages supposedly from 'record companies' are also guaranteed to be from fraudsters. I cannot compose, sometimes for days or more, after being contacted by fraudsters. I was contacted by a fraudster today (25 July 2025) and have been unable to compose a single bar all afternoon. You can see their 'fan' message, and my response, here: https://soundcloud.com/man-drax-222645532/sonatas-op-3-no-67

Blue jewel on sand

Paul Maurice Roche, Composer