I love what you have done with the timing/phrasing...

another wonderful version & addition to the ongoing work...

your taste and craftsmanship has yielded such a warm an organic version. very good work.

gorgeous harmonies and superb instrumentation, a beautiful version!

Full of gorgeous different sounds making up the harmonies

Just wonderful, so gracious. Thans for this delicious moment

Dan https://soundcloud.com/progrockdan1 is one of the most inventive and exciting people to collaborate with on SC. If you haven't heard his work before you should check out his cloud. Mark

Collaborations with ProgRockDan1 (and Oorlab)

My idea for the subject matter came from Dan saying the music made him think of mountains and water. In my head I made a leap to a human story I knew of a mother and son who waited for much of WWII at a tiny seaport (Kyle of Lochalsh) in the North Western Highlands of Scotland to occasionally see the husband/father who was on mine sweeping missions with the Arctic convoys. Life expectancy was 6 months but he returned safely. This story would work just as well as a scenario for a fishing village where all the men had been gone for days during a storm.

I can't thank Dan enough for his inspirational piece that triggered these words and likewise Dick made this sound so emotionally charged with his fiddle and harmony vocals. I am greatly indebted to my collaborators for making this possible with endless patience and skill.

Please check out their wonderful clouds. https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart/by-the-waters-edge-with-mark-bennett-oorlab-with-video-link
All Music (except for Violin), Vocal - https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart
Violin, Harmony Vocal and Video - https://soundcloud.com/oorlab
Lyrics, Vocal and Artwork - me 

Video link - http://youtu.be/UAfy0vtMmsc


By the water’s edge,
All her thoughts are out at sea,
The child in her arms belongs to he,
He who’s gone

Ev’ry storm is a pain in her heart,
Waiting for news that would tear her apart,
Of he who’s gone
By the water’s edge

She is not alone in her wait,
All the women share her fate,
By the water’s edge

Tears of joy from all on the shore,
The ship is home once more.
By the water’s edge

By The Water's Edge (with Dan Lockhart & oorlab) with Video link

Hot on the heels of 'By The Water's Edge', Dan came up with another maritime sounding arrangement that he was keen to share with Dick Vestdijk and myself. The original music was very inspiring and my immediate suggestion was on the theme of 'impressment' - the press-ganging of sailors into naval service against their will. No sooner had I suggested this than Dick had drafted a great start to the fine lyric we have now. I added a verse then Dick completed the lyric and delivered a guide vocal that took my breath away. I thought we should leave it at that, however we all continued to work on multiple versions with a variety of arrangements and vocal set-ups. What we were seeking was something organic and natural sounding, as if a couple of sailors were singing in a tavern about their life at sea, surrounded by other impressed seamen. The quality of musicianship, imagination and patience that Dan and Dick brought to this continues to astound me. As well as their generosity and skill, they really are great guys to collaborate with. I look forward to many more projects.

I'm sure Dan and Dick will gladly respond to any comments posted here. Thanks for taking the time to listen.
 
Original Music, All Other Instrumentation and Final Mix - https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart
Guitar, Harmonica, Lyrics, Vocals and Vocal Melody - https://soundcloud.com/oorlab
Additional Lyrics and Vocals - me
 
Also attached is a link to a beautiful video made by https://soundcloud.com/oorlab
- https://youtu.be/I2mUn3yWxPs
 
They took me from the harbour,
 
While I was still asleep,
 
Chained and gagged and bent and ragged,
 
Human turned to sheep.
 


In the days of impressment,
 
Flogging instead of caressment,
 
A captain cruel, an empire’s tool
 
... ship of fools.



Though the sails are torn,
 
The bow cleaves straight,

For the Equator.
 
Unto its fate.
 


The King's shilling will be my lot,
 
My fate's sailing, willing or not,
 
The wind's ailing and I've been bought.
 
The wind’s ailing, It's come to naught.



This coin of treason,

Was in my cup,

The pressgang thugs will never stop,

My love, the world's a station, cruel & dim,

Where is the truth & dignity,

How can this law be for the free?

The King's shilling will be my lot



They robbed me from my hometown,

And pressed me on their ship,

Forced to fight their dirty war,

Slave under their whip,


In the days of impressment,

No law forbade his arrestment,

Sailor’s freedom for what it’s worth,

Where is the justice on this earth?

In the days of impressment.



The King's Shilling Will Be My Lot (with Dan Lockhart & Oorlab) + videolink

Like "The King's Shilling Will Be My Lot' this song started with a maritime theme from Dan, to which Dick found the highly original subject of Napoleon's jailor on the island of Saint Helena. There are conspiracy theories (rumours of arsenic poisoning, etc) about what really happened in Napoleon's last years, although both sides of the story are well documented. Dick was inspired by some research he made via the British Library's website. For more information follow these links -
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Lowe
http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Napoleons-Exile-on-St-Helena/

It is always a pleasure to get the opportunity to work with such wonderful collaborators. Please check out their clouds if you haven't already. This will become part of a set of songs that relate to nautical themes with more to follow soon.

Original Music, All Other Instrumentation - @dan-lockhart
Guitar, Violin, Additional Drums, Lyrics, Vocals, Vocal Melody, Final Mix and Video - @oorlab
Additional Lyrics, Vocals and Artwork - me

Link to video - youtu.be/_PVXdPRpitc

Hudson Lowe took his ship
To horizons far & wide, 
As long as he was sailing,
He felt no need to hide,

Fighting for King & country,
God & honour ran through his veins,
Securing domains,
In campaigns,
With the insane.

Writing letters from quarters,
Beyond the sea,
From an island full of rats,
And devoid of trees.
The Emperor still conniving,
For an escape, that he was striving.

Hudson Lowe
So long ago
Played his part,
In this final act

The Emperor & his jailor,
Prisoners in time, 
Six times met face to face,
In Longwood’s walls of his disgrace 
The Corporal was waiting 
For his final hour,
Using his power,
The Ferryman’s come.

Endless streams of blood,
In Europe's ground, Europe's soul. 
This prison below the equator,
For them both, it would take its toll.

Where is the purpose,
Of rising through the ranks,
When your ship is stranded,
On history's treacherous banks.

Yet Hudson Lowe
So long ago
Played his part,
In this final act
Hudson Lowe
Long ago
Played his part,
Final show.

The Ballad Of Hudson Lowe (with Dan Lockhart and Dick Vestdijk)+videolink

Another song to add to our collection of 'Songs from the Sea'. As before, Dan offered a slow celtic air, which had such a beautiful melody that it felt like a 'boat song'. I was inspired to write a lyric about the herring fishing industry that was once so important to so many nations. Dick and Dan added some more lyrics, then the tempo had to quicken to convey the joy of the fishermen returning home and once it had all three of us singing, it began to really take shape. Thank you for taking the time to listen and comment.

Original Music, All Other Instrumentation, Vocals, Additional Lyrics, Final Mix - @dan-lockhart
Guitar, Violin, Vocals, Additional Lyrics - @oorlab
Vocals, Lyrics and Artwork - me
The image, I believe to be of 'Herring Girls' in Scarborough, North Yorkshire but I can't be sure and unfortunately I have no source to thank and credit either.

Sunrise on the horizon,
Beyond tired and cold,
Dawn begins to brighten,
Homeward if this course we hold
'Til we roam again

Homeward, 
Landward,
With our nets full,
Of the silver darlings

With only wood and nails,
Between us and peril,
With the wind in our sails,
And herring for the barrel,
'Til we roam again.

Homeward, 
Landward,
With our nets full,
Of the silver darlings

Neptune and Saint Peter,
Bring us to the shore,
Bounty from the ocean
Harvest the sea once more
'Til we roam again.

Homeward, 
Landward,
With our nets full,
Of the silver darlings

Homeward, 
Landward,
Home

The Silver Darlings (with Dan Lockhart & Dick Vestdijk)

An original song by J.J. Terrell

Left Behind

It’s really about the nights we shared
Underneath all the stars

Now that we’re apart, it’s hard to breathe
Thinking of the love, the dreams we weave.

Oh babe I need you back, it’s true

Memories linger, they haunt my mind
Every lonely moment, I’m left behind
I see your face in the setting sun
Without you here, I’m all but done

Time keeps passing, but the ache won’t fade
Our song still plays, in every serenade
If you could hear me, would you find your way
Back to my arms, where your heart should stay?

Ohhh babe, I need you back

Memories linger, they haunt my mind
Every lovely moment, I’m with you
I see your face in the setting sun
Without you here, I’m all but done

Oh babe, I need you back
It’s true


Left Behind

I can't seem to put down the guitar now that I've picked it back up! Played around with layering some kind of simple repetitive loops to create a hypnotic atmosphere on this one.

Image by Paul Bica (CC BY 2.0)

Sky Above Clouds

Recording sessions from  28/11/2024 - 29/07/2025.
presets, mixing, processing and editing: Pier WILL.
ALL TITLES ARE DOWNLOADABLE
________________________________________________________________________
🛠 - Made with MOOG & Modular / Multi-tracks / No I.A. / No samples.
🎹 - Composed, arranged, performed, produced by Pier WILL & 4H09
🔲 - Cover art - Pier WILL
🙏 - Acknowledgements - Ableton, AKG, Arturia, Audacity, Cantabile,
Focusrite, Hewlett Packard, Korg, Logitech, Marantz, M-Audio, MSI, 
Sony, SoundCloud, Teac, Techniks, Yamaha.
________________________________________________________________________

AUDI-R_216

Cyber Choir (2025)

I don't know who I am
I don't know where I am
It's one AM and I want you
I don't know what I am
I don't know if I am
It's one AM and I want you
You're the arms that don't want me
You're the eyes that haunt me
You were taken from me in my infancy
Now I want you back
I want you back
I don't know a thing about
I'm filled with doubt
It's one AM and I want you
Between heaven and hell
I don't know where you dwell
It's one AM and I want you
Why do you why do you why do you why do you torment me
What did I ever do to you
What do you what do you what do you what do you want from me
Why won't you let me be, let me be
I'm walking a dangerous street
Unfamiliar to me
It's one AM and I want you
I can hear your laughter
I'll never have you
It's one AM and I want you
Like this...
I don't know who I am
I don't know where I am
But it's one AM and I want you
I don't know what I am
I don't know if I am
It's one AM and I want you
It's one AM and I want you

One AM

Fryd - sax, Kacper - trumpet, Adam - drums.

"The Warsaw Oracle Speaks in Dissonance"

MUSICA SCONNESSA (Disjointed Music)

- Picture -
Art Cover Editor. Shyntwirl
Colorist. Shyntwirl
Quality. Shyntwirl
Effects. Shyntwirl
Lightning. Shyntwirl
Degraded. Shyntwirl

- Music -
Producer. Shyntwirl
Composer. Shyntwirl
Programmer. Shyntwirl
Structure. Shyntwirl
Developer. Shyntwirl
Synthesizers. Shyntwirl
Effects. Shyntwirl
Sound Escape. Shyntwirl
Reverb. Shyntwirl
Air Sounds. Shyntwirl
Mix. Shyntwirl
Synth. Shyntwirl
Quality. Shyntwirl
Swirl. Shyntwirl

PROD. Shyntwirl

Shyntwirl - Warm Breeze (Interlude)

Soul Blind (Remix)



https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=rUSGS3MKCdo&feature=shared


https://open.spotify.com/album/1EC3Zpt8LWbbjbtNjJv6cS?si=o5p1fWFRRHSRNyGcADWUPw

https://music.apple.com/us/song/we-grown-up-with-love/1833727621






We Grown Up with Love.mp3

The story of Grace Darling to me as a child felt like the ultimate example of female heroism imaginable. This year celebrates the bicentenary of her birth. For more information on her life please visit these links –
http://www.gracedarling.co.uk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Darling
http://rnli.org/aboutus/historyandheritage/museums/Pages/Grace-Darling-Museum.aspx

This song was different from most of our other collaborations in the way it developed. It started from a lyric for almost all of the song from myself, which Dick added to, especially in the chorus as well as coming up with the music and vocal melody. Dan came on board later with backing vocals and more instrumentation as well as the final mix.

I’d like to thank Dan and Dick yet again for their patience and creativity and for enabling me to realise this piece. I’d also like to thank some other fellow Soundclouders from the North of England for some invaluable advice whilst we were researching this subject -
https://soundcloud.com/the-secret-red-orchestra
https://soundcloud.com/sciencebase
and https://soundcloud.com/gibson-j-4-5

Mark J Bennett – Lyrics, Vocals, Artwork
https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart – Backing vocals, Mandolin, Bass and Final Mix
https://soundcloud.com/oorlab – Music, Additional Lyrics, Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Drums and Video.

Videolink - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V31JV3Bqz8&feature=youtu.be

Witnessing the wreck from her window,
Showed her mettle when facing peril.
With her father, she braved the storm
Little thought of fear or harm.
Survivors clamour for dear life,      
On half a ship as if cut by a knife.
Grace be brave, daughter of the lighthouse.
A ray of hope, when all else fades.

Rowed a mile in a Northumbrian coble,
Was an act so selfless and noble.
They rescued four men and Sarah Dawson,
Too late for the vicar and her children.
Newspapers clamour for her story,
And bathe in her reflected glory.
Grace be brave, daughter of the lighthouse.
A ray of hope, when all else fades.

Eighteen were saved from the sixty-two, 
Gifts and donations they did accrue,
From circus, Duke and even the Queen.
Such fuss, they could not have foreseen.
Artists clamour for her likeness,
Yet something faded from her brightness.
Grace be brave, daughter of the lighthouse.
A ray of hope, when all else fades.

Unwanted celebrity was hard to maintain,
The pressures of fame, proved a strain.
Already reclusive on her island retreat,
Her admirers became indiscreet.
Visitors clamour for a token,
Grace’s calm, forever broken.
Grace be brave, daughter of the lighthouse.
A ray of hope, when all else fades.
Grace be brave, daughter of the lighthouse.
Grace be brave, daughter of the lighthouse.


Grace Be Brave (with Dan Lockhart & Dick Vestdijk)+Videolink

https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett Mark J. Bennett did a wonderful version of The Parting Glass, and put out his vocal acapella as an Open Collaboration. 
https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett/the-parting-glass-open-collaboration

Already 11 version have seen the light of day

https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett/sets/the-parting-glass-open


The Parting Song is reportedly older than 1770 and popular in ireland and Scotland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Parting_Glass

Currently well known by the version of Ed Sheeran.

Thanks to Dan https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart  and Eric https://soundcloud.com/pleudoniem for comments on an earlier version. 

Parting glass - Mark J. Bennett open collaboration

Comments & ideas for collaborations appreciated. 
Instruments: violin, mandoline, acoustic, bass and electric guitars, harmonica, tin whistle, darbuka, sansula, roland synthesizers. 
Recording with Cubase Elements 11 

Recommending these inspiring musicians: 

https://soundcloud.com/the-plugs ;  https://soundcloud.com/pleudoniem ;  https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett ; 
https://soundcloud.com/dan-lockhart ; 
https://soundcloud.com/julsy ; 
https://soundcloud.com/houckjt ; 
https://soundcloud.com/tante-meli .

Dear listener, Feel free to leave comments and I'll try to reply.

I've been making music for around 16 years now but because of the wonderfully generous community that is SC, I have learned so much in a short time. I look forward to learning even more by collaborating. 
I suppose my strengths are in lyric-writing and singing. I feel fortunate to have been able to work with some stunning compositions by some very talented SCers.

My very best to you, Mark

Some links to recent Continental Collision streaming sites, etc are available below:

Parting glass - Mark J. Bennett open collaboration

Oorlab

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