What Do You Dream It

Torbjørn: vocal, instrumental and vocal composition https://soundcloud.com/tobbenv
Oddrun: vocal and vocal composition
Mastering: Njål Frode Lie
Poem: William Blake
"Ah! Sun-flower" is a poem by William Blake, published in his collection Songs of Experience in 1794. The poem explores themes of longing, weariness, and the human desire for something beyond earthly existence, using the sunflower as a symbol. 

A big thank you to you Torbjørn, what a great joy to sing this beautiful poem.

Poem: William Blake

Ah! sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun,
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done;

Where the youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves and aspire;
Where my sunflower wishes to go.

Ah! Sun-flower. Torbjørn Vagle. Oddrun Eikli

Watch the 📹Video: https://youtu.be/PhE7afina30
Lyrics interpretation, here: https://beatingedge.blogspot.com/2025/08/vacant-stares-interpretation-of-lyrics.html
Here we are with our last track of the month.
Lately, Carl @thebeautifuldark has been working on some important projects to raise awareness about the indiscriminate use of AI in the world of art. This track came from deep conversations between us, exploring themes of identity, authenticity, and the growing trend of music that’s “AI-made” but never truly felt or played.

Vacant Stares is a cryptic, cult-like vision of a digital future, where prompters replace creators, and artistic expression is reduced to hollow commands.
Blank stares. Selfish prayers. Fake songs for simulated feelings.
This track is a warning. A question. A reversed ritual.
It asks you: who are you, when you no longer use your own voice?

The song is divided into two parts:

Beating Edge's part:
It’s gothic, cinematic, full of ritualistic and unsettling imagery. The atmosphere evokes abandoned temples, secret cults, carved symbols… with that sense of existential disorientation like “they’re initiating me into something but I don’t know what.”
It feels like a lucid nightmare or a hallucination induced by an intelligence simulating spirituality.
Carl’s part:
More brutal, direct, anti-establishment. Almost a rap/spoken-word poem loaded with accusations towards those who use AI in a sterile, heartless way. “Selfish prayers / Fake / Unfair” hit like punches in the gut in just four words. It’s the awakening from hypnosis.

Let’s reflect! And use AI as a tool to amplify art, not to replace it!
Love you all!🫶

Lyrics:

(Tom)

Veil of whispers, carved in stone
Guiding hands, but I'm alone
Golden masks and hollow eyes
Chanting words that crystallize

Candles flicker, shadows climb
Marble echoes bend through time
Steps resound in hollow halls
Silent lips behind the walls

And they move like ghosts through the fevered air
With their silver robes and their vacant stares
Do I kneel, do I run, do I play along?
Or is this the place where I belong?

Smoke is rising, threads unwind
Painted symbols twist my mind
Fingers trace the silent vow
No way back, it's over now

And they move like ghosts through the fevered air
With their silver robes and their vacant stares
Do I kneel, do I run, do I play along?
Or is this the place where I belong?

A voice like thunder in my head
Tells me secrets left unsaid
A crimson door, a silver knife
A choice to stay or trade my life

Lights go dim, the world dissolves
A hollow chant, a fate evolves
In the mirror, I can't see
Is that me, or what's left of me?

(Carl - The Beautiful Dark)

Vacant stares
Selfish prayers
Fake
Unfair

Unnatural wear
Expressionless
Ghost digital smile
Simulated pain
You making fake dog pile

Guesses pluggs in
Self matrix is made
Showing young kids
Their artist mind grave

Not on our watch
Sing your own feeling
Talk your reflections
Save children's true meanings

Feeding them new
They'll amplify this
They'll stay plugged out
All now's reminisce

Prompters, have that reckoning
With fake thoughts you feeding

Respect the souls of past inspire
Their spirit will help you transcend the mire

Vacant Stares

Official Music Video

Hi everyone! Since it’s Sunday and we happened to meet in the studio to say goodbye to each other, we realized completely by chance that we’ve uploaded 98 tracks on SoundCloud. So we decided to release a chiptune track to mark number 99, and then come back with the 100th song!😉

We’ll still be online for a few more hours, then we’ll take a break from SoundCloud for a while. We can’t say exactly how long. But don’t worry, we’ll be back to annoy you again!🤪

Enjoy listening, drop us a comment , and happy holidays to those who, like us, still haven’t taken them! In any case, enjoy the summer (and if you’re in the southern hemisphere, enjoy the cool weather! Sorry, dear friends in Antarctica, no joke intended!😆).

All our Chiptune tracks are here: soundcloud.com/beatingedge/sets/8-bit-vibes.

Love you all!🫶
Ciao!!😘
©2025 Beating Edge

Loading Holidays (Instrumental - Chiptune)

In the collective imagination in north Italy, Piedmontese witches, or Masche, were generally ugly, old women who lived in the countryside, far from civilization. They possessed magical powers, capable of evil and disturbing spells. Indeed, they were the protagonists of legends with controversial, cruel, and terrifying vicissitudes.

Le Masche o streghe Piemontesi, nell’immaginario collettivo erano in genere delle donne brutte e vecchie che vivevano in campagna, lontane dalla civiltà. Erano delle donne dai poteri magici, capaci di sortilegi malefici ed inquietanti. Furono, infatti, protagoniste di leggende dalle vicessitudini controverse, crudeli e molto spaventose.

La notte delle masche

Broken Glass

I was asked to be MC at an 80th birthday and rather than write a speech I wrote a song.  But the party got cancelled when the birthday girl came down with Covid.  I played the song for a small gathering later on and then started to get requests for it.  So here it is.  It'll probably only appeal to a smaller than usual audience, but still...

Lyrics:
Intro:
40 is the new 30, that’s what they’d say back in the day
And 50 is the new 40, ten years later they’d also say
I guess 60 is the new 50 but it occurs to me
That 70’s not the new 60 it’s really closer to 63
Every 10 years we give it a shot
We try to be an age that we’re really not
But that can only go on for so long
I’ve got something to say - hope it’s not wrong
The new seventy - that’s a nice idea to which I wouldn’t cling
Because 80’s not the new anything

Chorus:
80 is just 80
It’s a marvel to behold
It’s a milestone, an accomplishment
But 80 don’t you think, it’s kind of old

Verse:
Ok, now I’ve said it, I really used that word
It’s probably not the first time that you have ever heard
That word we try to never hear
Or even admit that it is getting near
If you’ve got the nerve you really oughta face it
Who knows you could even come to embrace it
Turning 80 might be uncomfortable - you might feel a little sting
Because 80’s not the new anything

Bridge:
When does it start, what does it mean
It’s a word we treat as if it’s obscene
That brings up an important question
I like to hear your philosophy
If at 80 you say that you not yet old
To be old how old do you need to be?
I figure 80’s a good time to turn the page
Party on and act your age
Celebrate dance and sing
Cuz 80 is simply 80
And 80’s not the new anything

Chorus:
80 is just 80
It’s a marvel to behold
It’s a milestone, an accomplishment
But 80 don’t you think, it’s kind of old

Verse:
When you were young you were pretty dumb like the rest of us you know that’s true
In your middle years you were so damn busy all you could do is watch the years accrue
Accepting that you’re finally old just might serve you well
It says to all the rest of the world that you must be wise as hell
And if you’re not that wise, they’ll never find out,
Cuz you’re so old you’ll get the benefit of doubt
So don’t worry ‘bout the future it’ll bring what it’s gunna bring
And eighty’s not the new anything

Chorus:
80 is just 80
It’s a marvel to behold
It’s a milestone, an accomplishment
But 80 don’t you think, it’s kind of old
And 80 isn’t it wonderful, it’s magnificent, fabulous, spectacularly old

On Your 80th Birthday

REMEMBERING
This is a piece of nostalgia and deep longing. It just came out one day much to my surprise at least 12 years ago and I very recently decided to redo it as the piece was never was completely finished in the way that I wanted it to be. 

In hindsight this was a big mistake because in opening up old digital files you have to deal with outdated VI string libraries and possible glitches and incompatibilities. In this case, not only was the string library very old, but it had also gone out of business, so there was no way of updating it, so I had to find a substitute which would do the same things that it did. All the libraries are configured differently as well. I think it was done in Kontakt 2 originally?

Perseverance and patience reigned and here we are. So easy to say now, but so hard to do. I almost gave up a couple of times. Every experience is a learning opportunity. The solo violin virtual instrument is by the one and only Kirk Hunter. It’s a bit unwieldy, but I love its sense of expression and wild adventure. Perfect for this piece. And there were no compatibility issues with it either. 

Artwork and design by yours truly. 

Remembering [Classical}

Shadow

Fair is an old school piece with a calm romantic mood. Hope you enjoy...

Fair

Con-Fusion

The Shield

Daniel is a pianist, composer, and electronic musician based in North Andover, MA. He has recorded music spanning several genres.

What Do You Dream It

padge55

Related tracks