collaborations

SinTaMental's haunting original track (https://soundcloud.com/sintamental/nebulous-termini) sent shivers down my spine. Words and delivery matched the photograph in eeriness and I was very glad that I could use his track to add some music. Thank you SinTaMental! For more of his wonderful poems, voice and collaborations with other musicians, please visit https://soundcloud.com/sintamental.

SinTaMental: words, voice
quarkstrangenesscharm: Audiokit and Korg Minilogue XD synthesizers, sampler, wah guitar

SinTaMental with quarkstrangenesscharm "Nebulous Termini"

Besides making lovely photographs and (sometimes) videos too, Suzy Hazelwood is a very gifted writer (short stories, prose, blogs, poetry). The words for her poem “New Skin” I found moving and very comforting and it’s a pleasure to hear Suzy reading. So I’m very grateful I could add music to ït. Thank you so much Suzy for your kindness. And for your beautiful words!
Please check out her wonderful poetry and voice (@suzyhazelwood) and (wordmusing.wordpress.com/)
You can find Suzy Hazelwoods photograps and videos on suzyhazelwood.tumblr.com/ and
vimeo.com/user48871036

Suzy Hazelwood: words, voice
qsc: programming, synthesizers, iPad (Duduk)

"New skin" Spokenword By Suzy Hazelwood with quarkstrangenesscharm

16 track digital recording, 6 and 7 December 2013

Ralph- computer, keyboard, sample

“We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and, to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another”.  -J Robert Oppenheimer

...now I am become Death

16 track digital recording, 28 December 2013

keyboard, guitar

A very rough mix...

Piano and guitar

16 track digital recording, February 2014

synthesizer, keyboard (viola, oboe), guitars, bass, triggerfinger.

Painting: The Menin Road by Paul Nash

Famous last words

digital recording, 3 October 2014

laptop, samples

Let there be light

16 track digital recording, 4 and 9 January 2015

synthesizer, keyboard

Pulsar winds

16 track digital recording, 31 December 2014

I Pad.

A new beginning

16 track digital recording

triggerfinger, bass, guitars.

Cover of a song played by Dutch punkband The Jack Nicholson's Toilet Seeds, written by Peter with a little help from Ralph.

Holklap

16 track digital recording, 7 June 2015

synthesizer, samples

Dark matters

16 track digital recording, June-September 2015

synthesizer, keyboard (viola), guitars, e-bow, ac/el bassguitar, electric bassguitar.

Anyone interested in doing vocals, please contact me.

Under A Blue Moon (instrumental version)

16 track digital recording. Bassguitar, sampler (2004), synthesizer, guitar October 2015. Words July 2015.
Photograph by Oscar.

Anyone interested in doing vocals, please mail me. Here are some possible words...

The sun was hot  blazing in a blue autumn sky
We strolled the green hills and fields 
Without a care in the world
Like we did in younger days that were full of promise
Days that never seemed to end
We caught the colours of the falling leaves
Thinking this might go on forever
Thinking life might go on forever

The river was as cool and inviting
Under shadows of trees
its water clear and full of strength 
Running forever and ever
We saw flights of birds
And smelled the sweet scents of decay
But we didn’t catch the colours of the fallen leaves
imagining this might go on forever
imagining life might go on forever
									

Blue autumn sky  (instrumental mix)

First of all, I want to thank the wonderful SinTaMental (https://soundcloud.com/sintamental), who kindly  recorded the words 23 October 2015 (and made some corrections on the way).

Basic recording (bassguitar and sampler) was done somewhere in 2004, overdubs (guitar, synthesizer)were done 20 October 2015. Words were written on 30 July 2015.

Photograph by my brother  Oscar. I'd like to dedicate this song to him.

The sun was hot  blazing in a blue autumn sky
We strolled the green hills and fields 
Without a care in the world
Like we did in younger days that were full of promise
Days that never seemed to end
We caught the colours of the falling leaves
Thinking this might go on forever
Thinking life might go on forever

Under shadows of trees
The river was so cool and inviting
its water clear and full of strength 
Running forever and ever
We saw flights of birds
And smelled the sweet scents of decay
But we didn’t catch the colours of the fallen leaves
imagining this might go on forever
imagining life might go on forever
									

Blue autumn sky- collaboration with SinTaMental (see description)

16 track digital recording, January-February 2016

steel string guitar, slide, stompbox, I Pad (synthesizer, marimba, strings)

Departure

Quarkstrangenesscharm came across this early post of my mine and asked if he could add music to it. I was so very happy to oblige knowing it would be lovely and he is a pleasure to work with. I think you will agree that it is something special he has done, capturing the sensation, the mood of my words and sentiment.

Check him out. @quarkstrangesscharm

This is our second collaboration, in our first I read his words to his music. https://soundcloud.com/quarkstrangesscharm/blue-autumn-sky-collaboration-with-sintamental-see-description

We appreciate your listening, comments, and reposts very much. Thank you.


The world turns round
As I descend
Slowly spin
As I spiral down
The world turns black
It fades away
As consciousness escapes
To another plane
Eyes open
A different domain
A new world
Free of pain
Forever gone
My name
The darkest stain
Is all that remains
Tormented by what never should have been
Memories follow
And with them
All that was left behind


As The World Turns Round

As The World Turns Round (Collaboration with  Quarkstrangenesscharm)

Anexa (https://soundcloud.com/annnnushka) came with the idea of adding vocals to an existing instrumental, "De lange leegte" (https://soundcloud.com/quarkstrangesscharm/de-lange-leegte)... I think you'll agree that she did a wonderful job! For words she chose a poem by Russian poetess Anna Akhmatova, again an excellent choice!

Anexa is a great pleasure to work with, please check her out!https://soundcloud.com/annnnushka.

vocals: Anexa
words: Anna Akhmatova
instruments: Ralph

"I’ve ceased to smile long ago …" 

I’ve ceased to smile long ago,
The bitter winds now chill my lips,
Another hope was just let go,
Another song was added since.

Against my will, I’ll cede this song
To people’s laughter and offense,
Because love’s silence for the soul
Is too unbearably immense.

I've ceased to smile long ago- Anexa with quarkstrangenesscharm

16 track digital recording. Backing tracks recorded April 2014. Vocals recorded June 2014. Overdub keyboard recorded 21 August 2016.

Rob: vocals, music
Ralph: guitar, keyboards, music, words.

(A) (Song for whomever)

I wonder where I should be
seeing you in that velvet red dress
as if anything could match your cheeks 
eyes shining with expectance
on opening the door
I dream... yet do not sleep

would you still be
looking at the world through a child's eye
your words won't have to inhaled
to fan a smoldering fire
a clock losing its time
strangely it's at ease
I dream...yet do not sleep

when I sleep I dream
explaining these deeper thoughts
and everything that may matter
when you leave, leave
a confusion
you're still here
a trumpet 
in the distance
playing
at night

(A) song for whomever (vocal version)

16 track digital recording, May 2002.

Rob- violin
Ralph- sampler, keyboard

polyhymnia

Picked violin

16 track digital recording, October 2013 and February-April 2017

sampler, electronic percussion, synthesizer, fretless ukulele bass

Ancient Chant

For this collaboration Sulevia kindly provided the beautiful lyrics and painting. Sulevia, thank you for collaborating and for your patience!

Please check out her website for more wonderful poetry and painting, (http://www.sulevia.net). And please listen to her adventurous music (https://soundcloud.com/user-947999181)!

16 track digital recording, 22 February- 24 May 2017. Voice recorded by Sulevia, January 2017.

Sulevia: words, voice, artwork
Ralph: synthesizer, iPad (shakuhachi), bass, tenor ukulele, sample.

there´s a vibratory field that connects all things
time is timeless, compact, incomprehensible,
drifting in like leaves in storm
take, what I offer you
between colour-world and word
no questions, no answers
only now
divines, pulsates
heart-leaves-trembling
bound from sounds
silence-pressing
I search you
time borders trickle downhill
catch in morning dew 
what shows up shiny etheral 
gets through blood weave
and swings

Zeit Ist Zeitlos - Sulevia with quarkstrangenesscharm (see description for words)

Frostlake wrote words and vocal melodies for "Under a blue moon".
 I think she did a wonderful job, adding beautiful words and vocals and harmonies, creating a moody and sometimes haunting track. 
A very big thank you Jan, for this collaboration, for all your work and for your input...you gave this track a new life!

Please check out Frostlake (https://soundcloud.com/frostlake) for a very special mix of British psychedelics, folk and electronics. Frostlake is also a core member of Orchestra Of The Upper Atmosphere (www.discus-music.co.uk), that has been described as 'an improvising cosmic rock beast'.

Recorded september 2015 (backing tracks) and April-May 2017 (vocal tracks).

Frostlake: words, vocals, harmonies, final mix
and artwork.
quarkstrangenesscharm: synthesizers, electric and acoustic/electric bass, guitar and e-bow.

Under A Blue Moon
A lonely moon hangs among the darkest blue, for you and I share the same view high above from our different worlds but on the same earth. I am here, you are there, we breathe the same air yet I'm alone and I think of you, do you think of me under these stars, under this blue, under this rising moon?
(Frost hangs in the shadows bruised by a blue moon)

Under A Blue Moon- Frostlake with quarkstrangenesscharm (see description for lyrics and info)

16 track digital recording. Instrumental version. Anyone interested in doing voals?

bass, guitars, triggerfinger

lying like a dressed-up victim
did she hit the record button
do I have my looks this instance
will I have my twenty seonds fame now?

48 Seconds (vocalist wanted, see description)

16 track digital recording, 19 February and 2 March 2019.

Synthesizers, sample.

Siren's Call

How the night came (@howthenightcame) came up with the idea of making an album on Roman mythology (Ovid's great book Metamorphoses) and invited other artists to participate in the project. 
The results are very nice I think: 21 tracks based on his favourite stories, while collaborating with lovely artists like Hypoid (@hypoidsound, www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_iQ5JFusPt9EIwKIZ5rew) and Daniel Diaz (dedeland.com, @daniel-diaz) amongst others.

“Ovid stares at The Black Sea (Niobes return)” was the track I was asked to collaborate on. The story is about a woman who turns to stone: (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niobe)
The basic tracks and final mix are How the night came’s. Thanks Martin, for your confidence and all your work!

Here you can listen to (or download) The Ovid album: howthenightcame.bandcamp.com/album/metamorphoses with an accompanying PDF which gives you some information about the project.
For more info: howthenightcame.wordpress.com/
www.youtube.com/channel/UCPGfN1lu3WZovgIA42_G0eg

How The Night Came - 21. Ovid Stares At The Black Sea (Niobe's Return) -with Quarkstrangenesscharm-

16 track digital recording, February 2007

Rob- vocal, words, music, guitar
Ralph- bass, guitar, music, electronic percussion

Honey (Don't be bitter)

16 track, recorded 21 April, 23-24 October 2019.

Audiokit synthesizers, guitars.

Tender Is The Night

Recorded 22 December 2019 and 31 January 2020.

synthesizers, Roland TR-8, Chinese percussion, sample

Shimmering Clouds

16 track recording, July 2017 (basictracks) and October 2019 (overdub).

synthesizers, guitar.

Sunrise

16 track digital recording, 23 November 2019

I had rather vague memories of the first scene of The Shining, but what I did remember clearly was the sense of total desolation and impending doom. In other words, perfect to try to make (new) music for it.
It was not my intention to redo the work of Wendy Carlos...her soundtrack is chilling to the bone and unsettling and fits perfectly. This is just another interpretation, a different approach. And it was fun making it.

For those who haven't seen the movie: the first scene is on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+shining+first+scene

The Shining (first scene) -alternative soundtrack

16 track digital recording, May 2002

Oscar- sampler
Ralph- sampler

Ozzy

Ambient, soundtracks, instrumentals.

for different sounds see also:
https://soundcloud.com/delichtmorbidebrigade
https://soundcloud.com/thefactsoffiction
https://soundcloud.com/bint-4
https://soundcloud.com/rgmb-1


Thank you for lending an ear.

quarkstrangenesscharm

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