Collaborations

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, 2 April 2013.

sampler, hammered keyboard

A brief encounter

Recorded 29July 2017, overdubs 5 December 2021.

Somehow these words on the not quite carefree beginning of a romance, came with it. I can't sing them, I doubt it if anyone could (but please feel free to try it... :))

Under the trees the river saw us embrace
Heard two hearts beating restlessly yet seeming safe
As the evening sun kissed the gentle waves
it never seemed to wonder why we came
While you and I dreamed of a ship to sail away
In still waters that are darker than before

synthesizers, guitar, e-bow.

...in still waters (instrumental version)

A collaboration a long time in waiting. My friend embedded my words deep within his rich reality long, long ago. Now it has made it here.

With the utmost appreciation for taking my words to the music you enveloped them in, I thank you my dear friend.

Find him here and you are sure to stay a while.
https://soundcloud.com/quarkstrangesscharm

Inescapable Mind with music by Quarkstrangenesscharm

Cover of a song by Adrain Borland, recorded by The Sound on their album "Shock of Daylight".
Recorded September 2021 (synthesizer, bass) and February 2022 (vocals, iPad). 
Thank you brigadier R (courtesy of https://soundcloud.com/no-fi-1) for lending a hand!

brigadier R: vocals
qsc: Audiokit and Korg Minilogue XD synthesizers, bass, iPad (cello, oboe, clarinet)., string arrangements

Winter (cover, original by The Sound)

A fieldrecording to celebrate the coming of spring. Or to take your mind off the dreadful things that happen in Ukraine. It might be a comforting thought that nature carries on, no matter what we do...

Nature awakens (and Man too)

There is the one-man campaign against the war by the former Soviet air force pilot Volodymir Bilevich; when arrested by the police he responds "Guys, this is the country that defeated fascism. Now, a man with a slogan 'No to war' is arrested. What kind of world are we living in?"
There is Yevgeni Albats, a journalist in Moscow, who is staying in Russia despite a new law that could jail journalists. She speaks to CNN: "I am so ashamed of my country...ashamed that my taxes go into bombs that kill people in Ukraine".
There are still anti-war protesters who, armed with nothing but protest signs (and an occasional didgeridoo), defy the riot police, risking jail sentences up to fifteen years.
And last night, there was Marina Ovsyannikova. During a live broadcast related to the Russian invasion, she appeared behind the news anchor, carrying a poster stating: "No war. Stop the war , don't believe  the propaganda, here you are being lied to."

As long as there are brave people like Marina Ovsyannikova, Yevgeni Albats, Volodymir Bilevich and all those other yet unknown people who protest against the war and oppose Putin, there is still hope. Hope that the dreadful war stops. Before it's too late...

This mess was recorded March 2022, using Korg Minilogue XD and Audiokit synthesizers, guitar and sampler.

нет войне No to war! (see description)

16 track digital recording, 13, 20 and 21 December 2013

synthesizer, sampler, computer

A strange and sometimes scary dream

Suzy Hazelwood makes lovely photographs and videos. Besides that, she’s a very gifted writer too. So I’m very grateful to her for allowing me again to add music to her poetry. 
A big thank you Suzy, for your kindness and for your beautiful words and voice!
You can find Suzy Hazelwoods photograps and videos on suzyhazelwood.tumblr.com/ and vimeo.com/user48871036. And check out her wonderful poetry and voice (@suzyhazelwood) and (wordmusing.wordpress.com/)

Suzy Hazelwood: words, voice
qsc: noises and sounds

"Recollection Chills" Spoken Word By Suzy Hazelwood with quarkstrangenesscharm, see description

16 track digital recording, 4 and 5 January 2014
Available on Bandcamp (http://quarkstrangestcharm.bandcamp.com/track/the-unknown)

laptop

The unknown

I'm really happy to post this collaboration with E-noki . With her wonderful voice and cool production techniques she gave new life to this track. Thank you so much for all your work and input E-noki! And for proving at least some of my words turn out to be singable after all :).

For E-noki's solowork, please go to @e-noki); for the equally adventurous and beautiful collaboration of E-noki with Karl Gründer make sure to visit Anouge (@anougemusic)!

Finally: a big thank you to my friend SinTaMental (@sintamental), who made all of this possible in the first place!

Recorded 29July 2017, overdubs 5 December 2021.
Vocals recorded by E-noki January 2022.

E-noki: vocals, electronics, music and final mix
qsc: words and music, synthesizers, bowed guitar

Under the trees the river saw us embrace
Heard two hearts beating restlessly yet seeming safe
As the evening sun kissed the gentle waves
it never seemed to wonder why we came
While you and I dreamed of a ship to sail away
In still waters that are darker than before

"...in still waters" E-noki with quarkstrangenesscharm

16 track digital recording, February 2014

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

Painting: The Menin Road by Paul Nash

Famous last words

16 track, recorded February-December 2022.  Anyone interested in trying some vocals, please contact me.

Let's meet in our dreams she said
As if we could find the keys to a secret kingdom
Where anything could happen
As if she knew
only magic could  keep this love alive

qsc: synthesizers, guitars+delay, fretless bass

Rehearsal for a dream (see description)

Recorded June and November 2022,

synthesizers, fretless bass.

Shortcuts to a detour

Digital recording, October 2011 and January 2012.

Rob- vocals, words, music
qsc- guitar, bass, triggerfinger, words, music

(Thoughts from the)kitchen sink

what to wear tonight
while you’re wearing me out
who’s going to fill your diary tomorrow
switch me on
switch me off
I’m not the phone to pick up
I’m not the floor to walk upon

who needs a book these days
as he hit his next bottle
how do you move me in your last movie
switch it on
switch it off
you’re not my answerphone
you’re not the words I long to hear

“what part do I play in your novel” you might say
it’s all up in the air
and I’m not going anywhere
apart from
the kitchen sink

where are you taking this ride
in a borrowed car
how do you wind me through this movie
switch me on
switch me off
I’m not your terror vision
switch me on
switch me off
I’m but a broken mirror

(thoughts from) the kitchensink

4 track analog and 16 track digital recording. 

Rob- vocals, words, music
qsc- guitars, bass, percussion, Korg Minilogue synthesizer

Een kwestie van timing

16 track digital recording, 4 and 9 January 2015

synthesizer, keyboard

Pulsar winds

16 track digital recording, 7 June 2015

synthesizer, samples

Dark matters

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 acoustic guitar, slide, stompbox, iPad (synthesizer, marimba, strings)

Departure

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

In an attempt to create something longer than the usual 3 or 4 minutes, I combined tracks that have more or less the same theme.  A true mix-up...

Back to nature

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

sampler, electronic percussion, synthesizer, fretless ukulele bass

Ancient Chant

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)

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, 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, 26 december 2011

keyboard, computer, sampler

In the waiting room

4 track analogue recording, May 2001

guitars, e-bow, delay

Intro

16 track digital recording, June  2002

guitar, slide, e-bow, keyboard (vibraphone)

De lange leegte

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

Ozzy

Thanks for lending an ear.

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

quarkstrangenesscharm

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