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, 2 April 2013.

sampler, hammered keyboard

A chance meeting

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 that are darker than before (see description)

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).

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)

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

As I try to follow the news about the war in Ukraine, I feel increasingly  pessimistic about a "good" outcome (i.e. an end of the hostilities and withdrawal of all Russian troops from all of the Ukraine could be a start...)
War has its own dynamic. With every kind of rhetoric, bluff and outright threats (from both sides),we are quickly getting closer to the abyss...we are desperately in need of common sense, more than brinkmanship or anything else...and there's really no time to lose if we want man and earth to survive!

This mess was recorded  in the last days of June and the start of July 2022 with synthesizers and a sampler. I prefer to listen to it with headphones.
The title is derived from a book by William Burroughs.

A Report From The Bunker (see description)

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 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)

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

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)

16 track digital recording, August 2012. Bassguitar overdub August 2017

Rob: vocals, words
Ralph: guitar, sampler, bass

Feed Me

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, May 2002

Oscar- sampler
Rob- vocal, violin, bowed mandoline
Ralph- sampler, guitar, percussion

polyhymnia

Laughter

Recorded 14 June 2014; overdub 25 January 2019.

synthesizers, stringensemble

A Morning Walk In Springtime

16 track digital recording, 18 March 2017. Overdubs (bass and drummachine) December 2018.

Synthesizers, bass, Roland TR 8

How would you act if you were in the same position?

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, 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

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

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks