Collaborations with my fellow Mektoub Musicians in which I have played a part - either vocally or instrumentally.  Please visit Mektoub Music's page, @mektoub-music for the complete 30-track soundtrack!  Thank you for listening here :)

Mektoub Music Collaborations (The Call of Mektoub eBook, 2013)

Prologue to the story, "The Story Begins & How the Story Began".

December is almost here, so listen for the call: 

"Destiny's calling, it's waiting for you - the place where your wishes can come true..."

Composed and performed by:

Alexander Hallberg: https://soundcloud.com/booback (track composition & production)
Ed Haydon: https://soundcloud.com/edhaydon (additional orchestration)
Helen Suzanne: https://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius (lyrics, vocals, vocal melody)


Buy for MM charities

'Destiny (The Story Begins)' by Alexander Hallberg & Sleepingenius

Bonus track for Chapter 8 - "We Finally Meet Mektoub"

By:
http://soundcloud.com/edhaydon
http://soundcloud.com/booback
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius

"Jack stopped by the door as he passed and listened to Emma’s soft voice. The door was slightly open and he could just see the two of them propped against the plump white pillows in their snowy white castle. Emma’s head was tilted sideways over Lucy’s as she sang to her, and her curl fell softly across her brow. For those few precious moments, he forgot all about Whipper Whopper and the pain in his arm. 

“For as long as you believe, there will always be a better tomorrow,” he whispered to himself and quietly walked away."

Extract from Chapter 8 of "The Call of Mektoub" © Helen S Michaelsen (Sleepingenus Creative Enterprises) 2013.

Chapter 8 - 'Lullaby of Dreams (vocal version)' by Haydon, Hallberg & Sleepingenius

Soundtrack for Chapter 11 - "Best Laid Plans"

By:
http://soundcloud.com/ascoltadi - piano
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius (Helen Suzanne) - first synth and strings
http://soundcloud.com/absorption (David Pugh) - effects & string re-mastering

Chapter 11 - 'Moonrise' by Dirk Maassen, David Pugh & Sleepingenius

Soundtrack for Chapter 14 - "The Last We See of Whipper Whopper"

By: 
http://soundcloud.com/ted-morgan - keyboards and synths, effects
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius - additional synth & effects

Chapter 14 - 'Secrets of the Past' by Ted Morgan & Sleepingenius

Bonus vocal track for Chapter 15 - "The Best Present"

By:
http://soundcloud.com/edhaydon - piano & orchestration
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius - lyrics & vocal

Chapter 15 - 'Toy Land Dreams (vocal version)' by Ed Haydon & Sleepingenius

Extract from Chapter Twenty: We Say Farewell...

“I suppose we should get back,” Jack said quietly, “It’s getting late.”
 They turned round and headed back toward the Christmas Lodge.

“Are you coming with us?” asked Emma, twiddling the drawstring of her coat.

“Not all of the way. I’ll catch up with you as soon as I can, but I need to make a head start to make the most of the frost. There’s a heavy fog due later tonight and unfortunately I cannot paint in the fog, the dampness frizzes my brushes!” Jack laughed and pulled a face, much as Emma would have done, had she said the same thing.

Emma did her best to smile, trying to ignore the heaviness she felt in her heart. It was going to be hard to say goodbye.

“As long as we can say goodbye properly – I would hate to leave without saying thank you,” she said, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

“We shall say only ‘allti herre’! It means ‘always here’, because your heart will always be here, so you will never really have to say goodbye.” Jack looked directly at Emma as he spoke, his tall, slender, winged frame as elegant as a statue against the backdrop of snowy fields beyond.

“Very true,” Emma replied, knowing that part of her would always belong in that beautiful place. “So, ‘allti herre’, then!” she added cheerfully, trying to disguise how she was really feeling.

Jack smiled and then stopped with a puzzled look on his face. He felt his chest pocket and then his coat pockets on each side of his jacket, but then looked relieved as he found a small silver box and pulled it out.

“This is for you,” he said, offering the box to Emma.
Surprised and delighted, Emma took the box from Jack and held it up so that it glistened in the light from the nearby lantern.

“Should I open it now or later?” she asked, desperate to know what was inside.

“Why don’t you keep it until you reach home? You’ll know when it’s time. It is only small, but it will help you remember…” Jack smiled.

“I don’t think I shall ever forget! I wish I had something for you,” she said apologetically.

“You have given me new hope,” replied Jack, bowing his head respectfully, “and no one can ever give a gift greater than that.”

The two looked at each other in an awkward silence. There was so much they wanted to say, but they both knew that their paths would lead them on separate journeys.

Emma took a deep breath and patted her legs to keep warm. Suddenly, she felt the pen inside her coat pocket and unzipped it to reach inside and pull it out. “Please take this, Jack. I’m rather fond of it and it will always remind you of my lack of sleigh-driving skills!” she laughed as she handed the silver reindeer pen to Jack.

He studied it for a moment, then looking up at Emma, said softly, “Thank you, it’s perfect.”

“M-U-M-M-Y!” came Lucy’s excited voice from the doorway. “Come on! Mektoub says it’s time to get ready.”
...


Bonus vocal track for Chapter 20 - "We Say Farewell"

By:
http://soundcloud.com/ted-morgan - piano & orchestration
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius - lyrics & vocal (also tings & sparkles!)

Chapter 20 - 'Allti Herre (vocal vers)' + Story Extract in Description - Ted Morgan & Sleepingenius

The End of the Story ... for now 

By:
http://soundcloud.com/booback - piano, orchestration & production
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius - lyrics, vocal melody & vocals

Epilogue - 'Destiny is Calling' by Alexander Hallberg & Sleepingenius

A new version of the soundtrack for Chapter Two - Strange Visitors in the Night...

By @christian-welde & @sleepingenius 
Copyright 2015

Chapter 2 - 'Prelude To A Fairytale (vocal version)' - Christian Welde & Sleepingenius

Soundtrack for Chapter 24 - Christmas Eve

http://soundcloud.com/oliversadie
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius

" ... Outside, the full moon was shining brightly and the sky was surprisingly clear.	

“Wow, look at the moon, Mummy! Isn't it bright tonight?  I wonder if we can see Princess Serena's yacht?”  

	Emma lifted her face to the sky and felt the breeze brush over her cheeks and gently blow her curl across her forehead.  It felt wonderfully peaceful, as if at last everything was as it should be.  And then she noticed something falling from the sky, softly floating between the twisted branches of the oak tree.  Tumbling gently, spinning and spiralling in the breeze and catching the light of the moon, it fell towards the two figures standing side by side on the patio.  “Look Lucy, a snowflake!” Emma whispered loudly.

	Emma and Lucy looked up into the clear night sky in amazement, watching one snowflake, then another, and then another lightly falling from the starlit blackness above.

	“How can it be snowing?  There are no snow clouds?” Lucy asked with a look of wonder lighting up her face.

	Emma smiled, “Anything is possible if you believe...”  

Excerpt from "The Call of Mektoub" by Helen S Michaelsen, copyright 2013

Chapter 24 - 'The Call of Mektoub (Snowfall)' by Oliver Sadie & Sleepingenius

Soundtrack for Chapter Three - Strange Visitors in the Night

http://soundcloud.com/ascoltadi - Piano 
http://soundcloud.com/booback - Strings & FX 
http://soundcloud.com/sleepingenius - Original Mektoub theme & sample editing

"...The strange, tall elfin man stood up and walked towards the sideboard. He ran his long fingers gently across the cover of The Book, then turned to Emma and asked, “May I?” with his hand poised to open The Book at Chapter Five.

“Yes, of course.” It suddenly dawned on Emma, that the loose page from The Book, the shooting star and the unlikely meeting with Jack Frost and Tweeny Bunting were not a coincidence.

As Jack carefully opened The Book, a faint tinkling sound echoed around the room and a shower of magical dust burst from its pages. Emma felt Lucy’s arm wrap itself tightly around hers. She had just walked back into the room and had seen the starburst of twinkling dust from the doorway. Neither could speak, but Lucy felt her mother’s hand squeeze her arm protectively.

	Jack’s face was sombre. “Whipper Whopper has returned.”

Jack did not like Whipper Whopper. In fact, he loathed him. Merely the mention of his name would make the normally quiet and dreamy-headed frost-maker tremble with rage.
 
The clock on the mantelpiece struck eight. Jack stared at it, stroking his chin thoughtfully..."

Excerpt from "The Call of Mektoub" by Helen S Michaelsen © 2013

Chapter 3 - 'Secrets of The Book' by Dirk Maassen, Alexander Hallberg & Sleepingenius

Sleepingenius: The creativity within, awakened by moments of inspiration...

Despite the name, I don't claim to be any type of genius!  Over time, Sleepingenius has simply become my "trademark", and all my writing is copyrighted to Sleepingenius Creative Enterprises.  It is simply an avatar that I created several years ago, whilst scribbling away into the night.  Similarly, "theHelenigma" became my Twitter avatar, as a humorous reflection of how we are perceived by those who don't really know us.  

When I started writing poetry and lyrics here in 2012, it was purely to fulfil a creative need to touch something beyond the boundaries of everyday living.  I never expected to sing my words as well as speak them, but if you like what you hear, then I am very grateful to be able to share it with you, and I respect everyone here who shares their talent and time.  

I was delighted to join the Legacy of Thought label in 2016,  and become part of its rapidly increasing catalogue of electronic music tracks and albums, together with several of my Soundcloud friends and peers.  

I truly appreciate having the opportunity to work with an ever-growing list of wonderfully talented musicians, some of whom have become very dear friends.  Please take a little time to listen to their work when you can...

https://soundcloud.com/northstar11
https://soundcloud.com/timeaway
https://soundcloud.com/dj-rubberman
https://soundcloud.com/christian-welde
https://soundcloud.com/tolubai
https://soundcloud.com/nickrdavies
https://soundcloud.com/kenny-mitchell-28
https://soundcloud.com/dan-t-3
https://soundcloud.com/rock-flexible
http://soundcloud.com/ted-morgan
http://soundcloud.com/ascoltadi
http://soundcloud.com/countersilence
http://soundcloud.com/k37productions
http://soundcloud.com/edhaydon
http://soundcloud.com/oystein-jorgensen
http://soundcloud.com/oliversadie 
http://soundcloud.com/andreas-akwara
http://soundcloud.com/booback
http://soundcloud.com/absorption 
http://soundcloud.com/oxfordambient

Thank you :)