"Avalon Lake"
Valhjim

"'But now farewell. [saith King Arthur] I am going a long way
With these thou seëst—if indeed I go—
(For all my mind is clouded with a doubt)
To the island-valley of Avilion;
Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow,
Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies
Deep-meadow'd, happy, fair with orchard-lawns
And bowery hollows crown'd with summer sea,
Where I will heal me of my grievous wound."

         "So said he, and the barge with oar and sail
Moved from the brink, like some full-breasted swan
That, fluting a wild carol ere her death,
Ruffles her pure cold plume, and takes the flood
With swarthy webs. Long stood Sir Bedivere
Revolving many memories, till the hull
Look'd one black dot against the verge of dawn,
And on the mere the wailing died away." 

               — Lord Tennyson, "Mortedarthur."

Valhjim: synthesizers, samplers, and guitars.
Martin Miers: drums. 

Music by Valhjim
© 2023 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Avalon Lake - Valhjim w/Martin Miers

Music and Words by Jim Haptonstahl
Jim Haptonstahl - vocals and 6-string guitar

2004 re-recording of song from mid-1970s, engineered by Bradley Williams, mixed and mastered by Jim Haptonstahl [found in the "archives"!] Now part of "Origins" album

Inspired by twilight scene at Lake Storey in Galesburg, IL

Cold White Eye

Remix of song composed in 1977 and recorded in 2004, with more instrumentation added in 2023. Words & Music by Jim Haptonstahl. Special thanks to John Pennington, Knox College Professor of Music, for ably transcribing the song into sheet music along with 15 other tunes from my "Seventh Recurring Dream" song cycle.

Cold White Eye REMIX

Music copyright:
(C) 2023 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Quotes from Sarah Tealsdale's "There Will Come Soft Rains."

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,
[....]
And not one will know of the war, not one
[....]
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

There will come soft rains.
There will come soft rains.
There will come soft rains.

There Will Come Soft Rains

Psychedelic Salamander
Valhjim

"Enter the realm of the unknown with 'Psychedelic Salamander,' a journey through swirling soundscapes and enigmatic melodies. Opening with a cacophony of murmurs, sighs, and percussive rhythms, the track quickly evolves into an otherworldly experience, blending haunting synth drones with the ethereal tones of a flute. As the percussion persists, an electric guitar screams to life, intertwining with mysterious hisses and noise effects, leading listeners deeper into the sonic abyss. In its final movement, 'Psychedelic Salamander' unveils a hypnotic fusion of bass lines, reverse guitar riffs, and pulsating synths, inviting you to surrender to its mesmerizing groove."

Thanks to Martin Miers for his stupendous work on percussions.

Thanks for listening
and for your always kind and encouraging words.

I hope you like this experimental composition.

Valhjim


(C)2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Psychedelic Salamander - Valhjim w/Martin Miers

Nycteris and the Lamp
Valhjim

Embark on a journey into the solitary world of "Nycteris and the Lamp," a haunting melody that whispers of a young maiden's lonely existence within the confines of a castle tower. Born into darkness, her only companion is the gentle glow of a solitary lamp, casting shadows upon walls untouched by the sun or moon. 

Through ethereal choirs and cascading synthesizers, the song envelops listeners in the eerie tranquility of her secluded life.

"Nycteris and the Lamp" is a testament to the power of music to evoke emotion and transport listeners to realms unknown.

(Included in the album "Photogen and Nycteris: An Electronic Rock Fantasia.")

Hope you like it, folks.
Thanks for listening
and for your kind comments.

Thanks to Martin Miers for playing drums.

Valhjim

(C) 2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Nycteris and The Lamp

Vesper, The Dark Lady
Valhjim

In George MacDonald's "The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris," Vesper, the Dark Lady, is lured to Watho's castle to heal from her husband's untimely death. In a shadowy chamber, she looks upon the night sky, where a full moon shines a silvery light upon her face. Nature's sounds outside bring comfort to her as she intones a melancholy tune into the evening.

In time, Vesper gives birth to a baby girl, "Nycteris," whom Watho is to raise in a dark tower, never to know day or the light of the sun.

(Included in the album "Photogen and Nycteris: An Electronic Rock Fantasia.")

Hope you like it, folks.

Thank you so much for listening
and for your kind words.

Thanks to Rik Irvine for his magic drums
and Luca Ascari for his wondrous work 
on synthesizers and SFX. 

Valhjim

(C) 204 Jim Valero (All rights reserved).

Vesper

Long Forgotten Tomorrows
Valhjim w/Luca Ascari

"Long Forgotten Tomorrows" is a multifaceted musical journey, shifting seamlessly between various soundscapes and textures. From haunting synthesizers to nostalgic string melodies, each section offers a distinct emotional experience. Vocalizations emerge subtly alongside impactful sound effects, creating a rich sonic tapestry. With its dynamic range and intricate layers, the song invites listeners to explore a vivid world of imagination and discovery.

Hope you like this one, folks.
Thanks for listening
and for your kind comments.

Valhjim

(C) 2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Long Forgotten Tomorrows - Valhjim  w/Luca Ascari

Long Forgotten Tomorrows - Valhjim W - The X

In George MacDonald's "The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris," Vesper  the Dark Lady, is lured to Watho's castle to heal from her husband's untimely death. In a shadowy chamber, she looks upon the night sky, where a full moon shines a silvery light upon her face. Nature's sounds outside bring comfort to her as she intones a melancholy tune into the evening.
In time, Vesper gives birth to a baby girl, "Nycteris," whom Watho is to raise in a dark tower, never to know day or the light of the sun.

Hope you like it, folks.

Thank you so much for listening
and for your kind words.

Thanks to Rik Irvine for his magic drums
and Jim Valero for his wonderful work

The  X

Luca Ascari  (The X) (All rights reserved).

Vesper The Dark Lady - Valhjim - The X - Rik Irvine

Encounter
Valhjim

"Embracing each other, they stood in the midst of the wide grassy land, neither of them able to move a step, each supported only by the leaning weakness of the other, each ready to fall if the other should move...."
                              --  George MacDonald.

"Encounter" is a soft-feathered piece featuring the liquid sounds of piano notes and clusters of choirs and strings soaring into the heart and mind. It recreates sonically the encouter of PHotogen and Nuycteris as they lean against each other in the valley twilight, sttempting to escape from Watho, the white witch. 

(Included in the album "Photogen and Nycteris: An Electronic Rock Fantasia.")

I hope you like this piece, folks.
Thank you for listening
and for your always kind words
of encouragement.

Valhjim 

(C) 2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Encounter

"Chloe and the Shepherd"
Valhjim


In Arcadia’s whispering meads, where dreams took flight,
Lived Chloe, a nymph with laughter pure and bright,
Her mirth the brook’s sweet song, a pure delight.
One twilight eve, her emerald eyes did light
Upon Lyros, a shepherd youth whose tune
Could weave the night into the dawn's soft light.
Enchanted by his lyre, beneath the moon,
Chloe danced, her steps like blooms in June.

Yet time, a thief, did steal Lyros's breath,
His melodies grew faint, a waning rune.
Bound to eternal spring, Chloe felt death
Approach, as autumn claimed its yearly boon.
Lyros's final note, his last bequeath,
Left Chloe in a melancholy swoon.

Her tears, like rain, brought blossoms to the glade,
Alone she wandered, heart in sorrow's shade.
Their love, a ghostly echo, now decayed,
A harmony of loss in Arcady’s glade.


Hope you like this little mythical fantasy.

Thanks for listening
and for your always kind words.

Valhjim

(C)2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved)

Chloe and the Shepherd

"They Spoke No Words"
Valhjim

"They spoke no words
  The visitor, the host,
  and the white chrysanthemum"
                    -- Haiku by Oshima Ryota.

This composition is in response to the NAVIAR HAIKU MUSIC CHALLENGE (555).
https://gate.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.naviarrecords.com%2Fnaviarhaiku555-they-spoke-no-words%2F&token=93affd-1-1724339332349

Hope you like it, folks.
Thanks for listening
and for your always kind and candid words.

Valhjim 
(C) 2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved)

They Spoke No words - [NAVIARHAIKU555]

"Dripstone Dreams"
Valhjim 

Deep in the ancient cave, a dripstone dreams of ages past buried in time. Shadows move in dense damp, voices whisper, sigh, moan. Dreams move in slow motion; they come and go in the cave from a time when the world was young, and men and women sought shelter inside. Now, their voices, like their presence, are frozen in time and space, somewhere in the universe.

Valhjim - Guitars, synthesizers, samplers.
Martin Miers - Drums and percussion.

Hope you like this son, folks.
Thanks for listening
and for your always kind and candid words.

Valhjim
(C) 2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved).

Dripstone Dreams - Valhjim w/Martin Miers

"Star Shower"
Valhjim

In hard times, the stars at night glimmer
against the dark like fireflies 
on a path lost in the evening cold. 

Far in the distance, 
a larger star flicker seems to beckon with its light.
The star, however, has no designs,  

no empathy,

merely a huge celestial body burning itself out
in an indifferent universe until it explodes 
with the force of a million suns. 

Whatever meaning it may hold, it is mine to give.
This is one inalienable right that tyrants 

can never take away.

0911202411:43 AM
**************************************

Valhjim: synthesizers, samplers, guitars.
Martin Miers: drums and percussions.

Hope you like this song, my friends.

Thanks for listening
and for your kind and candid comments.

(C) 2024 Jim Valero (all rights reserved)..

Star Shower - Valhjim w/Martin Miers

Luca Ascari as The X  from Italy . During 2000 years,The X dedicated to projects on the search for contemporary electronic rhythms sounds (Jungle, Drum'bass, Electro etc. ..) in a Electropop project called Khallàs with the Album "Pop affinity and divergences" Italian sung with Slovenian vocalist Natasha Pribac.Electronic sound with ethnic references and collabaration by musicians and vocalists from north Africa. In parallel give birth to "Double Six Project" an electronic Journey with world ethnic sounds references with assets of 2 albums chill ambient style.In 2010 world artists collaborations as the U.S.A. vocalist Diana Gen from Tucson Arizona,from Uk the vocalist Kherry Lucia Hernandez,and from NYC the artist vocalist Kyle Monroe. These collaborations and many other gave birth to the album " Entertainment" a mixture of many differents track and music genres based on the all collaborations by The X. In first 2012 months "Transmutation" album, ambient soundscape with professional Italian vocalist StefaniaLapertosa.Sound approach to a languid tones, avantgarde , surreal and dreamy atmospheres with minimal environmental and technical . A psychedelic sound fashinating plot tended to express the necessity of introspection. Reached a level of maturity are able to fuse electronic beats, ethereal vocals ,acoustic instruments and singing in a armonic cartilage. .Fundamental association with The X , is the artist composer musician Andrew Manning (Ulr2raViolet) from UK with wich is born the project "Luminescence" experimental album by 2 two shrewd jugglers of electronic and ambient sound .An exchange of views and interpretations of songs by The X and Ul2raViolet. Remixing tracks from each other, with a result of a magical mix with ethereal atmospheres, sound manipulation, deconstructions and reconstructions ,a cosmic music without borders, full of whistles sidereal, suffused with drones and slow, sprinkled with small dissonances environmental, a futuristic sound collage. In 2013 new album by The X " Unseasonable Pleasure" result of collaboration with many professional artists (vocalists and musicians) from different world places. Rachel Rae (UK) Samara Lustemberg (Belgium) Andrew Maning 's Ul2raViolet (UK) Sinta Margot Spector (South Africa) Noye + Crois (Japan) Stefania Lapertosa (Italy) Vladimir Korin (Russia) Samantha Owens (U.S.A.) Koichiro Shigeno (Japan).Eccentric arrangements, avant-garde shades, experimental cosmic etheric vocalism,dissonant cold,inert, ghostly electronic, in a fusion of magic, irony and pathos. Music for brain,not for heart, but with some startled to heart. In first months of 2014 The X released a new EP (Neoclassical/Avantgarde Dark/Noise Style with the German composer vocalist Petra Kutschera).In 2015 New start in Industrial style, demos with american Sound Enginer (from California Jeremiah Whitman) from Los Angeles Caroline Ladd and from Poland Mdlene Korps as Magotiv.New works Electro Minimal/Noise Ambient style with Adam Mankowski as Limited Liability Sounds from Poland.
New collaboration  with composer vocalist Belita Adair as Killer Cult Demon from Las Vegas,gloomy harmonies as occult cerimonial,electronic dissonance and dark arrangements. Now The X is working to 2 new differents albums 1st with a ground-breaking research on the sound of the 80's such as ambient shoegaze drone in contemporary indie rock style..(with the collaboaration af Aura (Canadian vocalist recognized in home...)..2nd innovoation Alternative Indie Rock  Neofolk sound proj Called  Grave Closure with composer vocalist David Antony Rogers from UK.

Singer-songwriter Jim Haptonstahl creates a swirling tapestry of sound, evoking images of prairie land and sky-scapes mixed with voyages into deep recesses of the soul. With an assortment of six and twelve string guitars, vocals, percussion and myriad other instruments, Haptonstahl explores a wide and eclectic sonic spectrum. 

Valhjim is a music composer with an eclectic approach to different genres: rock, pop, folk, New Age, and experimental electronic music. Greatly driven by imagination and poetic imagery, he combines multiple instrumental textures to fire the imagination of his listeners. 

His more experimental ambience and electronic music is built with layers of suggestive sound textures, rhythms, and melodic lines that stir the imagination into suggestive imagery and worlds unseen, true architectures of sound that open up limitless spaces to explore. Often Valhjim's melodies sail through genre thresholds, crossing over from one genre to another, from neo classcal to electronic, or from jazz to rock or new age.

New tracks tagged #imagistic