The Gunk OST // Interview With Ratvader

February 01, 2022 • ambient • chillwave • interview • orchestral • soundtrack

FFO: Bionic Commando, Motor Crush, The Outer Worlds and Vane

Favourite Track: Gardener (III)

Ratvader was kind enough to answer a few questions we had about their work. Here's what they had to say!

Q1: A couple of years ago you worked on the music for a side scrolling platformer called Wunderling. Were there any classic games from the genre you looked to for inspiration?

A1: Loads of them! Mario of curse.

I’ve been exploring different moods of musical expression these past years and rediscovered my love for films and the film music universe, even though it feels like Im just scratching the surface.

I can appreciate the discussion about the game industry referring and taking references/inspiration almost only from games but there are so much media to explore and draw inspiration from!

I fell in love with the movie ”Portrait of a Lady on Fire” just recently. I recall the whole movie being musically silent with the exceptions of two actions. It was very powerfull and emotional.

Q2: Your latest work on The Gunk is the first 3D game you have scored.
Is that something you took into account when creating the music?

A2: Not really, the technical aspect are there of course. If the music conveys the message and helps telling the story it’s very similar, at least for me.

Q3: In The Gunk you explore an alien planet. How did that affect your decision making regarding instrumentation?

A3: There was a lot of experimentation going in to this project, especially in preproduction. I wanted to see how far I could move away from the “space-synth” sound, thus the harmonium, melodica, celesta and pumporgan. I also knew I wanted to work with the cello player Björn Risberg who in the beginning of The Gunk was helping me with another soundtrack and game that I’m now in the works of completing. Both him and the the Viola/violinist Agnes Högberg where in my mind from day one. All themes and melodies where sketched with sampled string instruments and the songs was built from there.

Other than that there was an early discussion going on what the Gobblers voice would sound like. Though the final result moved away from the original idé, the idé was that they would whistle-talk. In the preproduction and in the final soundtrack I built some own sampled instruments with different flutes and other instruments. So the whole idé of air driven instrument was something I worked with at en early stage. The organ, harmonium and pumporgan followed that idé like a thread thought out the whole project.

Q4: A lot of your Ratvader releases contain chiptune elements.
What hardware or software do you use to produce those sounds?

A4: Yes! I was/am part of a band called Hello World and my good friend Eli Hedman uses a Gameboy and a sequencer ”game” controlling the gameboys audio. We would almost exclusively work around that and he is a mastermind at work with those things. When working alone I use the Plogue chipsounds and the amazing free Ymck magical 8bit plug 1-2. Definitely something to check out and support if you are in to that sound!

Q5: What have you been gaming lately?

Q5: Right now I’m playing Disco elysium, some Red dead redemption 2. I finished Far Lone Sails and Wavetail a while back. Both with lovely soundtrack from Joel Schoch (Far lone sails) and Joel Bille (Wavetail).

Find more of their music below.

www.ratvader.com
mobile.twitter.com/ratvader

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