MPD
This is half of a soundtrack I intended to create for a canceled ambitious survival game project by Bitrium. Initially the pieces had no actual names and were simply called "Forest", "Pyramid", "Tundra", etc. and may be referred to as such. Because the soundtrack was written before the game's production, which was ultimately canceled, many tracks would possibly not fit in-game. Instead, they ended up being a great challenge which enriched my music experience.
Unnamed (aka. "Forest")
The first theme I wrote for the new Bitrium survival game, provisionally named MPD. It is based on another theme called "Murmurs" (which was to serve as the title theme for the game) – the scale is the same and the melody starts very similarly. After some evolution, at 1:14 the melody is joined by a mandolin – an instrument I'd never used before. Because of its great influence on the piece, it made its appearance in almost every next piece devoted to the game. Nonetheless, even with the mandolin, I think this piece eventually gets too repetitive in the end.
Unnamed (aka. "Pyramid")
The second theme for Bitrium's canceled survival game, this time for a pyramid. I came up with the theme in January after accidentally discovering the Double Harmonic Major scale. Initially it was played by a piano, it was terrible and it seemed that nothing's going to help. But after I started experiencing with my old piano as a MIDI keyboard and accidentally played the theme on a reverbed choir, the melody suddenly felt almost divine. I still used the piano as a secondary instrument and put much work into fitting the drums to it. Even though I was running out of ideas by the end, I still find this piece quite amazing.
Unnamed (aka. "Tundra")
A very slow and soothing piece representing a tundra. Because of its snowy character, I used the old theme from "Frozen Ravage", played by the same sound, and mixed it with the leading theme I came up with on the piano, but because they were hard to connect, the theme only comes in at 1:43, almost halfway through the piece. After that, I came up with a mandolin extension of the theme, but perhaps it ended up too harsh.
Unnamed (aka. "Taiga")
Because taiga shared the characteristics of a tundra and the forest, I decided to do exactly that with my music. Although the piece starts with the Forest melody played by the Tundra sound, it quickly evolves into its own fascinating melodies. I made a great use of the cello as a percussive element to add up to the atmosphere. One of the best moments is when the piece gets suddenly joined by the mandolin, but I'm afraid it might have ended up a bit too harsh at times again.
Unnamed (aka. "Desert")
After more experiments with the Double Harmonic Major scale in spring, I came up with an amazing melody, which I gave to the flute and mandolin duo at 0:58 which became the base for this piece. After a short electric piano improvisation, the melody returns with double power, after which it proceeds to a rhythmic repetition by the electric piano. Even though it sounds amazing, I struggled a lot with the beginning, and I'm also afraid the percussive mandolin may be hard to bear for a longer time.
Gloomy Ocean
One of my best and also most ambient pieces. After coming up with the initial melody on the piano, I followed by mixing it with a melody from an unfinished piece for a biome called "the Gloom". After 2:16, when the piece stops for a while to focus on a single melody, it begins to peacefully transform back into the main theme and I find it the best moment in the piece.
Unnamed (aka. "Ocean")
After a prolonged period of no inspiration, I finally came up with this melody, replacing different failed melodies for the piece. Perhaps I'd do the same with this one, quite dissatisfied with the oboe part, but what followed was too deep and expressive to be left unheard. Also, the moment at 3:01 was totally not inspired by C418's "Strad".
Unnamed (aka. "Snowy Night")
This one is also based on a melody invented on the piano. I tried to mix it with the sound from "Gloomy Ocean", but it ended up rather bad. On the other hand, the later melodies may sound interesting.
Unnamed (aka. "Desert Night")
Created in a similar method to the previous piece, though this piece is actually a second attempt. Even though it's better than the first one, it's hard to compare it to the first themes from the soundtrack.
Unnamed (aka. "Island")
Based on a percussive theme I invented while tapping a book, which I initially meant for a "jungle" theme that was never created, this mandolin piece evolves into something much deeper which I already find comparable with the first pieces in the soundtrack. Anyway, maybe it wasn't the best idea to use a contrabass as percussion again.
Unnamed (aka. "Settlement")
This piece starts with a great uplifting melody which I invented already in September. I tried to expand it all autumn, wanting to complete it at all costs, but found the end result only mildly satisfying.
Unnamed (aka. "Desert Settlement")
A variation of the previous piece with notes changed to fit the Double Harmonic Major scale. Even though it's almost the same piece, it gives absolutely different feels. Perhaps there's more pieces that can sound good in this scale?
Drill of the Chill (aka. "Snowy Underground")
The thirteenth piece for the then not yet canceled Bitrium game project. Similar to the other "snowy" pieces, it features the electric piano and fragments of the "Frozen Ravage" motif, but this time with a more march-like melody, also invented on the piano. The piece becomes especially expressive at 2:26 and continues till the end (I especially like the piano ending), but I'm afraid the buildup to that moment is rather dull and unsatisfying.
Groove of the Mystics (aka. "Underground")
My first and so far only piece composed fully in the melodic minor scale. Although the same motif repeats throughout most of the piece, the variation it receives, as well as the atmospheric deep piano, followed by a dreamy transformation to the piano section starting at 1:57, makes it an absolutely distinctive piece among my works. It also has a funny name history – at first it was intended for an "Aquatic Forest" biome (the leading sound was different), so I called it "Grove of the Mystics". After changing the main sound I had no idea what to do with the name. Then, at one moment, I accidentally wrote it with double "o", getting "Groove". It was so funny that I couldn't not keep it.