Space Cadet 64 On the Making Of “World Record Nintendogs + Cats Speedrun July 2017”
Can you share any interesting or unique musical elements or production techniques used in "World Record Nintendogs + Cats Speedrun July 2017?"
Well, the main gimmick of this project is that I write the electronic elements of the music on an app for the Nintendo 3DS called Rytmik. It is a very quirky and unusual little program that operates as a sequencer. The combination of its workflow, limitations, and sample library make it a great tool for making unique sounding music.
On top of these electronic elements, I play guitar through a multitude of effect pedals to add to the densely layered compositions.
What was the initial spark or idea that led to the creation of "World Record Nintendogs + Cats Speedrun July 2017?"
This song was a fleshing out of a tapping guitar riff I wrote years earlier. I had the entire guitar part recorded on my phone after coming up with it while jamming one day. Years later this thing called COVID happened and suddenly I had a great deal of free time at home. I came across the guitar recording and decided to build out the composition around it.
The name is a reference to the most popular song on my first EP, World Record Nintendogs Speedrun July 2012. I gained a lot of traffic online thanks to people wondering if Nintendogs speedruns existed. My music was even referenced in a live-streamed speedrunning charity event, SGDQ in 2021. During a real Nintendogs speedrun of course.
How does this single fit into your overall artistic vision and what can listeners expect from you in the future?
This single is the first to be released from my upcoming EP, ‘Disappointingly Bassic.’ Serving as a direct sequel to my first EP, ‘Clinically Guitarded,’ these new tracks represent 10 years of growth as a musician and producer. As well as 10 years of technological improvement. This new EP is a big step forward from my previous work, in terms of quality, creativity, and polish. Listeners who enjoy this single can expect similarly epic, playful, and emotive tracks in the new year.
Can you share a bit about your musical background and the journey that led you to where you are today?
I've been obsessed with creating music my entire life. At 14, I and my earliest collaborator would spend every weekend just screwing around with mics and instruments and DAWs and anything else we could get our hands on, figuring the whole process out by ourselves. I very quickly found my voice in more experimental music, particularly math rock and progressive rock. From there, I have put together many different projects and participated in the projects of others. Some of my past projects are my 2 previous math rock bands, Lopaka, and Giant Clam, as well as my miscellaneous releases under Jacob Parke.
I've always just made the music that I wanted to hear, in exactly the way I want to hear it, with little to no compromise. While this approach isn't necessarily the best for reaching wide appeal, it has left behind a discography that I can look back on proudly.
Are there any particular skills or techniques that you have been working on lately?
I'm continuing to work on my production skills. Mixing and mastering, etc. There is always more to learn and room to improve, and these skills give an immediately noticeable payoff. Not just in the quality of work you do, but how quickly and reliably you can do it. Additionally, I've been spending a lot of time learning about the promotional side of things. Handling the business side of music is often a very unpopular task for musicians, particularly us in the independent and underground world. But as I get older the effort that I put into the music that I make has become more precious to me. To put so much time and energy into a project, just to shove it out into the world and hope for the best feels like an awful idea to me now. There is a great deal to learn to put yourself out there in the best possible way and while it isn't always thrilling stuff, I do feel that my music deserves me to make an effort and get better at it.
