Music and sound always play a huge role in Ominous Thrill stories and not just in the production you hear.
I rarely talk about this kind of stuff because I like to keep attention on the cumulative result of the finished work rather than individual parts.
But I've been getting more DMs than usual requesting the names of various music tracks used in INK. Once I started answering these messages I realized I used a lot of music that is available to share publicly. So I'm sharing it!
TLDR: the Spotify playlist above features lots of music you heard in INK - listen while you read the rest of this post.
Music and sound are deeply embedded in the inspiration from which the stories come to be.
I nearly always write with music playing to help me find and sink into the vibe of a story.
Sometimes I feel a vibe and seek music to re-enforce it.
Other times I'm seeking a vibe and use music to help me focus in on it.
Writing INK was no exception.
I listened to a lot of different music while writing, and that influenced what landed on the page.
But once we got into the studio and performed the work, the vibe shifted. It became dreamier, softer, and more hazy. Like memories or dreams. That is the magic of collaborating with wonderful performers.
Now, to be sure, those general directions are in the script. For example:
But listening to music and writing words in a document is one thing. Hearing the actors own the words... it hits different.
When I got back to my studio to start producing the story I found myself looking for sounds more fitting with the tone and pace of the performances we captured. The actors influenced me. This always happens to some degree, which is why no matter what is on the page, I leave myself open to surprise. But this team of incredible ladies performing this story developed instant chemistry in the studio. I was in awe of them.
Ok... back on point. At the top of this post is a Spotify Playlist of tracks that drive the sonic vibe of INK.
For those who have listened to the story, you might recognize some of these tracks outright, while others not so much.
I often use only parts of a piece of music in scoring stories. So, some of these songs might not sound familiar right away.
But if you scroll in a bit you'll start hearing sounds you'll remember from the story. For example, the first track in the playlist plays in the very first scene with Kaylee and Mya, but you have to scroll into the song a bit to hear the part I used. And I returned to that song for nearly every Kaylee & Mya scene before that tattoo appears.
Several of these songs are only used as background music playing in the story locations (bars, etc..)
Other pieces only appear as underscore, giving weight and movement to scenes in a way that is more felt than noticed as a "song. "
There is one song that people have asked for that is not available on Spotify, it's in episode three, in the scene right after Kaylee & May's "reunion.' It's titled "In Awe" by Lilly Yanes. I can only find it on YouTube so here it is:
https://youtu.be/VbMGKVrR3Qg?si=jV2_ninHVCyvkJ8z
I love these tracks so much. They infused this story with such a vibe I literally can't imagine it existing without this music.
There are even more pieces used in INK, but I don't have the right to share them outside of the production. Sorry!
I'm grateful I'm able to share these songs with you, and for the role they play in bringing this crushingly beautiful, haunting, horrifying and heartbreaking story to life.
I hope you enjoy them, too!
Cheers!
--jeff