Hello, we’re Skillbard!
We’re a friendly creative audio studio with a knack (read: hard-earned experience) for combining audio specialisations. We created everything you heard in Genesis Noir—music, sound design, foley, mixing, voice casting and even a little acting! Well, we loved it so much, we came back to do it again on Nirvana Noir!
Founded by Tom and Vincent, now featuring Jo, we each settled into our true calling of music & sound, after spending time releasing music, directing music videos, creating brand spots and tour visuals, and even studying animation.
In the 10-or-so years we’ve been at it, Genesis Noir stands out as the richest and most challenging project we’ve had the pleasure of sinking into. The breadth of subject matter and the creative freedom granted by the brave and trusting Feral Cat Den made Genesis Noir an incredibly rewarding experience for us. The awards recognition we received was just icing on the cake!
Reuniting with FCD for another, even more expansive game was an utter, absolute and thorough no-brainer!
This time, as we navigate our protagonist’s dual existence, we guide our character deeper into the established Jazz-infused film-noir world of the first game, while simultaneously venturing into a parallel psychedelic realm inspired by the acid-rock revolution of 1960s/70s California.
The new period setting of the 60s/70s-inspired timeline allowed us to dig into a really exciting time in popular music. We've found that some of the darker sounds from that era perfectly complement the mystery No Man finds himself entangled in. The Doors, Velvet Underground, Love, Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, and Silver Apples are just a few of the artists influencing our work.
If you'd like to discover more about our musical influences, check out this previous post!
For the 40s/50s timeline, we're taking a step back in time to create a clear contrast with the vibrant 60s. In the first game, our exploration of Jazz influences spanned all the way to the 70s as No Man journeyed through the universe. In Nirvana Noir, No Man spends more time pounding the pavement, doing classic gumshoe detective work. While Genesis Noir centered on the innovations of artists like Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, and Miles Davis, Nirvana Noir calls for a more classic film noir soundtrack. Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith remain constant sources of inspiration.
Thanks for the introduction, Skillbard! We can’t wait for players to hear what you’ve been cooking up.
Until Next Time,
Feral Cat Den