Insights and ideas behind the creative works by Eric and Ramza
The blurred screenshot is from my work on Act II in Scrivener.
It seems like this project is taking forever—especially with my full-time job at the CTA and being a union representative. However, I have been committing at least 1 hour a night to working on it. During my off-days, it's considerably more time.
I need to keep reminding myself to stay focused and be confident that I will finish it eventually.
Through inspiration and by letting go of all inhibition, anyone is an artist at anytime with any kind of media.
AI “art” lacks unique inspiration. It lacks humanity. It is like plastic plants: It may look beautiful and real. But it is artificial and toxic.
There is no getting away from plastic plants. They will always exist. But real plants will always exist too—and those who cultivate them will be happier and healthier.
The above graphic is from an article about protests against AI “art” at https://petapixel.com/2022/12/19/artists-stage-mass-online-protest-against-ai-image-generators/
At right is an an obscured screenshot of the completed Introduction, Act I and last page for Act II as I work on them in Scrivener. Excitement is how I describe working on this project. The final two acts are already drafted and locked in an outline I made in Scapple (which I settled at its 8th revision).
The characters now visit me in my dreams on occasion.
"Juggernaut On Site" is our first foray into extreme, high-speed metal. It's got chugs, it's got tremolos, and it's got drums heavier than raw titanium. A clanky electric bass fills out the rest of the low end. If that wasn't enough, you can loop this track seamlessly without missing a beat. Bang your head!
"Steel And Blood" is full of dark synth drones, deep analog bass and strange, glitchy percussion. Mangled digital sounds and disturbing vibes are the name of the game in this track. The whole track is an intense push and pull of intensity, growing and releasing energy without giving you a chance to fully relax. Don't let your guard down. You never know what might be lurking around the corner...
Behold! "The Sound Of Goob" is a completely out-of-this-world waltz. Created by an extraterrestrial with a few vintage synthesizers, a funky drum set and only a basic understanding of how the 80s sounded.
Warbling sawtooth chords, a lead that goes "wow" and thumpy analog bass underscore bouncy 3/4 time drum grooves. Goob formally requests that enthralled listeners send all praises and autograph requests to Proxima Centauri.
Finally, "More Hustle" is a straightforward, modern trap beat. Snappy drums, distorted bass, the works. A sparse instrumental, it's got a flute in the background and synth pluck providing the melody. Sometimes, simplicity is key.
Our full store of music is available at all the links below.
None of these sketches are artwork for the graphic novel. They are just exercises to build up my strength and technique for the big project ahead of me.
I hope you find them interesting.
Automated Security is sparse and slow-paced, with the echoing textures of the main synth bass and drum machine filling the empty space. A glitchy, chopped dial-up sound in the background keeps the rhythm moving forward. A stealthy tune for your sneakiest cybernetic soldier.
Hazmat Failure is a trap-influenced, heavily textured track with a variety of interesting percussion and rhythmic elements filling out the background. The main melody is just two eerie notes, generated by a classic analog synth. Fun fact: One of the main percussion sounds is a heavily processed jaw harp, listen closely for its signature tone.
In Thinking Games, the main piano was recorded with its strings underwater (essentially turning the piano into a miniature pool), and the drums are a hybrid of live drum sounds and an old-school analog drum machine. A synth piano and clean electric bass make up the rest of the band. All of this culminates in a simple, fun track that slowly evolves over time while still keeping the same lighthearted, laid-back energy.
Saving the best for last, we've got Deep Sea Oasis. It's got retro pianos and strings, a funky bassline, smooth and ethereal synth pads behind an immaculate old-school hip-hop beat. If you're going to only give one of these songs a listen, we strongly recommend you check this one out. Words alone can't describe how much of a joy it is to experience this track. This tune is one of our composer's favorites out of the entire catalog.
Our full store of music is available at all the links below.
Behold, Cognition Hazard. This track is rather simple melodically (making it easy to fit into the context of any project), but filled with interesting atmosphere and textures. The song becomes more intense over time, going from a dirty drum beat, 808 bass and string ensemble to a full composition with an echoing synth melody, fingerstyle electric bass and haunting choir. Jam out with caution.
Now, picture this. Out in the arctic wastes, after weeks of searching, your team finally finds the lost research station, half buried beneath snow and ice. After making your way into the station, you discover what remains of your colleagues and their research. It got out. Fetid Martyr is an ambient wonder that slowly melts into a dissonant, disturbing landscape of fear.
Stepping back from horror, listen in to Tensor Core. Tense, dark and stealthy, with a mixture of organic and synthesized percussion underscoring the flute melody and low synth bass. A soundtrack fit to score your intrusion into a secret military base. If you enjoyed the sound of Tenet, this song is for you.
Eerie woodwinds, frame drum percussion and a choppy synth bass make up our final track of this post, Squad Deployed. This one brings the energy up further, progressing into a distorted metal bass and crunchy acoustic drum kit to drive the rhythm further. No more sneaking around solo, take a fireteam in and clear out all enemy forces.
As always, our full store of music is available at all the links below.
The screenplay is dragging on. I keep making changes and can never seem to be satisfied. This is truly the most profound, emotional and deeply spiritual project I have engaged in. Sometimes I wonder if I bit off more than I can chew.
My full-time job and union steward duties make working on this project very difficult. Yet when I do work on it—and don't fall asleep—it is very cathartic. The stuff I am dealing with in the real world is very depressing.
The good news is that I am writing the last scenes for the final Act. I am very anxious to get the screenplay to advisers. Dealing with speculative aspects of ancient Indigenous culture (proto- and conventional Saami) is not something I take lightly. 
As I am getting closer to the need for switching from writer to illustrator mode, I am sketching more concepts. This latest shows an important character named Mohkku and another view of Lynx-Finder. For the first time I am experimenting with typography.
So I created letters for names of the characters. Each letter is inspired by glyphs that are found on a number of South Saami, Torne Saami and Lule Saami drums.
While working on the sequel to Badin and the Secret of the Saami, I am always looking for inspiration from what others think of the first story.
This new review about Badin and The Secret of the Saami taught me more about the story than I previously conceived! Check it out and leave some comments if you agree!
Special thanks to Black Book Worms for the thoughtful review. Make sure you register for their email list. They do some great work!
Eric Basir’s exciting comic book series based in the 18th century Kingdom of Sweden in Northern Europe tells a story about a brave 12-year old boy who is trying to fit in to a new life far away from home. Badin and the Secret of the Saami (2017) is based on the true story of Couschi or Gustav Badin (1747-1822), an African in the court of Queen Lovisa Ulrica (1720-1782).
What a lot of people do not realize is that Couschi was not a regular servant to be looked down on and treated badly by the people he lived with in Sweden. He was taken in by the queen and she treated him like her own son, no different from the children who were born to her. She also wanted her friends, family, and all of Sweden to treat Couschi as a Swedish prince.
Badin’s full name was Adolf Ludvig Gustav Fredrik Albert Badin. That is a very long name! But the name that he was called by before he was living in Sweden was Couschi. Badin’s place of birth is Saint Croix, an Caribbean island between North and South America, claimed by the Kingdom of Denmark. He may have been born in Africa as Basir’s seems to believe. In the beginning of Basir’s story, Couschi talks about how he got to Sweden. At first, he was living with his own his mom and dad and the rest of his family. In those days, people from the lands of Europe took ships to the land of Africa and stole people away so they could use them to do what they wanted them to do. One day, a group of evil men came to his land from Europe, ruined his home, and took him away to Sweden. One of these men, who was from the Kingdom of Denmark, thought it was a good idea to give Couschi to the Queen of Sweden as a gift. This is how he ended up in Sweden.
Basir shows Couschi in his book as a big reader who owned lots and lots of books. The real Couschi kept a library with hundreds of books which were sold after he died. The real Queen Ulrica was also a lover of books. She read plenty in her free time. She read books about science, philosophy, art, and culture. These are topics that really make you think. This made her very smart. She wanted her adopted son Couschi to grow up as a smart boy, too. In the story, Queen Ulrica taught Couschi his first word in Swedish: “bok.” This means “book” in English. As she saw how well and how quickly Couschi was learning, Queen Ulrica decided to call him by a new name, Badin, which was her way of saying that he was a “clever” boy. He was reading about religion, science, and other things that boys his age could not understand. Over time, Couschi became someone who she could trust with her biggest plans and secrets. She also trusted him to take care of her palaces and even help her with things that queens were supposed to do for the people.
Basir shows that Couschi grows close to Queen Ulrica’s children Gustav (age 16) and Sofia (age 9). Gustav later became a king. Although they look very different from himself, Couschi sees them as his brother and sister. They often play together around the palace and sometimes, they sneak outside to explore.
Unlike the life of the real Couschi, Basir’s Couschi learns about a plan by the mad miner Herr Torsten and his helpers to take over all of the mines on Saami lands in Sweden. He then tries to stop Torsten and wins in the end. Torsten was not a real person who lived in the time of young Couschi around 250 years ago. But the funny conversations and interactions between this character and Couschi in Basir’s story helps us to imagine how Couschi would have chosen to deal with the same kinds of people and problems during his life.
There are many good things to learn from this story.
We have to be very careful about how we live so that we can live long and happy lives.
Badin and the Secret of the Saami (2017) has words in the Saami and Swedish languages. But you don’t have to know these languages or learn French, German, and Latin like Couschi did to understand the book. One of the best things about Basir’s book is that it has a glossary in the back in case there are words that a young reader still does not know very well. A glossary is a part of the book that tells you the meaning of big words from inside the story, just like a dictionary.
There is also a character list, a short story about the real Couschi, and a page from his actual diary.
All in all, Badin and the Secret of the Saami (2017) is sure to awaken your curiosity about African history in Europe and around the world. As you follow the comical Couschi on his adventures, you will share his struggles and his joys. You will find that his family is your family; his friends are your friends, too.
If you want to purchase a printed or online copy of Badin and the Secret of the Saami (2017), you can get it from the publisher here.
Have you read Basir’s book yet? Did you enjoy learning about Couschi’s adventures? Tell us what you think about the book in the comments below!
Here are some webpages to visit to learn more about Basir’s writings and art:
https://twitter.com/theblackrhino77
https://www.facebook.com/BlackRhinoIllustration
http://theblackrhino.deviantart.com
https://www.youtube.com/TheBlackRhino007
Contact us to suggest another book for us to review.
A heavily swung, saturated beat and funky bassline? We've got those! Two different electric pianos(one that plays with a bit of flourish later in the track) and synth keyboard? We've got those! Seamlessly loopable? Go right ahead. Put on this track, lean back, and bob your head.
Distorted guitar riffs layered with an analog synth emulating a classic Juno-106. A heavy acoustic breakbeat and low electric bass fill out the supporting cast of instruments. If you remember the Xbox classic "Mechassault", your ears will feel right at home with this one. Rock on.
Back to trap, but don't drop the axe just yet. We've got the standard modern hip-hop drum machine, a crunchy guitar tone, and punchy 808 bass. Orchestral strings and synth plucks help bring out the melodic elements even further. This one is less "multi-ton war machine" and more "lone ranger".
Finally: A stranger take on trap, with plucked synth melodies that alternate back and forth, eventually playing over each other in peculiar harmonies. Backing them up are hip-hop drums, 808 bass, a far-away distorted choir voice and spiccato strings. Fun fact, those weird echoing plucks were made with a synthesizer originally intended for kick drums.
As always, check the links below to find our full catalog of royalty-free stock music.
A massive cinematic track with huge synthesized brass hits, an intense acoustic breakbeat, and our composers favorite acid bass filling in the background. If you played PC games during the year 2000, this one might evoke memories of a certain airfield... PS: this one loops seamlessly.
A trap beat with a synth of our own design, made to sound like a retro game console playing a melancholic, lonely melody. The low 808 bass booms out alongside the staple trap drumkit to remind you that yes, this is a rap instrumental. In short? Sad Atari hip-hop. Enjoy.
If you thought the last track had a bit too much energy to it, have no fear. "Vampire Hunted" is a slower, half-time remix of the previous beat with pitched-down drums, a simplified chord progression, and no compromise in quality. In short? Sad and mellow Atari hip-hop. Enjoy(in a more relaxed fashion).
Last but not least, an unsettling horror track that gradually rises in intensity until it crescendos into one final impact. Featured instruments include saturated taiko drums, a chugging electric guitar and layers upon layers of nightmarish synth ambience. Perfect for a movie trailer, or to wake you up in the morning.
Of course, this is only the newest of our widely varied stock music portfolio. Click the links below to head to our storefronts and check out many more!
Aggressive 80s Synthwave complete with punchy drums, a low acid bass and and massive synth chords. If there ever was a vintage-style cyberpunk track, this would be it.
Dark and cinematic, featuring a string ensemble, organic and synthetic percussion, a choir singer distorted into pure evil, and a breakbeat hinting at more dangerous and intense things to come... In the next "Urban Ruins" track. (Expect high energy and higher gain.)
And finally... Spy music, but with an electric guitar, synths that sound like the 2000s and a ridiculously saturated drum kit. Think "James Bond in a giant mech". It loops seamlessly, to boot. I hope you like metal, because this is not going to be the last time we delve into distorted guitar goodness. (Our composer is informing me that yes, we can tune even lower.)
As always, our catalog of stock music is ever growing, and if nothing in this post piques your interest, our full catalog is sure to have something you want. Just head to the links below!
The audio assembly line has been quite smooth recently, so we've got even more royalty-free songs for your commercial projects. Click below to check them out!
An 125 BPM acid techno track befitting an underground warehouse rave.
And finally:
Want more? Check out our complete stock catalog at the links below.
I leaked a few out already.
However, as the full screenplay is really maturing, I am feeling more confident about exploring the artwork a little. When it is final, then I will need to shift from writer to illustrator.
Clockwise from left, Zulsal (antagonist), Vaarvaa (protagonist), Beivve (sun diety) and Lynx-Finder (shapeshifter).
Beaivi (North Saami) Biejjie (South Saami) is a very important god/goddess in the ancient traditions of the Indigenous people who are found in Scandianvia and part of Russia.
Four new royalty-free tracks are now available on our stock stores! Each with their own unique style and genre.
Presenting:
As always, you can check out our full stock catalog at the links below.
Fresh out the production oven, we've got several new songs occupying the genre of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) for you! Unique sound is our forte, and you can expect to hear varying styles and subgenres across these new releases.
Click the links below to check them out.
A modern house tune that is equal parts spooky and groovy.
A old-school dance track that sounds straight out of a sci-fi club.
A bouncy track featuring the styling and synths of 90s acid house.
A hard-hitting techno track with heavy bass and even heavier drums.
If you're interested in hearing our collection of other stock songs, check our stores at:
Fresh out the production oven, we've got several new songs occupying the genre of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) for you! Unique sound is our forte, and you can expect to hear varying styles and subgenres across these new releases.
Click the links below to check them out.
A modern house tune that is equal parts spooky and groovy.
A old-school dance track that sounds straight out of a sci-fi club.
A bouncy track featuring the styling and synths of 90s acid house.
A hard-hitting techno track with heavy bass and even heavier drums.
If you're interested in hearing our collection of other stock songs, check our stores at:
We've got three more new royalty-free tracks for you, picked fresh from the sound garden.
Click the links below to give them a listen!
A dark and mysterious hip-hop beat in the style of UK Drill music.
A feel-good trap beat featuring hybrid pianos and strings.
A relaxing RnB instrumental with a mix of organic percussion, electric bass and retro synths.
If you're interested in hearing our collection of other stock songs, check our stores at:
We've been working hard to expand our stock audio collection, and today we bring you three new music tracks, featuring varying styles of hip-hop, from several different eras!
Check them out at the links below:
Our first track with the rhythms of UK Grime,
A modern, dark trap beat with strange, distorted drums,
If you're curious about the plethora of other stock songs we sell, check our stores at:
Over a year in the making—and in its sixth revision—the outline for the sequel to Badin and the Secret of the Saami is complete.
The software to create this flowchart is called Scrapple. It is from the same developer that created Scrivener.
That program was used to write the script for the first graphic novel—and will be used for the sequel.
Naturally, I obscured the details. Each different color signifies a change of scene for the script.
All of this will change. However, it is merely a general roadmap for the plot.
