My recent obsession with Animusic

Lately, I’ve been hit with a nostalgia bomb that brought me back to my childhood and most likely shaped a big part of why I’m so obsessed with electronic music and animation. 

Of course, I’m talking about Animusic. The studio was created in 1990, and made two animated video albums, Animusic and Animusic 2, in 2001 and 2005, respectively.

I first watched the movies in elementary school music class and was blown away by the music and laser lights. I told my dad about it and we bought the DVDs for it. Soon, he was also obsessed with it, and we would watch it often. 

Animusic faded into obscurity for my family, but one day, it showed up as a recommendation on my YouTube account. I watched it again and was immediately taken back to the wonder and joy I felt watching it for the first time as a child. 

As an adult, I was fascinated to learn how animators made the tracks. They would compose the music first, somewhat backward from how movie scores and soundtracks work. Then, the music would go into MIDI software to animate the instruments created in a set. Add some lighting and camera angles, and you have a finished track.

Animusic chose this method to produce 15 spectacular tracks. While the animation may look dated by today’s standards, the music is still catchy and technically impressive.

Now, I think about it occasionally and find myself watching Animusic. I’m a huge fan of instrumental music when working, so it has been a great supplement to help me focus on the task at hand.

I wanted to do a track-by-track breakdown, but that would be a very long column, so I’ll share my top 5 favorites instead. 

Honorable mention: Resonant Chamber (Animusic 2) — Resonant Chamber features a singular instrument, a large and surreal guitar, with several necks branching off. Compiled into this one instrument are a classical guitar, a zither, an acoustic bass, a mandolin, a tapped guitar and a steel string guitar. Animators were initially stumped about what kind of music the instrument would play but ultimately decided on a slow classical piece, which changes to something more upbeat halfway through.

5) Aqua Harp (Animusic) — This surreal instrument, composed of a harp, pan flute, cello, violin and bells, seems to play itself. It’s another slow classical piece that brings goosebumps and tears whenever I listen to it.

4) Cathedral Pictures (Animusic 2) — This piece takes the viewer to church. Prominently featuring a pipe organ, the old-school hymnal sounds quickly descend into electronic reminiscent of old video games.

3) Future Retro (Animusic) — The first track on the first album features an iconic three-necked electric guitar, which creators said was the most complex instrument they designed. The sounds are an energetic mix of progressive rock and electronic, reminiscent of stadium jams.

2) Harmonic Voltage (Animusic) —To finish the first album, this emotional track perfectly combines electric synths and electric guitar. It’s slower than Future Retro but with a similar feel. The animation on this track is gorgeous and ethereal. 

1) Starship Groove (Animusic 2) — My all-time favorite, this song whisks you away to deep space, where on a spaceship, a band of robots plays an electronic synth-wave track. Stylized with unique instruments and wearing “sunglasses,” the robots have a jam session in a unique 7/4 time signature. This one has always been my favorite, and I remind myself of the red robot. It’s dancing with its hands in the air whenever it’s not playing.

Revisiting Animusic was a journey through time, providing nostalgia and a reminder of why I love the kind of music I love. My top picks, from the beautiful and surreal Resonant Chamber to the energetic and dynamic Starship Groove, are a glimpse into the immersive experience Animusic offers. If you have some free time, diving into this creative and enchanting blend of art and technology is a journey worth taking.

Check Animusic out for yourself here.