Here’s my Planet Project in one Audacity file. This week I’m going to transcribe and think about this 5 minute section in the middle.
The overarching story of the whole album is setting out, finding, losing, and reaching acceptance. This middle section is after the Traveler has found her home planet and put down roots there. She is in a confident state of mind and is enjoying the exploration process (where many times before it was scary / uncomfortable). She visits several planets that are home to different kinds of Angular Creatures.
Min. 25 — Angular Creatures 1
Some warm, floaty chords with an analog synth sound as we land
An aggressive bass riff as a tiny but angry creature charges up to the camera, “yells”, and whacks the observer several times. The bass riff gets louder as the creature comes closer.
There is a squeaky sound on an irritating nasal note representing its skittering footsteps.
Its call is from the Angular Creatures motif, Bb Db C F#
Min. 26 — Angular creatures 2
We come in for a landing. Soft analog chords
We see two enormous angular creatures. They are peaceful. Their footsteps shake the earth (tympani). There are 2 orchestral chords which might be the observer saying “Wow…just wow”.
Min. 27 — Angular Creatures 3
We see one green angular creature with an insect like head; it skitters away. Next, a group of medium sized ones run around nervously. They callĀ (Bb Db C )
Instrumentation
a mallet instrument in the style of Frank Zappa
a rhythm track
a synth texture (from the synth plugin Kaleidoscope)
a vox “aaah”
Min. 28 — Angular Creatures 4
A scene at night. The mood is mysterious. Small angular creatures stomp past, stirring up dust. Their footsteps are synched to the beat of the music. A second drumbeat comes in when a second creature comes marching in from out of frame.
Min. 29 — Angular Creatures 5
Another scene at night. Human-sized angular creatures run around joyfully; one of them comes right up to the observer. This is the first time in the whole video that one of the alien creatures has acknowledged us. This happens again on the very last world.
In a sense this is the emotional high point of the album? All’s well with the world; the traveler is content. She is able to enjoy the moment because she knows she has a home to return to. The next stop on the trip is coming home to a planet that has been devastated.