The mystery surrounding the Oddworld Inhabitants music...

[alice_squared]

Hello all,

This is my first post here, and I am so desperate to uncover more about this mystery that has bothered me for 3-4 whole years that I thought it would be worth asking the people who know so much about the Oddworld franchise and universe about it.

I hope I have posted this thread in the correct section!

I have created the following video to elucidate the mystery more efficiently, but I will discuss it in detail here too. PLEASE WATCH THIS TO GET A PROPER UNDERSTANDING (Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouehzMcaY7A).

In 1997, the wonderful "Abe's Oddysee" was released. As a child growing up in the 90's, I always loved the short "Oddworld Inhabitants" logo screen and music that plays shortly after booting the game up, finding it mysterious and ominous. It stuck in my mind since I first heard it and always made me excited to play it.

In 1998, the cult Japanese anime "Serial Experiments Lain" was released. Many of the people on this forum may be unfamiliar with this television show, and I did not discover it myself until about 2013. Anyway, the show itself is very good, but it is not paticularly relevant to Abe's Oddysee...

APART FROM ONE SMALL BUT INSANE DETAIL...

During Episode 10 of the aforementioned series, at approximately the 12 minute 24 second mark of the episode, that same, unmistakable music that is engrained in my brain from the Oddworld Inhabitants logo clip can be heard, LOUD AND CLEAR!

Except this time, the music seems to be a longer and more developed rendition of the original heard in Abe's Oddysee. It repeats, echoes and seems to have distorted guitars and higher-pitched resamples layered on top of it. (Please see the video as linked above).

As soon as I heard this music in Serial Experiments Lain, my brain crumbled and ever since I have been scouring the internet for other mentions or references to it, hoping to find a completely boring explanation. However, all I have found are a few other comments pointing out the similarity (one of the comments being in German). Nowhere can I find any mention of where this music originally came from, whether it is a licensed composition by one of the Oddworld team, whether it was a common, "license-free" sound sample used in many 90's productions in various countries with a limited budget.

If ANYONE has any information or theories that they think they can add to what I have discussed in this thread or in the above-linked video, then please, for the sake of my sanity, let me know!

Many thanks for reading,

Kind regards,

alice_squared

[Connell]

Very interesting. Unfortunately I have no concrete information on this music, but I would be willing to bet your unlicensed stock audio theory is right. It's well documented that most music from Oddysee made use of stock tracks and SFX so chances are both companies used it at the same time. Whether or not the Serial Experiments Lain track is the original or a remix, I have no idea. Hopefully someone can shed some light.

There's a brief discussion of OWI's use of stock audio in this thread I created a few years back, after hearing a SFX from Oddysee in Garageband, about halfway down the first page the discussion becomes relevant to this;

http://www.oddworldforums.net/showthread.php?t=21143

The answer may be lost to time, though. Here's a quote from Wil (an OWI employee) on the origins of the Scrab and Paramite SFX's from that thread.

Funnily enough, we can't tell you where they came from either. We tried to find the original Scrab and Paramite sounds to put in Munch HD, but if we even have them we can't find them. So we had brand new original sounds made.

[Connell]

Edit: double posted sorry guyz x

[SligValet]

I remember someone tracking down the piece of music on here a few years ago and it blew everyones minds, its on Youtube as the full track. I recall it sounding very Ambient-mixed-with-Indie or something like that

Edit: Actually I may be thinking of the ALIVE engine intro FMV where it goes up the wall and zooms into the temple

[Wil]

Check out the Season 5 X-Files episode "Kill Switch", which also first broadcast in 1998. It features the same music, mostly just before and just after the title sequence.

[Nepsotic]

It's a stock loop. Not really a mystery.

[Oddey]

There was a thread about something a lot like this a while back. Although, the video it was compared to was this:

Where you can briefly hear most of the music that plays during the A.L.I.V.E. cutscene.

[Nate]

I always thought that Lorne was talking about this music in the last paragraph here. Which begs the question: did Josh Gabriel actually compose it, in which case it could all just be a coincidence? Or was it sourced from somewhere and chosen because it sounded iconic?

[Nepsotic]

It was sourced, I've heard it before. Not to mention most of the Oddworld music uses stock loops and samples.

[alice_squared]

There's a brief discussion of OWI's use of stock audio in this thread I created a few years back, after hearing a SFX from Oddysee in Garageband, about halfway down the first page the discussion becomes relevant to this;

http://www.oddworldforums.net/showthread.php?t=21143

The answer may be lost to time, though. Here's a quote from Wil (an OWI employee) on the origins of the Scrab and Paramite SFX's from that thread.

Very interesting to know. It does seem like the stock audio is the most likely explanation, especially as the two pieces of work were released within a year of each other.

Check out the Season 5 X-Files episode "Kill Switch", which also first broadcast in 1998. It features the same music, mostly just before and just after the title sequence.

Interesting, though on my first listen of this episode, I'm not sure I can hear it... I'll have another listen to see if I missed it. Cheers!

I always thought that Lorne was talking about this music in the last paragraph here. Which begs the question: did Josh Gabriel actually compose it, in which case it could all just be a coincidence? Or was it sourced from somewhere and chosen because it sounded iconic?

Very interesting read, I didn't know this kind of information existed. However, I think Lorne my be reffering to the "Oddworld Theme" as in the theme for the opening cutscene, or something like that? So I'm not sure Josh Gabriel composed the audio I mentioned. This is backed up by the following from Nepsotic:

It was sourced, I've heard it before. Not to mention most of the Oddworld music uses stock loops and samples.

Speaking of this Neposotic, do you happen to have any information of the likely place it would have originated from. At the end of the day, SOMEBODY composed/designed the short music clip, and even if it is stock audio, I'd love to find out the origin of it, and who originally designed it (I know this is a massive shot in the dark and that kind of information may not be available).

And that goes for anyone? Does anyone know a way in which these kind of stock audio clips from the 90's can be researched, and perhaps the origin of them be found? I imagine a license-free audio company existed in the 90's which must have been somewhat popular as two, very different companies creating very different pieces of media from two very different countries both used the same clip. (And if it is also in the X-files, then it must be somewhat well known).

Cheers for all of your help with my unhealthy obsession!

[Nepsotic]

Um, no. Not unless you want to wade through thousands of sample packs to find it. I have a couple of old sample packs containing music Oddworld has used (there's a thread about it somewhere) but not that one iirc

[alice_squared]

Um, no. Not unless you want to wade through thousands of sample packs to find it. I have a couple of old sample packs containing music Oddworld has used (there's a thread about it somewhere) but not that one iirc

Fair enough, and it doesn't sound too fun. Then again, are you reffering to particular sample packs? If so, I wouldn't mind having a quick look...

Check out the Season 5 X-Files episode "Kill Switch", which also first broadcast in 1998. It features the same music, mostly just before and just after the title sequence.

I re-listened to this and you are DEAD RIGHT! Thanks for the information, solidifies the fact that this must be stock audio, or that everyone loves Abe so much they decided to somehow isolate the music and use it (99% unlikely).

Also, some advances in my research:-

Two websites, giantbomb.com and leaptrade.com, do actually list a track called "Oddworld Inhabitants Logo" as being on the Abe's Oddysee soundtrack, which lasts "0:11" seconds. And they give credit to an "Ellen Meijers" and "Josh Gabriel", (both of whom are credited in the PS1 instruction manual).

The links are:

giantbomb.com http://www.giantbomb.com/oddworld-ab...see/3030-5269/

and

leaptrade.com http://www.leaptrade.com/games/view/...abes_oddysee_1

Also see attached images.

Perhaps our attention should be focused on Ellen Meijers rather than Josh Gabriel in this instance...

Ellen Meijers seems to have worked extensively in this sort of area, and did set up "Ellen Meijers Studios" which according to the website have "comprehensive music and sound effects libraries, all digitally stored and networked". (http://www.ellenmeijers.com/).

After firing an email off to them, I get an auto-reply saying that the email address no longer exists unfortunately . So I doubt there is another way to contact her/them about it.

It does seem a little odd that they have both been credited in creating the track if it is largely stock audio. Perhaps Ellen Meijers was initially involved in creating it.

Sorry for the essay,

- alice_squared

[Nepsotic]

They still wrote the music. I've used stock samples before. I'm still the artist of the track.

[Nate]

Ellen Meijers seems to have worked extensively in this sort of area, and did set up "Ellen Meijers Studios" which according to the website have "comprehensive music and sound effects libraries, all digitally stored and networked". (http://www.ellenmeijers.com/).

...

It does seem a little odd that they have both been credited in creating the track if it is largely stock audio. Perhaps Ellen Meijers was initially involved in creating it.

Read the paragraphs preceding the one that I pointed to you last. Ellen and Josh were husband and wife. She did the sound design for AO, and he did most of the composition.

[alice_squared]

Hello again all,

After much detective work and contacting various people, I have actually managed to find the exact stock audio I was looking for!!!

After we came to a bit of a dead end in this thread, I decided the best way to begin to discover the origin of the Oddworld Inhabitants Logo Music was to ask those involved with its creation/production (as credited in the Abe's Oddysee notes). Therefore, I managed to track down both Josh Gabriel and Ellen Meijer's facebook profiles. The profiles themselves looked a little bit vacant, especially Ellen's, and so I had little hope of a reply.

However, amazingly, Ellen came back to me only a day later or so, and managed to point me in an amazingly specific direction, actually naming the sound library she may have used to acquire the sample:

"Most likely Ghost in the Machine or similar Library I used a lot during those days - Cuckooland".

I was slightly confused by the ending word "Cuckooland" but after a google search, there it was! A library/album, produced by a company known as Zero-G, named Ghost In The Machine. On the album artwork, there was also the word "Cuckooland". This had to be it.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to LISTEN to it anywhere, and the small demo samples the website provided did not contain the sample I was after, but they did sound menacing, eerie, and of a similar nature. I did look over a PDF booklet which showed the various track names (about 100 of them), but this did not help much either.

My next step was to email the "General Inquiries" email address listed on the Zero-G website, citing the youtube video showing the sample I was looking for. I really did not expect anyone to come back to me this time, and even if they did, I did not imagine someone working at Zero-G would manage to recognise a small sample from the huge array of audio samples they have produced over the years.

HOWEVER...

Within 5 hours, I recieved an email from an Ed Stratton, who is listed in their email signature as the Managing Director of Zero-G Ltd. (UK). Not only did he confirm that the sample I was looking for was included on the Ghost In The Machine library, but also the exact name of the track, "Unearthly Visit-A2.wav". He also very kindly told me the duration of the sample, "32 seconds long".

Immediately, I thanked him for his amazing help, and purchased the library just to double-confirm that it was absolutely correct. And there it was, the sound I had been searching for for so many years! I now have the high quality file, in all its glory! And that's the end of a pretty ridiculous quest to find it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

P.S. - Thank you to all of you who gave their advice in this thread, I probably wouldn't have continued to search for it without your support here on the Oddworld Forums! And now for some links:

Website to purchase "Ghost In The Machine - Cuckooland by Zero-G":

https://www.zero-g.co.uk/store/ghost...-acid-p305.php

Link to the video I created showing various places the sound has cropped up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouehzMcaY7A

NOTE:

I have also attached screenshots of the conversations between me and Ellen Meijer's, and also between me and Ed Stratton, just for the archive.

THANKS EVERYONE! <3 If you have any further questions, please send a reply!

P.P.S I have also discovered another sample from Abe's Oddysee, which occurs during the opening cutscene as Abe says "I was working late one night". The name of the sample is "B&W Movie Heaven-C3". There may be many more Oddworld samples on this library, so I will update this thread with any more that I find!!!

[Paul]

Nice, does this also contain the samples used to make the game music too? Also are they higher quality?

[alice_squared]

Nice, does this also contain the samples used to make the game music too? Also are they higher quality?

So far I have recognised two samples used in Abe's Oddysee.

Unearthly Visit-A2.wav = Oddworld Inhabitants Logo Screen (eerie/scary music, does not include strange "screechy monster" noise).

B&W Movie Heaven-C3 = "I was working late one night" section of the opening Rupture Farms cutscene as Abe reads that line (sounds like harp mixed with strings).

There are over 100 sounds here to look through, and I haven't had much time to listen to each one. However, I can imagine there are many more that were used during Abe's Oddysee. I will update this thread with anything else I should find!

And they are WAV quality (WAV being lossless audio format), so I presume these are the highest quality versions of the source material you will be able to find.

[Connell]

That's so cool that you actually managed to find it, and even cooler that people who probably haven't thought about this stuff in years were able to get in touch and help. I really want to hear it! Sweet discovery.

[alice_squared]

That's so cool that you actually managed to find it, and even cooler that people who probably haven't thought about this stuff in years were able to get in touch and help. I really want to hear it! Sweet discovery.

Here you go, I decided to upload a video for you all to listen to



Enjoy!

P.S. I will also make a video for the other Abe's Oddysee sample I found on this album/release, which is called "B&W Movie Heaven-C3.wav".

[alice_squared]

Hello again all,

Here is the second video, this time focusing on a different Abe's Oddysee sample audio clip, which was used in the opening Rupture Farms cutscene, as Abe says "I was working late one night".



The name of the sample is "B&W Movie Heaven-C3.wav", and again appears on the "Cuckooland - Ghost In The Machine" sound library by Zero-G.

Enjoy, and I'll keep the updates coming with any further discoveries.

[Vlam]

Alice_squared, I'm impressed: you're the only one who figured that out. Keep up the good work!

[alice_squared]

Alice_squared, I'm impressed: you're the only one who figured that out. Keep up the good work!

Thankyou! I could not done this completely alone though, thank you all for your kind support.

[Nepsotic]

Omg I have that sample pack kek

Also, if you're still interested in other samples OWI used, I made this thread a while ago.

[alice_squared]

Omg I have that sample pack kek

Also, if you're still interested in other samples OWI used, I made this thread a while ago.

Ha damn, you sure could have saved me a lot of time c; oh well, now we both have the sample pack \o.o/

And very interesting thread, 100% positive match on that first soundcloud track to the Big Face scene (although obviously Meijers/Gabriel have added other sampling and bulked it up a bit, and possibly changed pitch).

And I hear parts of the Moon scene in that second track for sure, at least fundamentally without further additions again from Meijers/Gabriel.

Great finds! I guess at some point it would make sense to try to collect all of the information that exists on the various Oddworld sounds and samples into one place, but I'm not feeling up to it just yet

Thanks for the info.