skeeter jerry from BUGTASIA DELUXE by Chrome Miser and Buben
“skeeter jerry” is an ethereal, euphoric house track with a whimsical energy. The wet and gravelly bass paired with a happy-go-lucky melody transports the listener to an optimistic, pastel cyber-space filled with virtual waterfalls and skittering, friendly insects.
“skeeter jerry” is the product of a collaboration project between Chrome Miser and DJ Buben as the actualization of a facetious musical endeavor to make music for bugs. The track was created all within Ableton Live 11, and instantly became one of the artists’ favorite melodies of their Bugtasia project (conceptually-inspired by Mort Garson’s Mother Earth’s Plantasia). The liquid, silky synths reflect the nature of the bug muse evoked through this song, which was designated as a water strider, colloquially known as a “skeeter” in the region of the two fledgling artists. The original melody and bassline came naturally and immediately; from the initial idea, only minimal variations and tweaks were needed for the track to reach its peak potential. The track culminated in the fruition of nostalgic bliss and the idyllic, yet danceable soundscape which the artists strived for. The minimal “four-on-the-floor,” “kick-hat” house drum pattern and simplistic melodies are the sonic embodiment of “less is more,” so as not to distract the listener from the song’s elementary purpose of bringing joy. In order to complete and master the track, it was passed on to multiple of the artists’ personal friends adept in audio-engineering to receive feedback. DJ Buben had already used lots of compression tricks, and a handy limiter to bring out the deep and crispy frequencies, but his limited knowledge in mastering required the aid of someone with a much more attuned ear. One of these friends, an artist under the moniker “kajj” on SoundCloud, mastered the track, adding a cherry atop the sweet and articulate frequencies. After countless close listenings through different audio outputs and back-and-forth discussion between the collaborating artists, “skeeter jerry” was decidedly submitted for release more than two months after the idea became well-nourished and grew from its embryonic stage. Chrome Miser designed the 3D model for “Jerry” and the cover art, which reflects the song’s lush, aquatic scapes and its hospitable host.
