Shook - Rpg (2023)

Shook Releases New EP "RPG" Composed with One Hand and Influenced by Retro Video Game and Japanese Ambient Music.

"RPG" is composed entirely with one hand. Despite breaking his other arm and being unable to play his synthesizers, Wijnands did not give up and created the EP, showcasing his determination and passion for music.

Wijnands says: "I have been listening to Nintendo soundtracks nonstop while creating this EP, and it really cheered me up when I just broke my arm."

Besides Retro Video Game Music, "RPG" draws heavily from Japanese environmental, ambient and new age music from the 1980s.

"RPG" showcase Wijnands' skill as a composer and his ability to create evocative and immersive musical landscapes. The songs have a similar minimalistic aesthetic, where less is more, and the focus is on creating a serene and meditative atmosphere through the use of delicate piano melodies, subtle electronic textures, and synthesizer sound recordings to mimic the sounds of nature.

Despite the challenges Wijnands' faced during the creation of "RPG," the EP proves that he is still pushing the boundaries of electronic music.

Wijnands' music was famously played in space by NASA astronaut Christina Koch in 2020 during her record-breaking 328-day mission on the International Space Station. Koch praised Wijnands' music for its "uplifting and infectious grooves" and described it as the perfect accompaniment to the awe-inspiring views of the cosmos.