TORONTO - May 16, 2025 - Music label Automaphonica is pleased to present Wigglin', a groovy collection of MIDI-infused tunes inspired by videogames of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The album features original work by game composers and game developers jneen and tesselode, providing high energy jazz, wonky grooves, and a lot of drum and bass. This scrappy-yet-approachable collection of jams defies genre. With low-tech sample smashing and quirky solos, its rawness packs a punch that will leave listeners wanting more. The album's promotional trailer is featured below and the Wigglin' album is available on Automaphonica's Bandcamp page starting today:
Get Wigglin' on Automaphonica's Bandcamp Storefront
"Much of my musical influence growing up was from mid-2000s PC and Game Boy Advance games," reflects tesselode. "These used different forms of sample-based MIDI music. My earliest compositions were written in notation software that exported to general MIDI, which I then used in my games built on the Game Maker 6 engine. MIDI-based music pushes you to compose distinct melodies with a limited soundset, and 20 years later, I've channeled that melodic writing in this album."
"A lot of my sound comes from classic early 2000s PC game soundtracks," adds jneen. "From a time when Sierra was king - especially Tim Clarke's extended soundtrack for The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions. The way the team embraced the technical limitations of the time while being unmoored from the traditional bounds of genre just absolutely spoke to me as a kid, and I think you'll hear that influence across not just this album but my whole musical career."
Artists jneen and tesselode are both game composers and game developers. Specifically, jneen is a part of Twice Twice Studios, the developer of the upcoming Miss Paint, which also features a MIDI-heavy soundtrack drawing on '90s PC game nostalgia. jneen is also an avid Super Mario Maker contributor with a knack for making troll levels that have been the subject of several articles on major game industry news sites. Two of jneen's remixes featured on OverClocked ReMix have gone on to be used at Games Done Quick events. Similarly, tesselode is a solo game developer, having released the hit title EAT GIRL and other arcade-inspired titles.
The full track list for Wigglin' is as follows:
- Wigglin'
- Phasmotheque
- Not Today, Sharon
- OMG They Were Shroommates (ft. Zantilla)
- Rock Candy Caverns
- Jetpack Snail Race
- The Mechanical Kraken
- Zorp's Last Voyage
About Automaphonica
Automaphonica is a digital fusion artist collective and label for energetic, groovy, and loud music - stuff that makes you want to get up and move your body. They fuse genres like rock, soul, funk, house, drum and bass, etc. while remaining grounded to the computer-music traditions of digital fusion and videogame music.
Learn more: https://automaphoni.ca
Follow Automaphonica on Bluesky and Discord
About jneen
jneen is a trans woman, a digital fusion producer, keyboardist, and drummer based in Toronto. She makes catchy VGM melodies that stick in your head and swagger basslines. You will often hear her blur the line between synthetic and real-time improvisation, or experiment with odd sounds and strange meters, but she always keeps it groovy and accessible.
When not making music, she's been known to make Super Mario Maker 2 troll levels and sudoku puzzles.
Learn more: https://jneen.ca/
Follow jneen on Bluesky and SoundCloud
About tesselode
Artist tesselode is a musician and game developer who blends technicality and playfulness with their experimental electronic music. Their sounds are eclectic, their chords are lush, and their drums are chopped up into little pieces.
Learn more: https://tesselo.de
Follow tesselode on Bluesky and YouTube