Did I ever tell you about the aquarium inside the hospital?

In this soundtrack for an imaginary videogame we explore the relationship between a girl and her severely ill mother, who is currently hospitalized. The girl spends most of her time in the visitors lobby, drawing the fish from a large fish tank, not fully understanding everything that’s going on, as she tries to sort out her thoughts and feelings. 

Through these drawings, she starts to create an imaginary aquatic world full of wonder, where she can play and explore with a subconscious representation of her mother, as she envisions her. In this world, we get to see how various aspects of their relationship are abstractly represented through gameplay and music, that range from memories of fun & games, as well as present moments filled with worry and love for her mother. 

In her real life, the girl has been shielded from the truth by the adults around her, putting her in a metaphorical "bubble" where everything seems to be fine. However, she can sense that things are not quite like they say.

Listen to the whole album on https://soundcloud.com/vichoeq/sets/hospital-aquarium

Tracklist

1. Sunday Funday (1:31)

This track is about the girl and her mother having fun during weekends, going out for walks, or even doing housework in fun ways. 

We tried to make a simple, yet funky tune inspired by 80s japanese city pop, to convey this feeling of carefree fun.

2. A World of my own (2:04)

After her mother gets hospitalized, the girl spends most of her time by the aquarium in the hospital, drawing the fish to avoid boredom, as she is loosely cared for by adults. She tries to show the drawings to her mom in any chance she gets, but since most of the time she is sleeping, the girl decides to tape her drawings all around the room, so her mother will see them whenever she wakes up. As days go by she starts to worry more about her mother and wonder why they can’t see each other like before. She starts imagining herself exploring this magical underwater world with her mom, as a happy place she can reach within her mind. 

We tried to evoke the feeling of exploring a magical underwater world that sparks curiosity and wonder, while staying true to the hopeful yet melancholic nature of this moment.

3. The nurse told me to be good and come back tomorrow (2:17)

Even though adults (family, nurses and her mother’s friends) keep saying that everything is fine - and even her own mom told her that they would have fun again once she got better - the girl notices that something is off and can no longer enter her mother’s room. The girl starts to asks questions to the nurses and her uncle, and even though they avoid giving information, she notices that they are no longer saying everything will be fine. As her uncle gives the girl a ride home, a sense of eerie dread fills her mind, as she puts the pieces together and start to realize her mother’s real condition. 

We tried to evoke the feeling of a moody afternoon, where the future is uncertain and getting darker, but still gives a glimmer of hope.

4. Mommy's a liar (2:06)

One day the girl overhears the nurses talking about her mom in the hallway. They say it’s unlikely she'll make it, and they feel sorry for her daughter. With this, the girl’s bubble is broken, as the promise made by her mother of having fun again together begins to fall apart. In her fantasy world, a twisted image of her mom appears in front of her: a liar. The girl must face and overcome this distorted version of her mother, so she can realize the lies were just an act of love, trying to protect her. 

We tried to evoke the feeling of a boss-fight, but facing against someone whom you really wish you didn’t have to fight. The music is meant to evoke disappointment and despair. It starts out sad and melancholic, and it slowly gets more and more intense, to find closure returning to a feeling of calm after the fight is over, and finally seeing things objectively just as they are: her mother is very ill. Since this song is still set inside her fantasy world, we included the same musical elements as in track number 2 but with a twisted feeling to it.

5. I love you, mom (0:37)

Once the girl manages to come to terms with reality, only one thing is left: love. She truly loves her mother and deeply cherishes all the moments they’ve lived together. Even though she’s scared, her only wish is to see her mom healthy again. As she talks to the nurses with a new found maturity, she manages to go into her mother’s room one more time to say her feeling out loud: “I love you, mom”.