fuckyeahaudiodrama - Tumblr blog

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

I've been excited to hear from Mr. Bonzo since we first heard about him during the ARG, and goodness me, I was not disappointed. I just had to put a little post together for him. And of course, I cannot post this without mentioning the supremely excellent music and sound design.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

HELLO THE GROTTO SEASON 1 SOUNDTRACK JUST DROPPED

GO LISTEN AND SUPPORT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

You’re very welcome! :) I just finished listening to the Patreon release of your behind the scenes chat and I’m so floored by the amount of thought that went into constructing the ship’s atmosphere, too — I really didn’t have the vocabulary to describe it but the vibe you said you were going for absolutely came across. (And the whistlers!!! I KNEW it sounded like there was a human voice in there!! That’s SO cool, really made them stand out to me.)

I was just checking out Uncanny Valley for more of your sound design yesterday, it was fantastic. Excited for more! I hope you’re having a lovely week!💛

-Tony

REC: Neon Inkwell - Of That Colossal Wreck

“An existential science fiction horror [which] follows five survivors who awaken on a vast space station, intended as humanity’s last defence against oblivion. Little do they know, however, that other beings are interested in the facility…” (x)

7 episodes / approx. 2.5 hrs

a long-anticipated limited series by Jonny Sims and Sasha Sienna, exploring what it means to be human, how identity is shaped, and what can be done when all seems lost.

first standout thing about this series is the sound design (and the music.) it’s GORGEOUS, discordant and haunting, and really just sets a mood before the story even gets its stride. reportedly, the RQ production staff got to mix things up and try out new roles for Neon Inkwell, so Katie Seaton actually got to do the music and sound design for this series. i have to assume this means she was responsible for bringing the alien “whistlers” to life — and i just think they’re so goddamn cool. i want to know everything about them. check out this post for a sampler of that. i was so impressed overall that i’m currently checking out some of Katie’s other work.

obviously, i knew i was going to enjoy the writing — Jonny Sims has produced nothing but bangers from TMA to both of his published novels, and what i’ve seen of Sasha Sienna’s writing in the TMA bonus “What the Ghost?” episodes, as well as their ttrpg work, left me with no doubt that i would enjoy any characters that they helped to develop. but i was still really moved by how each character interacts with the others individually. despite being a fairly short series, there’s somehow room for the development of all six characters — in fact, for the majority of the cast, they’re as in the dark about their own personalities as the audience is at the start of the story, so you get to go on that journey together. i thought that was a neat new spin on the classic amnesiac protag trope that i see so often in this flavor of sci-fi.

this story is at least partially a space survival horror. that being said, the worldbuilding necessitates some pretty daunting existential questions about human ethics, community, and personal identity. from a narrative standpoint, i was wondering how such a short series would even be able to deliver satisfying answers to all of this, but i think it was pretty well done. no spoilers, but man — that finale was like a whole round of emotional gutpunches. a surprisingly hopeful finish.

i already miss these characters terribly ;_; i didn’t even have them very long, but they’re all so lovable and their group dynamic has so much potential. highly recommend checking it out (but mind the content warnings for each episode.)

strong start to the new feed!🪶a behind the scenes episode has been promised soon as well, so look out for that :)

__

similar to: Deviser, Project Nova & The DECA Tapes (premise, setting) ; Red Valley, Down & Janus Descending (vibes)

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

okay… okay. i have. at least 15 posts drafted. just need to finish them. summoning my focus in vain…

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

I just had another weird thought about my fave spooky podcast and most recent hyperfixation.

The Five Seasons of The Magnus Archives Seem Thematically Parallel to the Stages of Grief.

Season 1, Denial - Jon feigns skepticism as he reads the statements and hides that he's scared of whatever monsters lurk in them

Season 2, Anger - Jon takes the offensive in that he begins to investigate Gertrude's death and starts spying on his coworkers in an increasingly antagonistic fashion. Everybody rightly gets very upset with Jon's behavior.

Season 3, Bargaining - Jon learns (part of) the truth; okay, how does he fix this? Look into the Stranger, save the world, maybe that will validate the fact he's becoming less human? What does he have to do to be safe?

Season 4, Depression - And I quote, "Boohoo, I'm so alone and a monster". He has lost a larger piece of his humanity and is going through the motions, nobody he can trust or talk to and sinking into the addiction of hunting victims.

Season 5, Acceptance - John has come into full power and, while he still doesn't like the fact that he does, he enjoys the perks of avatarism and being the harbinger of the change.

(If this observation has already been made I apologize but my late night thoughts need an outlet.)

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

REC: Kakos Industries

“At Kakos Industries, we help our clients to Do Evil Better.” Corin Deeth III has just been appointed CEO; as such, he is contractually obligated to narrate the monthly announcements keeping YOU, shareholder, in the loop on all of the goings-on at the infamous Kakos Industries. (x)

150+ episodes / usually 20-35mins, varies

first off, the creator and narrator for this series — Conrad Miszuk — is just so charismatic even though he’s playing a somewhat awkward character. i love his voice and i think he does an amazing job of portraying someone who has been thrown into a position of immense power without true ambition, scrambling to maintain a certain image and juggle an endless number of obscure, even absurd responsibilities.

the other characters who appear from time to time are also just exceptionally fun. ymmv per character, of course. they’re all very distinct and usually unreasonable, in a sitcom sort of way. but i find most if not all of them quite charming and i think, most importantly, that they all seem to bounce off of each other really well when placed in the same scene.

even when other characters aren’t present, the format of the show is really strong. the announcements are divided into segments, which allows for frequent callbacks to earlier episodes as well as providing a platform for new comedic concepts. for example, Kakos’ seemingly infinite number of hyperspecific (or frustratingly vague) departments is one of the core threads of humor in the series. Corin might mention some of the earlier established departments, or he might introduce something totally new, suited to the episode’s self-contained plot. this is just one example; there are plenty of running gags that give this show a unique personality.

this is one of the longest-running audio dramas that i’ve listened to (2014!) and i’m stunned that i don’t see it rec’d more often. i guess i get that the listener pool may be a little smaller than average — the show is full of raunchy sex jokes and sometimes quite dark humor, so it’s definitely best for a mature audience. (the early episodes especially are not always great listening for the sex-averse among us.) but i think it’s really special and definitely on par with legends like WTNV.

if you listen from the beginning, i must warn that sound design is still getting its footing in earlier episodes — but it improves and evolves drastically over time. if you like the concept, i definitely recommend sticking it out.

overall, i think Kakos makes really creative use of the radio show format and has a lovely rapport with its fans. new eps are something i look forward to every single month without fail.

—

similar to: Welcome to Night Vale (format, vibes, absurdism) ; Monstrous Agonies (format, extensive worldbuilding) ; The Amelia Project (absurdism)

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

Just finished binge-listening to Rusty Quill's "Neon Inkwell: Of That Colossal Wreck" today! Absolutely loved the audio design of the Whistlers and wanted to make a creature design to go along with it!

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

This is two minutes from the first episode Of That Colossal Wreck that really struck me, I've listened a few times, and I just really wanted to share it. The way the music and sound design creates tension with the acting is just, absolutely incredible.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

I just wanted to showcase the incredible sound design for the Whistlers, they are like a creature I've not met before, and their sound design creates such a visceral image for them.

Audio captured from most episodes 1 through 7.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

REC: Neon Inkwell - Of That Colossal Wreck

“An existential science fiction horror [which] follows five survivors who awaken on a vast space station, intended as humanity’s last defence against oblivion. Little do they know, however, that other beings are interested in the facility…” (x)

7 episodes / approx. 2.5 hrs

a long-anticipated limited series by Jonny Sims and Sasha Sienna, exploring what it means to be human, how identity is shaped, and what can be done when all seems lost.

first standout thing about this series is the sound design (and the music.) it’s GORGEOUS, discordant and haunting, and really just sets a mood before the story even gets its stride. reportedly, the RQ production staff got to mix things up and try out new roles for Neon Inkwell, so Katie Seaton actually got to do the music and sound design for this series. i have to assume this means she was responsible for bringing the alien “whistlers” to life — and i just think they’re so goddamn cool. i want to know everything about them. check out this post for a sampler of that. i was so impressed overall that i’m currently checking out some of Katie’s other work.

obviously, i knew i was going to enjoy the writing — Jonny Sims has produced nothing but bangers from TMA to both of his published novels, and what i’ve seen of Sasha Sienna’s writing in the TMA bonus “What the Ghost?” episodes, as well as their ttrpg work, left me with no doubt that i would enjoy any characters that they helped to develop. but i was still really moved by how each character interacts with the others individually. despite being a fairly short series, there’s somehow room for the development of all six characters — in fact, for the majority of the cast, they’re as in the dark about their own personalities as the audience is at the start of the story, so you get to go on that journey together. i thought that was a neat new spin on the classic amnesiac protag trope that i see so often in this flavor of sci-fi.

this story is at least partially a space survival horror. that being said, the worldbuilding necessitates some pretty daunting existential questions about human ethics, community, and personal identity. from a narrative standpoint, i was wondering how such a short series would even be able to deliver satisfying answers to all of this, but i think it was pretty well done. no spoilers, but man — that finale was like a whole round of emotional gutpunches. a surprisingly hopeful finish.

i already miss these characters terribly ;_; i didn’t even have them very long, but they’re all so lovable and their group dynamic has so much potential. highly recommend checking it out (but mind the content warnings for each episode.)

strong start to the new feed!🪶a behind the scenes episode has been promised soon as well, so look out for that :)

__

similar to: Deviser, Project Nova & The DECA Tapes (premise, setting) ; Red Valley, Down & Janus Descending (vibes)

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

trying to make a dent in my 300+ bullet point to-listen list versus listening to magnus all the way through again, who will win

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

NEW! REC: The Grotto

Struck by a recent loss, Matt turns to spelunking for solace. As Matt battles grief, he questions if the caves are playing tricks or if something else lurks within. The Grotto is a liminal horror podcast that explores the thin line between grief, pain, mourning, and loss. (x)

3 eps + counting (29 Dec. 2023)

a new full cast weird unsettling existential horror pod! with a soundtrack that slaps! i absolutely eat this shit up.

this is a fairly new pod and i can’t honestly guess at where it’s going just yet, but i strongly encourage anyone interested to hop on board while it’s still getting off the ground because i think it’s going to be spectacular. VERY strong start — episode one had me pacing around at work and i’ve been continuously checking for updates since.

it features three of the voice actors from WOE.BEGONE (athan, lyssa jay, and taylor michaels) all of whom are very talented and have a really great energy together. the use of multiple perspectives is also really helping immensely to establish an early sense of mystery.

what jumps out to me so far is the way that this story has already begun approaching very painful, relatable emotional beats, using them as the main catalyst for plot development without cheapening them. things are messy from the get-go and promise to get worse. creator athan is open about drawing a lot of inspiration from W.BG, and you can see that in some of the stylistic choices — but the story is very unique so far.

i am stoked about the mindfucky worldbuilding, the sound design choices, the MUSIC!!! and of course the more disturbing or gruesome moments. (watch out for the gory bits! so far there has been some pretty intense claustrophobia and injury, etc. loud noises seem to be amply warned for in the notes for each ep.)

i can’t fucking WAIT to see where this goes.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

REC: Cryptids

Cryptids “follows Eve, a pediatric hospice nurse, and Trevor, a late-night conspiracy radio show host […] in search of an afterlife.” Instead, they find “a truth beyond their wildest nightmares.” (x)

7 episodes / just under 2.5 hours

a short, well-paced and suspenseful supernatural mystery dealing with existential questions and the nature of conspiracy. each character is so sympathetic that it’s difficult to parse who is in the right when conflict arises. lightly comedic to cut through the darker moments — including among other things themes of terminal illness in children, death, and trauma — with extremely natural sounding dialogue that makes all of the characters’ relationships feel painfully authentic.

first and foremost: the opening theme really sets the tone! it’s the perfect length for me and the perfect length to skip through if you want to (but i never do.)

plus — and this is crucial for a limited series — a shocking yet satisfying ending, imo. and it has huge relisten value.

i was impressed with the way the sound design conveyed space and distance. at times, the audio quality may seem slightly reduced because the characters are in an echoey environment (in-universe), but even this is done with obvious care. i particularly liked the instances of static. the one thing that made me uncomfortable was just how realistic the coughing sound was, but that’s good sound design i suppose. negative for me, positive for others i’m sure!

it looks like they’ve let their domain expire so i can’t find an official website right now and have linked their page on the RQ website instead.

__

similar to: LifeAfter/The Message (high-stakes emotional mystery, though these are a little more intense) ; more loosely How it Ends, Red Frontier, or The Hyacinth Disaster (vibes, grief, existential mystery — the latter are more heavily sci-fi and not set on earth however)

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

REC: Clockwork Bird

“A philosophical horror podcast about a missing cyborg and the people looking for him. Robin Jaeger is the most synthetic man in the world. And he’s possibly been legally dead for over a decade. Shelly Croft is putting the pieces together, hoping the trail to Robin Jaeger will also lead to her finding her ex-girlfriend, who was obsessed with the company who made Robin’s limbs, and has also disappeared.” (x)

30 episodes / av. 15/25 mins apiece

this is genuinely one of my favorite audiodramas of all time. it truly makes the most of the medium, and the narrative is perfectly paced to allow each character to shine without distracting from the horizontal movement of the plot.

the overall balance of the story is admirable. robin is the fascinating center of the mystery, thoroughly haunting the narrative, but protagonist shelly really holds her own. she is not merely present as a means of unveiling someone else’s story; in fact, her personal drama is inextricably tangled in robin’s obscurity in a way that feels very natural — rather than forced — and provides a reasonable explanation for the risks that she continues to take. at no point should you find yourself skeptically asking “why is she bothering?” it’s clear there’s a compelling interest, and you will be dying to find out what it is.

additionally: my personal favorite part of listening to first-timer indie AD is when you get the chance to hear the technical skills of the creator improving over the course of the show. i find it so inspirational. this was a great example of that, and in fact, those improvements follow through to the creator’s next (unrelated) show, Spirit Box Radio!

the premise of this story alone raises a number of hairy ethical questions, and none of them are hand-waved away. to really appreciate this story you have to be willing to approach medical ethics including euthanasia, themes of suicide and self harm, and corporate usurpation of human bodily autonomy.

this story originated as a concept for a novel and you can tell just how gorgeously crafted it is. i for one cannot wait for creator eira to get published someday.

__

similar to: this story is unique in a very good way. other fragmented sci-fi mysteries like Janus Descending might tickle your fancy, or the ethical quandaries of Red Valley and BBC’s Body Horror. but i can’t think of another audiodrama that handles this brand of grief quite so poetically. feel free to point me to some.

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

vampires, coming.

also there will be new episodes of the show soon, updates with dates soon xxxxxx

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

REC: The Trees Swallow People

A limited horror series “about a man and his dog witnessing a small Irish village driven to the brink of madness, cosmic terror, and cult worship by supernatural trees.” (x)

told in 24 chapters / 6 hours

to be honest, i tried this out at random and was just utterly unable to put it down. i fell asleep listening to it the first night and inevitably finished it the next afternoon.

the story just has this incredible forward momentum; it’s so full of dread, even in moments where nothing is really happening. the flat, descriptive narration style is juxtaposed perfectly with sudden bursts of intense action and vivid, almost rapturously described gore.

for me, the protagonist was the real selling point. he’s depressed, though not truly apathetic, and struggling — often gracelessly — against the tide of an apparent mass psychosis that’s descended on all of his neighbors. above all else, he‘s compelled to protect his beloved little dog with an increasingly unhinged desperation (a trait which i think many of us can probably identify with.) much of the narration has a blunt or even bleak edge to it, given the constantly deteriorating circumstances, but occasionally our protagonist bursts through the grimdark spiral to be hilariously exasperated with the people around him.

production quality is also excellent. music is well-placed, meaningful, and mixed well enough that i never found it interfered with my understanding of the narration, even in dramatic moments. some of the sound design was fairly graphic, but overall i appreciated how it enhanced the powerful imagery of the nastier scenes.

the dreary small-town setting is perfect for this sort of horror. without spoiling, i also appreciated the brutal simplicity of this worldbuilding concept. new elements cropped up from time to time but it never got terribly convoluted — the same central mystery remains through the final chapter, and i personally found the conclusion satisfying.

i’d really love to hear more from this creator!

__

similar to: Wake of Corrosion, I Am In Eskew, The Milkman of St. Gaff’s (worldbuilding, vibes), & vaguely WOE.BEGONE (mostly narration style)

[fuckyeahaudiodrama]

given the amount of fiction podcasts i find myself listening to nowadays, i decided i needed to make a blog for audio drama ramblings and recs :)

what to expect:

i dabble in most genres but i’m especially attracted to horror, sci-fi, and fantasy

preference for concept > production quality

lots of “similar to” notes

my top faves are RQ originals⚙️🪶 and there will probably be a lot of RQN shows here because i make a point of keeping up with the network as it grows.

what NOT to expect;

overt negativity. unless a piece of art is actually mean-spirited, i like to take things in the best faith possible and i love “flaws” so i won’t be dunking on them. my opinions are obviously subjective but my goal is to break work down into its component parts in order to a) better appreciate it, and b) to help other audio drama fans find shows suited to their tastes.