I've been going BIZARRE in the studio, and I'm excited to finally unveil a special new project for the BizarreBeasts. Night Beast is a hand-illustrated, animated artwork accompanied by an original BizarreBeasts instrumental track—the first-ever BizarreBeasts music NFT!
Written and composed by multi-talented independent producer Kate Yarter of Honey High Records, this mesmerizing piece combines moody visuals with a melodically beautiful and beat-driven soundtrack. Night Beast is an imaginative and creative experience that pushes the boundaries of traditional illustration, bringing together the worlds of art, music and web3.
As multi-instrumentalists ourselves (Kate on the harmonica, bass, ukulele and piano, and myself on guitar, ukulele and piano), we poured our passion for music into this project. For Night Beast, I took the lead on the piano and electric guitar, while Kate composed, produced, and played the other instruments, crafting a soundscape that perfectly complements the animation. Get ready to dive into a world where sight and sound intertwine to create something truly BIZARRE!
The Artwork
Night Beast invites you into a nocturnal world where a bizarre, three-eyed beast named Paolo tries to catch an aggressive lightning bug that's determined to make Paolo regret entering the forest. The animation style is bold and dark, with strong lines and muted tones reminiscent of a blue-green sky after the sun has set but before the night's darkness has fully fallen.
I started the artwork with some simple sketches, exploring what Paolo might look like. After some creative processing, I selected the beast form that I felt would best capture his essence. I gave him odd proportions, reminiscent of a toad or frog, and a long, protruding tongue perfect for catching bugs. Check out the process video of the artwork below:
As I created Paolo, I wanted to give him an adversary—he had the look of a BizarreBeast that would relish the thrill of the hunt. Considering what Paolo would enjoy devouring, his toad-like appearance led me to the idea of him catching and eating bugs.
Lightning bugs are fascinating creatures with their mysterious ability to create a sensational glow and then disappear into the darkness. I wanted to capture that intriguing essence with the lightning bug in the illustration. I am also somewhat of an amateur entomologist (bug collector) myself, so having Paolo catch bugs was a perfect addition to this illustration.
The Inspiration
Like most of my artwork, 'Night Beast' draws inspiration from my real-life adventures. In this case, the inspiration came from the incredible experiences Kate and I have shared exploring wild rivers throughout Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Arkansas. I wanted to capture the spirit of those adventures—the mystery and sounds of the wilderness at dusk, the feeling of excitement mixed with a touch of apprehension that comes with being in the woods at night.
I also drew inspiration from the bold, graphic style of comic art and throwback animation, using strong lines, vibrant colors, and dynamic compositions to create a sense of action and excitement within this nocturnal world.
The Music
To complement the visuals, Honey High Records has crafted a truly unique soundscape for the very first BizarreBeasts music. The track seamlessly blends delicate piano melodies with driving hip-hop beats, creating an atmosphere that's both moody and relaxing, yet still makes you want to move and groove. The track features subtle layers of hip-hop vibes, with intricate hi-hats, a driving bassline, and a laid-back groove.
The piano melodies are perfectly balanced, never overpowering the other elements. They bring a sense of beauty, melancholy, and introspection, with a hint of mystery that mirrors the visuals.
The music perfectly captures the essence and mystery of Night Beast enhancing the viewing experience and adding another layer of depth to the BizarreBeasts artwork.
The Fusion of Art and Music
In Night Beast, the subtle animation and evocative music work together to create a captivating and engaging viewing experience. The hand-drawn illustrations and movements, such as the lightning bug's flight and Paolo's tongue, are enhanced by the accompanying soundtrack.
The delicate piano melodies mirror the gentle movements, while the driving hip-hop beats add a sense of underlying energy and tension. This fusion of subtle animation, bold illustration, and dynamic audio invites viewers and collectors to engage with the piece on a deeper level, appreciating the nuances of both the animation and the music.
Collect The First BizarreBeasts Music
Ready to collect a piece of BizarreBeasts history? Night Beast marks the debut of BizarreBeasts Music, and you can mint and own this groundbreaking piece in four ways:
The Album Art: Collect the original, animated Night Beast album artwork NFT on Zora to own this one-of-a-kind piece.
The Animated Artwork: Collect the animated Night Beast visualizer NFT with soundtrack on Zora and own this captivating visual experience.
The Original Soundtrack: Collect the Night Beast track as an NFT on Sound.xyz to own the very first BizarreBeasts music.
Go BIZARRE and collect all three works!
This is your chance to be among the first to collect BizarreBeasts music and own a piece of this exciting new chapter in the BizarreBeasts evolution. The Night Beast track will also be available on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, but minting the NFT grants you BIZARRE status, ownership of an original, awesome piece of music, and directly helps BizarreBeasts spin up more tracks!
You can also purchase in-real-life stickers and prints of the Night Beast album artwork with ETH on the BizarreBeasts Slice shop! (10% of the sales proceeds is automatically split with my Hypersub rewards!)
A special shout-out to my amazing Hypersub community – you've already received the track as a thank you for your incredible support!
Watch the Night Beast Animation
Closing Thoughts
Night Beast represents a BIZARRE new chapter for BizarreBeasts, where I'm exploring the exciting intersection of art, music, and web3 technology. I'm incredibly grateful to my amazingly talented and beautiful wife, Kate Yarter, founder of Honey High Records, for bringing this audio-visual experience to life in such a beautiful way. Her support has been monumental to my artistry and musicianship.
I'm eager to continue pushing the creative boundaries of BizarreBeasts and drop more innovative and engaging experiences. Stay tuned for more groundbreaking releases, including more BizarreBeasts artwork, comics, and now—music!
Join My Hypersub Community
A special shout-out to my amazing Hypersub community – you've already received the track as a thank you for your incredible support!
Join my Hypersub to receive ALL my BizarreBeasts comics dropped directly into you wallet, plus more BIZARRE perks! (such as a hot, fresh music track like Night Beast)
About BizarreBeasts
BizarreBeasts are hand-illustrated, original characters featured in onchain artwork, comic strips, and now - music! Join my Hypersub to receive weekly onchain comics dropped to your wallet, and more BIZARRE perks! (such as the Night Beast track NFT)
Connect
Collect on Zora.
Subscribe on Hypersub.
Listen on Sound.xyz.
Shop on Slice.
Stream on Spotify and more.
Explore on BizarreBeasts.io.
