My vision now felt clearer as I am going to remix traditional songs using food vendor samples to reflect the culture’s rhythm and unity. With YouTube being my best friend at this point in the project, I started scouting for songs to use for my remix, keeping in mind the vibe, instrumentation, and food environment.
Within a week, I finalised the five songs I will be remixing for Sonic Kitchen:
China – Actor by Tong Li. I chose it because it’s emotional but still upbeat, and her voice has this clean tone that feels rooted in tradition yet contemporary enough to play with.
India – Case by Diljit Dosanjh. I chose it because Bhangra is so full of life, and this track in particular has a kind of rhythmic confidence that made it easy to build around.
Indonesia – Kembang Rawe by Nella Kharisma. This one was personal because I’ve heard it at almost every wedding and family event growing up. And it holds a lot of nostalgia for me and my siblings.
Japan – Sakura Sakura by @sakurassongs on YouTube. I found it whilst browsing through the website and I loved its soft and delicate, and I wanted to challenge myself by remixing something so minimalist and turning it into the complete opposite.
Spain – España Cañí performed by the Philharmonic Wind Orchestra. Watching the Philharmonic Wind Orchestra as a child also felt nostalgic to me as I remembered its theatrical and almost cartoonishly bold arrangements. I liked the idea of clashing it with something as humble as street churro vendors.
I started organising all my samples by country and tagged each sound with a category like “bass,” “percussion,” or “drone” to make my sessions smoother and easier to deal with on Logic.
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