During my first year of university, one of my modules focused on electronic music composition. Each week, my peers and I were challenged to create or expand upon a track using the provided inspirational material—photos, illustrations, sound patches, videos, and animations.

Throughout the module, I built a prolific bank of musical sketches, often drawing inspiration from imagery. The distorted bass riff in the third track of the album, for example, was directly influenced by a black-and-white photograph of Mount Whitney—hence the name Sierra Nevada. 

By my second year, I refined this collection, shaping it into the next four entries alongside Echo. If Echo depicted a sci-fi future and an untouched world, then Hayon continued the narrative—exploring lush, green landscapes before their inevitable destruction, paving the way for the rise of a new colony civilization.

Following this narrative of world exploration, I shifted my focus from nature’s organic beauty to its raw, physical power. Sierra Nevada may center around rock and mountains, but its inspiration extends further—capturing the relentless force of snow, ice, and water. Avalanches, frozen tundras, and vast bodies of water can be just as—if not more—intimidating than the mountains themselves. 

In reference to all great RPGs and magic systems, I had to answer the themes of earth and water with air and fire, and thus, Air was created. Air was originally two separate pieces of music. one focused on the feeling of flying (and falling) , and the other focussing on the contrast between darkness and light. 

I eventually combined the two pieces, subsequently creating a single piece that featured many riffs, motifs and timbres - by far my most complicated piece to date.  I eventually combined the two pieces, subsequently creating a single piece that featured many riffs, motifs and timbres - by far my most complicated piece to date.