MEET THE REAL ME
👋 Welcome! I'm Kees Phillips and I’m a music composer for video games and TV based in Byron Bay, Australia.
From as young as I can remember I've always been captivated by music. Not just how it made me feel but more importantly why it made me feel. I couldn't help but dissect every decision other composers made and so, naturally, when I started to dive into the world of composition myself, my curiosity quickly became insatiable.
I had success writing for short films and animations, but my love of travelling took me far away from a studio and into the world of mobile music production - a skill that still proves useful today.
I'd love to say I found my calling with either of those paths but it wasn't until I was playing through my fifth run of 'Hollow Knight' when suddenly everything clicked. I began breaking down the games soundtrack and found myself falling in love with music all over again. I spent hours at the piano trying to perfect the crucial techniques used by legendary composers to write the music that steals our hearts as gamers. In all my years of composing music, nothing had resonated with me quite as much as composing for video games.
I have the most fun when I’m writing for the games I enjoy the most. This is usually Action Adventure games, RPGs / JRPGs, Metroidvanias and exploration games. These are the games I actively play, the ones that inspire me to create custom, impactful video game music for people like you!
MY SOUND AND INFLUENCES
WHO I SOUND LIKE AND HOW I ACHIEVE THIS
Skyrim - Bethesda, 2011
The Witcher III - CD Projekt RED, 2015
I cannot express enough how attached I am to the mythical, ancient music of these games. They effortlessly seem to whisk you away to fantasy lands heavy with magic and adventure, always with strong cultural influence
I adore recreating this feeling by writing simple, old world themes using rhythm and emotional melody to convey grandeur - sometimes noble and festive, other times dark, mysterious and exciting. I frequently use medieval and cultural instruments in my compositions to transport the listener far away
I love how Zelda's music treads the line between memorable, nostalgic comfort songs and an ambiguous tonal identity. The way BOTW's music strips everything back and hits hard at the same time is breathtaking
I recreate this in my own work by using deliciously addictive and playful themes contrasting rallying, heroic anthems heavy with world instruments and returning motives
The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker -
Nintendo, 2002
Breath of the Wild -
Nintendo, 2017
Hollow Knight - Team Cherry, 2017
Celeste - Maddie Makes Games, 2018
I'm obsessed with the unique flavours of atmosphere each individual area submerses you in when playing these games
I replicate this feeling through the use of engaging, orchestral arrangements and themes that reinforce the games tone and story at every corner
Both of these games feature an abundance of meticulously crafted tracks with a strong and gripping 'fairy tale' element - wether it's a rallying battle theme that gets you undeniably pumped or a delicate character theme that shakes you to your core, the music. hits. hard.
I emulate this by using logical composition that feels comfortable and fitting, yet isn't afraid to use non-functional harmony to deliver a floaty, ethereal and mysterious tone when needed. Simple rhythms and melody are my personal favourite combo with enticing and unexpected harmony.