Whether you’re a player of the fruits at your local casino and arcade, or you just love to punt the slots online, they all share a common element – each possesses its distinctive jingle or soundtrack that accompanies your gameplay experience.
The rise of the online video slot has led to innovations in all departments of game development, where a new pool of talent has had the chance to emerge and show the iGaming sector what they have to offer. One individual who stands out from the crowd is Nolimit City’s David Åhlander, who, in our opinion, is leading the way as a sound designer and music composer in the industry.
We reached out to the team at Nolimit City to see if David could answer a few questions, and we’re delighted that he’s sacrificed a bit of his time mixing the latest beats to have a chat with us today.
Hi David, Before we begin, could you give us an overview of how long you’ve been with Nolimit City, your current role at the company, and how it has evolved over that time?
Hi! I have been with Nolimit City for over seven years; time flies. I’m a sound designer and composer, but I also inspect each game for any improvements. After creating music and sounds for over 50 games, I guess I have an eye for details. In the early years when Nolimit City was a small company, I also built our website and some simpler front-end things, like an in-game keypad. But now we are bigger and have more skilled people to manage those things, so now it’s full focus on music, sounds and a nice final product.
So where did it all begin for you, David? Was music a passion of yours from an early age, and did you have any family influences, like a parent or sibling who played an instrument?
My interest in music started around the age of 12, with bands like Nirvana and Metallica. No family member or close friend was especially interested in music, but some kids at my school played some instruments, which caught my interest.
That question leads nicely to whether you play any instruments, and if not, what made you opt for a digital route?
My main instrument is the guitar, which I started to play at the age of 12. As a very creative guy, it was super fun to explore the guitar and create my own songs. At 17, I bought a Roland MC-505 and started with digital music. Since then, I have created music with both acoustic and digital instruments. I also play a little piano, drums and bass.
Once you left school, what were your next moves? Did you go on to study music at a higher level? Or were your talents honed by purely spending hours of practice as a hobby and a passion that later became a career?
Making music has always been a passion and a hobby. I never attended music schools, so learning by doing was the way to go. School was never my thing, but hey, who needs to know how to read notes and weird chords, right? After high school, I moved to Spain with the Roland MC-505 packed in my suitcase and continued my music journey while working as a carpenter.
Thanks for that background information. Now that we know more about the man behind the music, could you share your thought process when a new slot comes across your desk? Do you brainstorm, for example? Or is there usually an instant idea that springs to mind and a direction you want to take when you’ve seen the game?
When I first lay my eyes on a new game, I usually just hear it in my head. Often, it’s quite clear what will fit the theme; otherwise, I discuss it with the project owner or my sound colleagues.
What are your next steps Once the idea is in place? And how long does it take you from this stage to get to the finished product you are happy to sign off on?
The first demo is in place very fast, and then I continue from that one. We have around 4-5 tracks in each game, so the process from the first demo until all tracks are done is long. Sometimes, I’m just lucky, like when I wrote the max win music for Kiss My Chainsaw. I was about to get some coffee I saw my guitar and picked it up. Five minutes later, it was written.
But each game comes with some anxiety. The creative process does not have an on/off switch and thoughts like; Can I finish this in time? Will it be as good as expected? Can I actually sing this? Are these lyrics good, and so on? We usually have 4-5 weeks to make all music and sounds for one game.
You’ve created some absolute bangers, I think it’s fair to say, but which of the pieces you have composed are you most pleased with? And if we had to pin you down to just one favourite, what would it be?
xWays Hoarder – Hell Yeah, it is my absolute favourite. I have great memories of creating that game. Then we have the Deadwood music, also a favourite. When entering free spins in those two games, I get a great kick. The same goes for the super free spins in The Rave.
In our next release in September, The Crypt, I made a free spin track called Get My Bones Right. This one may be my new favourite; let’s see if it gets as popular as Hell Yeah. Hell Yeah is our second most streamed track after Das xBoot.
We’ve enjoyed lots of your creations in the past, and along with East Coast vs West Coast, we really liked The Rave and DJ Psycho, too. Did you ever consider being a DJ as a full-time professional? Or were you always looking for an alternate route as a career path?
After my “career” as a carpenter, I became a DJ and played house music. House music in Spain was big back then. I really connected with house music and started to create my own tracks, which were played in a few clubs. It’s a great feeling to see everyone dance to my tunes. But that was like 20 years ago; I’m getting older, and right now, my focus lies on “casino” music and my personal acoustic songs. I was planning to release an album someday between now and death.
It’s been great to learn more about you, David, and as a final question, as thousands of slot fans worldwide are listening to your music, what’s currently on your playlist, and who are your biggest influences, past and present?
Well, after a day of work, you can’t find any speakers more silent than mine. Actually, music is the last thing I want in my ears, damaged by work, I guess.
But some of my favourite songs are:
- Matt Corby – Resolution
- St Germain – Sure Thing / How Dare You
- Ian Pooley – Venasque
No surprise after that list, my biggest influences are Ian Pooley, St Germain and Matt Corby. Ian Pooley and St Germain have been my influences for over 23 years. And… I wish I had a voice like Matt Corby.
Thanks for having me!