Time Trap 2 is a short film directed by Michael Shanks, and the film in this video is scored by Suraj Vaja.

I started this project in March, where I had to come up with a theme for this film. It took a few tries until I made a small tune, that set a foundation for the this film. As this fits the sci-fi genre, I created original synths and sounds that gave it a 'space' feel. 

I then built upon this by working my way through each scene, adding different instruments, and getting inspired by film scores from Hans Zimmer along the way.

At the end of March, I received some great feedback that allowed me to know how to improve my score. A few days later, I postponed the release date of the film due to other projects I had to complete, and that i knew I'm capable of making it better. 

It's such a relief, finally releasing this film. So grab some snacks, and enjoy the show!. Feel free to share your thoughts on the music below in the comments :)

Time Trap 2

Thcliff Kirit - TimeTrap (SOLSTICE Contest)

https://youtu.be/--GDmq2vbrs

"✨ Temporal Paralysis ✨  
A haunting experience where time itself feels frozen. This track captures the eerie sensation of being trapped in a moment, unable to move or escape. The slow, crushing grip of paralyzing fear echoes throughout the track, blending intense beats with an atmosphere of tension and isolation. A fusion of post-punk, melodic techno, and psytrance creates a soundscape that amplifies the feeling of temporal paralysis.  
Feel the moment. 😳🕰"  

Lyrics:

(Verse 1)  
In the dead of night, I felt her near,  
A shadow moves, I can’t disappear,  
Her pale face, her eyes they burn,  
Frozen still, no way to return.  

(Pre-Chorus)  
Whispers echo, no air to breathe,  
A silent scream I can’t believe,  
Trapped in time, no way to flee,  
Her grip on me, it’s all I see.  

(Chorus)  
In the stillness, I lost control,  
Silent screams that stole my soul,  
She was there, but I couldn’t move,  
A moment trapped, unable to prove.  

(Verse 2)  
Another face, with different eyes,  
She sits there still, my mind denies,  
The weight on the bed, I can’t escape,  
Time’s cruel grip, my heart does break.  

(Pre-Chorus)  
The silence presses, thick as stone,  
I try to move, but I’m alone,  
Can’t break free, can’t see the light,  
She holds me down through endless night.  

(Chorus)  
In the stillness, I lost control,  
Silent screams that stole my soul,  
She was there, but I couldn’t move,
A moment trapped, unable to prove.  

(Bridge)  
Flickering lights, my body’s chained,  
In this room, I feel the strain,  
Was it real? Or just a dream?  
In this pause, I can’t scream.  

(Outro)  
And now she’s gone, but I still feel,  
The weight of her, it's all too real,  
A frozen moment, a broken soul,  
Temporal paralysis, I'm never whole. 

Temporal Paralysis (Original Mix)

I compose music for:

✅ Films
✅ Video Games
✅ Other Moving Images.

🎧 The New Of The Tower
Welcome to a new, underground, dark world...

🎭 Musical Style & Artistic Evolution

🚀 Avant-Garde Dance Music Without Borders
The New Of The Tower is an independent, self-taught project that fearlessly pushes the limits of dance music with a unique fusion of genres. Officially described as a mix of dark techno, tech-house, electro, and experimental pop, it also incorporates elements of trap, punk, and even classical music.

In practice, each track oscillates between club anthems and conceptual sonic experiences. For instance, “Velvet Guillotine” (2025) is a hypnotic techno hymn built on heavy percussion and distorted vocals—a true “surreal sonic ritual” under neon lights.

The sound is always matched by a cinematic, underground aesthetic: strobe lights, cyberpunk visuals, and immersive atmospheres define every release.

🌍 Eclectic Influences & Genre Alchemy

The New Of The Tower draws from a wide range of sonic traditions:

🏴‍☠️ Dark techno and industrial groove infused with gothic textures and anarchic punk (e.g., “BRUTAL!!” — a chaotic journey of distortion and rebellion).

🌍 Afro-Tech House meets rock guitars à la AC/DC in “Love Letters” (124–126 BPM).

👺 “Masquerade of Bass” blends melodic techno, dark psytrance, and retro synth-pop.

💃 Spanish-language tracks like “Marionetas” and “Vidas Rotas” fuse flamenco sorrow with trap beats and deep 808s.

🎷 “2:59 AM” evokes Amy Winehouse-inspired jazzy cloud-rap, while “She Danced Through Storms” travels through deep house and jazz fusion with a cinematic touch.

🧊 “Still Echoing” merges melodic trance with nostalgic 80s synth-pop.

🧬 Each track is a bold cross-genre experiment: from industrial club bangers to dark electronic ballads, always rich in texture and emotion.

🎛️ Sonic Palette: Instruments & Effects

🎹 Synths & Melodies
Analog pads & leads (often vocoder-enhanced) create retrofuturistic atmospheres.
Punk-style distorted guitars and 80s synthwave textures bring cinematic depth.

🥁 Percussion & Rhythms
Hard techno kicks, metallic hi-hats, tribal drums, and trap-style 808s.
Layered acoustic and electronic elements make for dynamic and precise beats.

🌀 FX & Processing
Rich in glitchy clips, VHS noise, deep delays, and reverb-soaked vocals.

Examples: “Love Letters” is drenched in lo-fi and VHS textures; “4 Malos Polvos” features glitchy ambient layers and emotional auto-tune.

🎨 Each sound is carefully crafted to contribute to a vivid, cinematic soundscape.

🎤 Vocal Treatments: A Sonic Chameleon

Vocals range from:
🎙️ Melodic singing (English & Spanish)
🔥 Punk shouting & spoken rap
🤖 Vocoded retro textures (“Still Echoing”)
💔 Melancholic auto-tuned lines (“4 Malos Polvos”)
💣 Confessional, emotionally intense deliveries
🗣️ The voice becomes another instrument of emotion, soaked in effects like reverb, delay, filters—ranging from ghostly whispers to ecstatic screams.

🌑 Emotional Climate & Storytelling

The overall emotional tone is dark, introspective, and visceral.

Themes revolve around:
💘 Passion, heartbreak, rebellion
🧠 Subconscious states & urban alienation
🕯️ Ritualistic, trance-like experiences (e.g., “Velvet Guillotine”)
🌆 Social suffering (“Marionetas”, “Vidas Rotas”)
😈 Raw eroticism & shame (“4 Malos Polvos”: “each drop is a stab disguised as a caress”)
🎞️ Romantic melancholy in cinematic settings (“2:59 AM”, “She Danced Through Storms”)
🎬 Each track unfolds like an emotional chapter, offering catharsis, vulnerability, and mystery.

📽️ Conceptual Artistry & Vision

The New Of The Tower is not just music—it's an immersive audiovisual concept.

💀 Explores themes of dystopia, poverty, guilt, rebellion
🏙️ Brutalist club visuals, cyberpunk aesthetics
🕯️ Emotional depth with non-commercial intent
🎭 “4 Malos Polvos” = a “dark confession for love sinners,” cinematic and raw
🌀 Each release = a journey through shadow and rhythm
🕺💀 Dance meets darkness—a kind of electronic film noir where each beat tells a deeper truth.

📈 Style Evolution: From EDM to Darkness

🟢 2019–2022: EDM & electro-pop beginnings (Feel EP, “You And Me” — catchy and bright)

🟡 2024: Transition into melodic techno (“Not Living Without You”)

🔴 2025–Present: Shift to dark techno, darkwave, flamenco-trap, and experimental storytelling (“Velvet Guillotine”, “Marionetas”)

🎭 From mainstream dance-pop to raw, conceptual electronic music—always evolving, always fearless.

🎼 Comparable Artists & Influences

🧩 The New Of The Tower resonates with:

🧨 Brutalismus 3000 (techno-punk dystopia)
👾 Perturbator (dark synthwave)
🌘 Mind Against / Recondite (melodic techno & melancholia)
🎤 Boy Harsher, Massive Attack (dark vocals, trip-hop moods)
🔥 Anyma (techno emotion), Latin trap/fusion for its flamenco-trap leanings
🌌 But ultimately, it defines its own world—one built from dark techno, darkwave, nu-jazz, and trap-rock fusion.

🔍 Sources
All analysis is based on official content from:
📻 SoundCloud & YouTube, where each track’s genre, BPM, and atmosphere are detailed, along with the project’s self-described tags and narratives.

📎 Verified by direct observation of mixes like:

“Velvet Guillotine”

“Marionetas”

“4 Malos Polvos”

“Still Echoing”

“Love Letters”

“2:59 AM”

and more.

🎧 The New Of The Tower: Not just a sound, but a dark, immersive, and emotional experience.
Let the beats confess what words cannot.

New tracks tagged #Timetrap