Millitrax A-Sides is an award-winning radio show on Millikin’s student-run station, 89.5 WJMU The Quad. During the early formation of the show, I was contacted by project leader Kyle McMillen to compose an original soundtrack. This included an intro track, an extended version of the intro that would be used for transitions, and a looping background track. All of my songwriting and production was completed in Ableton Live using my home studio setup, delivered within a few days of initial outreach.

Millitrax A-Sides, at its core, is a love letter to independent music. I kept this thought in my mind as I began workshopping ideas for themes and backing tracks. I wanted the intro to be bright, exciting, and radiating creativity. I blended different genres and instruments into a cohesive package that feels like a breath of fresh air at the start of every broadcast. I took these same ideas and applied them to the show’s backing track, keeping the fun, experimental melodic elements and laid back drum grooves, but dialing back the energy to make something much more lowkey. I wanted a song that music lovers could jam to and pick apart every tiny detail without distracting the general audience from the interviews at the forefront of the show.

The show’s producers went on to earn the coveted “Golden Microphone” award for Best Live Music Broadcast at the 2025 Intercollegiate Broadcast System Conference in New York City. My work as soundtrack composer went on to be credited in part for the massive success of the show.

- Colby Wygal