COMPOSER &
SFX-ARTIST
for games & film
Wiehahn Diederichs
Wiehahn Diederics is an award-winning composer and SFX artist based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Shroom & Gloom | SFX Sound Test
“Shroom and Gloom is a first-person, roguelike deckbuilder that brings you mobs of monstrous mushrooms and mountains of mega-combos!”
I was part of an SFX test for Team Lazerbeam, where I, and a few other sound designers, were tasked with creating a series of sounds for a short gameplay demo for Shroom & Gloom.
These sounds were made from scratch to accompany the video above. All sounds (except the card shuffle sound) were created by me.
Disclaimer: The SFX featured in this video was purely made for an SFX test. I am in no way affiliated with Team Lazerbeam, and none of the SFX here is actually used in the game.
Whispers of Airona – The Unfolding of Time
“Whispes of Airona is a narrative-driven adventure where your choices transform the very fabric of existence. Play as Airona, a young girl who has the power to summon portals that peer into distant realms. Meet people from other worlds, and decide where you will intervene or where fate will take its course.”
This piece was created for the OST Jam 2024. Participant had to create an OST for an imaginary game based on an image theme and the line “Inside my World”. The song represents an emotional blend of wonder, loneliness, and innocence, representative of Airona’s journey through these otherwordly dimensions.
Unnamed Project – A Meditation on Hope
“A track that will set the scene for the game that follows”
‘A Meditation on Hope’ was a loop I created as part of an application process for a (now) unnamed game. It’s a mystery title that focuses on exploration and philosophical conversation. This track’s purpose is to accompany the player as they explore the world and unravel the overarching mystery.
Blood Wizard – Blood Magic
“Weaponise your blood as you turn your own damage into mana that lets you destroy your foes. Perfectly balance your blood and mana as you learn which blows to take and which to dodge. Master pain and blood to escape your prison!”
This piece was created for our SA Game Jam 2025 entry, Blood Wizard. It’s a ravey, electro piece that served as our mad, BDSM-obsessed wizard’s soundtrack.
Flash Composition – Holy Like
“Sunday got me feeling all holy like.”
This weekend, I visited the Central Methodist Church in Cape Town’s Green Market Square. I’m not a religious person (a tad spiritual maybe), but I’ve always loved the architecture of churches – especially really old ones that exude a sense of history.
The saints depicted in the stained-glass mirrors had a very child-like and almost aloof quality to them. The predominantly brown colour scheme added to the uncanniness.
It inspired this little piece, which made me think of a playful but bored little trumpeter sounding his praises. Or, maybe he was just content in his role, at ease with the meditative lull of the melody.
Void Wars – Feral
“Think Darkest Dungeon meets Dead Space / the film Aliens.”
Void Wars is a turn-based strategy where you play as space marines exploring a derelict and seemingly abandoned spaceship. The project is currently in prototype phase, and this horror track was made to set the atmosphere and help guide/inspire the team as they develop the game.
Ghostboy – The Lower Floor
“Steal your body back from the serial killer that murdered you.”
Ghostboy is a roguelike horror-survival game where you play the ghostly victim of a serial killer who has to steal back their body to return to the world of the living. “The Lower Floor” was created to convey a growing sense of dread as you and the killer play a dedly game of cat and mouse.
The Competitor – The Bladeshow, Siblings
“A documentary crew follows a day in the life of an eccentric Bladesports enthusiast named Danny Botha.“
The Competitor, a comedic mockumentary, won ‘Best Use of Genre’ at the 48h Film Fest, Cape Town.
‘The Bladeshow’ track set out to convey the passion and dedication Danny has for the art of bladesports. The ‘Siblings’ track represented the quirky yet endearing nature of Danny and M’s relationship.
Poop Deck – The Rivalry
“Pirates and Vikings faceoff in a rivalry of honour and shame.”
Poop Deck is four-player party game created for Playtopia 2024, an annual interactive art and gaming festival in Cape Town, South Africa. You and your teammate either play as pirates or vikings and set out to shame your opponent by sending your feathered companion to cover their poop deck in… well, poop.
Terrafrontier – Terratorial
“Terrafrontier is a competitive turn-based terraforming game where you and your opponent compete to take control of a planet and its habitat.”
Terrafrontier won the Overall Winner Award at SA Game Jam 2023, hosted by Free Lives. This track aims to evoke a sense of discovery, danger, and adventure. It boasts an eclectic blend of tribal and sci-fi soundscapes that a tells the story of brave adventurers who seek to discover and explore faraway worlds.
Cosa Nostra – The Tailor
“Cosa Nostra is a point-and-click adventure where you play the mafia’s tailor. It was a peaceful life until a new family started moving into the block, threatening to upset the life you’ve spent years building”.
Cosa Nostra won the Best Use of Theme award (“Tight Knit”) at the Ravel Narrative Jam 2024. “The Tailor” soundtrack takes heavy influence from 1950’s jazz artists such as Miles Davis. It reflects the the spiderweb you get entangled in when you work for the city’s most powerful crime family.
Dead Money – Séance, Deadly Stakes
“Pilfer money from cultists before the demons claim their souls.”
Dead Money is a devilish game of demonic roulette, created for the SA Game Jam 2024 (48h).
‘Séance’ was the main gameplay track, setting an eerie, Lovecraftian tone for this Victorian-era thriller. ‘Deadly Stakes’ kicks in when the stakes are at its highest, where a simple slip-up dooms your soul to an eternity of torment.