Good Grief Sounds

is a full-suite music production studio founded by Sydney Smith and Ángel Sánchez. After working well together remotely in music and production for four years, we decided to combine our powers to help others, too.

We prioritize experimentation and authenticity over all else. We like music and sounds that are interesting and have something new to say. Before being featured in a TikTok highlighting the song of the summer, we hope to be found in a niche music blog read by people who care.

Both of us have training from institutions that valued a diverse skillset across genres and styles, and we are enthusiastic jacks of all trades. We’re always excited to tackle a new challenge, and no project is too large or ‘out there.’

Ángel Sánchez

Ángel (she/they) is a musician, guitarist, producer, and audio engineer basd in Guadalajara, Mexico. They love making noisy rock music and creating ambient soundscapes.

Ángel received a Bachelor’s degree in Digital Music Production from Universidad Amerike in Guadalajara.

They have written, produced, and recorded their own music, and worked professionally as a producer and engineer since 2022. Their first release, songs about trees (2020) is an EP about the anxiety of living in a world that appears to be ending due to environmental destruction. They then began releasing music under their own name, with transit card (2022), balance (y cómo perderlo en el camión) (2022), and stuck (2023) which also features Syd.

Sydney Smith

Syd (they/them) is a musician, producer, and game designer based in Dallas, Texas. They make weird pop music, games that are musical instruments, and love large, intensely processed vocal stacks.

After an early upbringing in classical clarinet and choral singing, Syd received a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production from Berklee College of Music in 2020, where they learned to compose and produce across a wide range of genres. During this time they developed an interest in music for spatial and immersive experiences, especially through lecture band MCTheProfessor.Gov, for which they acted primarily as composer and clarinetist.

They went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts from New York University in Game Design in 2025. During their time at NYU, Syd began down the rabbit hole of exploring the relationship between music and gameplay, and sharpened their skills in sound design.

Syd also writes, produces, records, and performs weird pop music (most of which has been produced with Ángel) under the moniker ‘sydastry.’

You can find more about Syd’s work in games and music on their website.