It started with a creak. Then a heartbeat. Then that swingy, infectious piano riff that basically defined an entire era of the internet. If you were anywhere near YouTube or Steam in 2017, you heard it. You probably couldn't get it out of your head. I'm talking about the Build Our Machine song, the fan-made anthem by DAGames (Will Ryan) that arguably did more for the visibility of Bendy and the Ink Machine than any traditional marketing campaign ever could.
Think about that for a second. A single song, written by a fan, now sits at over 300 million views on YouTube. That isn't just a "hit." It's a cultural pillar of the indie horror scene.
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Why the Build Our Machine Song Hit Different
Honestly, the timing was perfect. We were right in the middle of this massive shift where horror games weren't just about jump scares anymore. They were about "vibes." They were about lore. Five Nights at Freddy's had already primed the pump, but Bendy brought something visually distinct: the rubber-hose animation style of the 1930s.
Will Ryan tapped into that aesthetic perfectly.
The song isn't just catchy. It’s a narrative summary. It captures the bitterness of the character Sammy Lawrence and the "ink demon" himself, directed at the protagonist, Henry Stein. When the lyrics scream "Hey! I am Alive! Immortalized!" it isn't just a cool line. It's the core conflict of the game—the idea that these cartoon characters were brought to life through a twisted, occult machine and left to rot.
The Electro-Swing Secret Sauce
Most horror music is atmospheric. It’s drones, screeching violins, and silence.
But the Build Our Machine song used electro-swing.
This was a genius move. By mixing the upbeat, jazzy sounds of the 1930s with aggressive, modern electronic basslines, DAGames mirrored the game's own internal logic. It’s something old and nostalgic that has been corrupted into something loud and dangerous. You can't help but tap your foot, even though the lyrics are literally about being trapped in a workshop and turned into ink.
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The production on the track is surprisingly dense. Will Ryan’s vocal performance starts with a sort of theatrical, villainous sneer and builds into a full-on metal-inspired roar. It’s a chaotic mix. It shouldn't work. But it does because it feels authentic to the frantic energy of the game’s early chapters.
The Impact on the Meatly and Indie Horror
You have to realize that when this song dropped, Bendy and the Ink Machine was only on its first chapter. The game was tiny.
The Meatly (the creator of Bendy) has been pretty vocal about how much the community's creative output helped the game grow. The Build Our Machine song acted like a secondary trailer. It spread through the "Gacha" community, the "SFM" (Source Filmmaker) community, and Roblox. It became a meme. It became a fundamental part of the game's identity to the point where many fans actually thought it was an official song made by the developers.
It’s rare for a fan creation to become so synonymous with the source material.
Breaking Down the Viral Mechanics
Why did this specific song blow up while thousands of other fan songs vanished?
- The Hook: That piano intro is instantly recognizable. Within two seconds, you know exactly what song is playing.
- The Lore: In 2017, "theorist" culture was peaking. Channels like Game Theory were huge. People were hungry for any scrap of story. The song provided a rhythmic retelling of the mystery.
- Accessibility: It’s a bop. You don't even have to like horror games to enjoy the track.
The Legacy of the Ink
Years later, the Build Our Machine song still holds up. It hasn't aged into that "cringey" category that some early internet gaming songs fall into. Why? Because the craftsmanship is actually there. Will Ryan didn't just throw some loops together; he wrote a legitimate piece of musical theater disguised as a gaming track.
It also paved the way for other creators. It proved that a musician could build a massive career specifically by catering to niche gaming fandoms.
What You Should Do Next
If you're a fan of the song or the game, don't just let it sit in your nostalgia playlist.
- Check out the remaster: DAGames released an "Anniversary" version and various remixes that clean up the production. The original has a raw charm, but the newer versions show how the artist's skills have evolved.
- Explore the "Bendy and the Dark Revival" soundtrack: If you like the "ink-swing" genre, the official soundtrack for the sequel leans even harder into this style.
- Support the original creator: Head over to the DAGames YouTube channel. The Build Our Machine song was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment, but the work he's done since—especially the metal tracks—is worth a deep listen.
- Revisit the Game: Play through the first chapter of Bendy and the Ink Machine while keeping the lyrics in mind. You'll realize how much of the environmental storytelling Will Ryan managed to cram into a three-minute song.
The song is more than a piece of digital history. It’s a reminder of a time when the gap between game developers and their fans was non-existent. It’s a testament to what happens when a creator truly "gets" the world they are playing in.
Go listen to it again. Loudly.