Appreciation of VG Music 12: Cold/Winter

[Capa Langley]

Theme #12: Cold or Winter themes

What is required from you:

• Link a stream or Youtube video of your favorite original track that must correspond with the current theme. You are not limited to just one, of course.
  
• Explain why you like the specific track. Don't just say you like it.
  
• Some favorites will often be shared between more than one persons. This means someone else will likely post a track which you like. So instead post your 2nd favorite or so forth. No duplicates. The idea here is to spread as much different tracks as possible.
  
• Or, you can post a track you've never really listened to before and write why it can be enjoyed.
  
• Participation is key.
  

Previous sessions:

1. Battle Music

2. Game Boy

3. Vocals

4. Scary Theme

5. Sad Theme

6. Live Instruments

7. Guitars

8. Character Theme

9. Summer

10. Main Themes

11. Original Soundtracks

[ocre]

This track jumped immediatley to mind:

from Kirby 64 - The instrumentation in this decidedly cute and frigid tune creates a cool little atmosphere while you traverse an area draped in snow. I like it because it's yet another example of the classic genius of Ishikawa that has always been a part of the charm of the Kirby games. This track will be in my mind and many others minds for years to come! :3

[Garian]

Ys 1 & 2 (PC Engine port) "Ice Ridge of Noltia" has always been an amazing ice-area themed song to me. Song composed by Yuzo Koshiro, this version arranged by Ryo Yonemitsu.

The first time I recall listening to it was after talking with Mr. MAGFest about the Ys 3 ports/soundtracks and mentioning that I was looking to collect as many versions as possible, so he sent me a rip of Ys 1 and 2's songs. This track has always stuck with me since then, it's got some extremely high energy and feels like progressive pop music to me. There's just so many dynamic things going on, the chimey FM-sounding synths really set the tone for a "cold" area, the rest of the instrumentation really adds to the adventure aspect of the Ys series of games. I also really love the secondary lead bass going on, every time I listen to the song I just hear more and more to it that amazes me.

[Mirby]

Donkey Kong Country 2 - In A Snow-bound Land

It's great, and really conveys the beauty of the area the stages are in magnificently. It's beautiful. :3

I'd also like to give a shout-out to

because it's great and really has a great wintery feel to it.

[Rexy]

Time for me to list a few... including a few Playstation-based soundtrack choices

Of all the tracks that Mutato Muzika did for the Crash series, this to me has the closest wintry feel to me. It fits the active tundra setting, adding to both the space and the impending desire to experience Christmas all over again. I also found it to be one of their most melodic tracks in the entire game too, which is also a definite plus.

Sure, a LOAD of the Gex 3 score was just a cheesy theme-and-variations approach to the main theme, but the first stage music - themed around the Christmas holiday - made it fit in so well into a track that really satires what's generally heard around the season, complete with appropriate instrumentation. Even the part when it starts facing the 'last note nightmare' trope with its corresponding variation on Frosty the Snowman adds a faint amount of fear to what would otherwise be considered one of the most cheerful settings in the entire game, not much to say considering in general scope the game is much darker than its predecessors.

Past Enter the Dragonfly, the Spyro series had taken more drastic turns in regards to music, and I thought the similar theme-and-variations direction taken for A Hero's Tail was initially a bit lazy on its part. But if there was any source that did justice outside of the Saturday-Morning-Cartoon vibe it was going for, it had to be this one. Considering that you were escaping from an icy prison and you were previously playing as Hunter on the rescue, it fits both the tension and the bitter cold that the level was based around, and made it a great showcase for some of the pitched percussion and string/pad writing that was prominent throughout the game's score. The theme's references itself were even subtle as well, allowing the more-frontal string writing to take more prominence and establish itself as a more memorable cue throughout the entire game.

This may not be winter in the more traditional sense, but it definitely accompanied the stage's opening snowboarding sequence BEAUTIFULLY. Whether playing as Sonic, Shadow or Blaze, hearing this in the background when going downhill definitely manages to add to the frantic blizzard-packed rush towards Eggman's base at the bottom of the slope. Melodically it could be seen as more minimalist in comparison to the other tracks in the set, but with what there is it managed to build enough layers to keep a lot of engagement for the 3-minute-loop that it is. I seriously think someone can dream trance the living daylights out of this thing and similarly emphasize the snowboarding feel it had going for itself - anyone?!

Though this was previously used as a more solemn cutscene cue prior to chapter 8, its prominence during the emptier scenes surrounding it added an extra depth of chill and bleakness towards the Lunar Snowfield, the location of the Red Moon and the Prinnies' reincarnation ritual. Sato may have been on such low-par samples for his general writing, but it was definitely a great way to work with a more minimal setup to emphasize more beautiful writing, impending the future of Etna's Prinny squad, the visuals accompanying the stages, and even the sudden push into the limelight for the Big Sis Prinny, her presence being made even more heart-wrenching by the end of the chapter.

An odd (yet wide) selection of wintry tracks from here, but hopefully they should contribute to the discussion

[Dexie]

Naughty Dog's Crash games had fantastic music. I remember playing the demo for Crash 2 (Which consisted of just the Snow Go stage) over and over again just to listen to this tune. It's catchy, funky, and all around a great ice stage theme.

[Zerothemaster]

TIME FOR ME TO CORNER THE MARKET ON MEGAMAN TRAX trolololo

Freeze Man - Mega Man 7

Everything about this remix just screams winter at me, from the chill arpeggios to the lead instrument that just sounds like freaking christmas.

Frost Man - Mega Man 8

I love Frost Man, from his big icy body to his stupid looking feet. And with the verbed clangs and the chill trumpets and DAT BASS, there's nothing in this song that's not winter.

I love the lead. It just sounds like ice. And DAT BASS v2.0.

I don't know why this sounds so much like winter to me, honestly. I think it's the arpeggios that wander from one side of the phones to the other, and that bent chord that everything's built around... Oh, it makes me feel so happy.

THIS IS THE BEST SONG IN THE BATTLE NETWORK SERIES. I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH HOW *cough cough haaack* ow... sorry, but I really like this song, with the cold leads, the chords, the bass... everything just makes me feel cold. X3

...why do I have to explain them all? They're all wintery for the same reason! ;_; Chill leads and arps that make me shiver and DAT BASS v3.0. I mean, it's freaking Chill Penguin!

Imma gonna stop there for now

[Ethan Rex]

- I love how jazzy it is (especially that riff at :51) and how the track evolves and expands.

- This one has a definite sense of cold with its instrumentation, but it maintains a sort of hip hop feel with the rhythm, keeping this relatively minimal source groovy and interesting.

- Dat piano. Everything from the pad to the vocals to the piano invokes a sense of a desolate winter environment. The piece evolves and expands beautifully throughout the piece, while retaining that distinct Metroid Prime vibe.

Also, addition to the shiver star love. Such a peppy and christmasy piece.

[Manoo2k]

mandatory. I love how calm and cold this track is, I had no idea of what Mother 2 was but as soon as I heard it on some online game music broadcast so many years ago I instantly realized it had to be a snow themed track and fell in love with it.

what's not to love?, nostalgia is probably speaking for me on this one. Contrasted with the track above, I like how optimistic this track sounds and I certanly love the bass. I guess the rest is the combination of the music + background, that somehow always warped me into the game when I was a kid

[Brandon Strader]

Eh this is a typical choice but it's my go-to theme for winter stuff...

And here's a poopy cover I did of it from OHC: http://compo.thasauce.net/files/BrandonS_-_Buried_in_the_Snow(OHC071).mp3

[YukiKazami]

Here we have

. This theme is the definition of cold to me. The main amd mostly only instrument is a synth that sounds so cold I get chills down my spine just hearing it. The other sound that plays during it is the sound of the nightmare flying in the background, which sends a whole different chill down my spine.This song plays in the coldest area in any Metroid game, essentially a trip through the world's largest freezer, and it shows

[Mirby]

Such an adventurous track, love it. Also the mountain is icy so yeah.

Mega Man X3 - Blizzard Buffalo

I had linked an arrangement of this track in IRC, which gave capa here the idea for this theme. And then he wondered why I didn't post it after he made this thread. So here.

[Magnetic Ether]

I haven't played the game, but it has a wonderful OST.