LogFAQs > #966053311

FEHLT (DEEMO edition)
Combat Beneath the Waves
Ethnic Cave & Flame

notes:
-Alice Schach's strange blend of rhythm game and gothic fantasy/fairytale elements is really striking-- they do it in a way that's almost always appealing to me; the way it shifts between moods and sounds is often really cool and musically interesting to me. in this track, I like the way 1:13 sets up the track's big payoff, and how 1:52 reiterates an earlier idea, but modulated to a different key and made to feel a lot pointier with more emphasis on the pizzicato and mallet percussion, as well as the stutter effects. this was a serious support consideration for me and it's nice to see here
-combat beneath the waves is probably my favourite of the enkanomiya battle themes, though I think each of them has their strengths and weaknesses. the 'breaths' section really depends on my mood-- sometimes I dig it, sometimes I don't-- but it's a neat touch and a bit of a risk, and I can appreciate that. I've always seen strings as sort of the central instrument of Genshin Impact, but other area battle themes use other instruments reflecting the area in some way-- the fact that this battle theme doesn't (other than the vocal elements) makes it feel a bit more sparse, a little colder, and I like the way that also says something about this area. the strings themselves feel sad but also have a dancing energy, like at 1:47, and the pseudo-polymetric sections at 2:00 and 3:38 are a lot of fun. I have no reservations about the vocals at 3:20-- I love the way they tap out the rhythm with the strings. it's not as flashy or overtly cool as some of the other battle themes, but this has grown on me over time