Song of the Ancients

Let me share with you one of my favourite songs. Why it's my favourite? Because it is simultaneously both soothing and tense. As one YouTube comment puts it:

"NieR's style of making OSTs

- Make a song with soothing and memorable vocals.

- Now keep the soothing vocals but add feelings of Risk, Urgency, and Tension to the instruments.

- you have successfully told the player to "fight or lose everything""

It was a very apt song for someone who was trying to reconcile his religion and sexuality back in his secondary school / polytechnic days. Cognitive dissonance was real and intense. At the same time, composure and repression was paramount because the thoughts that I had couldn't be freely shared. It was easy to relate to the song. For a large part of my life, it was my identity - to be calm despite the warring factions inside my head. Another song by the same game with a similar theme is 'Kainé Escape'. 

The game was released in 2010, not that I've played it, but years have passed, and sequels to the game have been made. The game's creators have made an effort to remaster/rerendition the songs and I do quite enjoy them. They even have an upcoming choir arrangement album coming up in March. 

The first one sounds more grand, while the second is more despondent. 

Asides from official remakes of the songs, there are various covers that have been made by Nier's fans. The three I'm sharing below are more upbeat versions than the previous ones. We have rock, and accordion (which sounds somewhat festive), and a ballad rendition, a recent favourite.