Touhou 19 Music Discussion

[williewillus]

A thread for discussion of the music in Touhou 19.

Here's my ranking so far of the demo's themes. I'll update once the full version comes out.

1. The World is Made of Cuteness / The World is Made in an Adorable Way

Adorable name, lighthearted and pleasant melody, sentimental comment, what's not to love? If you listen to some chiptune/PC98 arranges of this track, this also sounds quite a bit like old video game music you'd hear in the 90s too, it's a decidedly video game track.

I also love the initial Chinese translation of this theme's name, 「世界如此可愛」. It's a bit less accurate, but it roughly means "This world around us is so adorable". Positive and uplifting!

2. At the End of Spring / At the Harbor of Spring

The remix that changed the most from its original, but the melody is still so strong 14 years later. ZUN's taken a big liking to the choirs recently.

3. Intelligence of Beasts

Really out there title theme. Sometimes ZUN sticks to the traditional Theme of Eastern Story, but occasionally (like in PCB, DDC, or WBaWC) he tries something completely different. This one is one of those. The syncopation in the main arpeggios is notable, and overall it's pretty sinister sounding, though not as much as Touhou 17.

4. Magical Beast Scramble

Didn't think much of this at first, but it grew on me. Very witchy and fitting for Marisa. The chorus is romantic and nostalgic, and reminds of the a bit of the climax of Touhou 18 stage 5.

5. Pre-Battle Theme

Underrated because half the people uploading the OST aren't uploading this. It's a 20 second loop, but it's incredibly sinister-sounding. It sounds like a mix of Touhou 9, 17, and 17.5's styles.

6. Unforgettable, The Nostalgic Greenery

Idk how ZUN managed to make such an intense track as LoLK Stage 1 sound more happy and bright, but he did. I would've liked Rabbit Has Landed more, but that one was already arranged in Forbidden Scrollery, so I guess he wanted to arrange another track.

7. A Pair of Divine Beasts

It exists I guess, with some boosted accompaniment instruments and choir (of course).