OK OK I'LL WATCH IT. This show seems absolutely insane in the best way, and everyone I know who has seen it keeps telling me I have to, as well. If this small look into the music is any indication, I'm pumped to see the rest. What are your favorite tracks from either season?? ALSO, you can still grab the insane Black Friday deal here shop.betterpiano.com your support is what keeps this channel running, so I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!!
Honestly any song from woodkid, but Remember Me from D4vd and Wasteland from Royal & The Serpent hit too hard when you have the context. Could you do an other video after you've watched the show, it would be amazing to hear what you have to say regarding the music to the scene maybe ?
It is unironically one of the most well-made shows ever produced. Full stop, no hyperbole. My favorite tracks are Open Your Eyes, Ma Meilleure Ennemie, The Line, and Remember Me both the intro and the main song. I Can't Hear It Now, Dynasties and Dystopia, Goodbye, and What Have They Done to Us all slap as well.
My Fav tracks are (huge league fan, playing for 12 years so I LOVE ARCANE), The Line, Though Ashes and Blood, Sucker, Stromae and S1 also What could have been. But all tracks are good imo, not one I'd say meh, maybe just not my taste
Please do a Part 2 of this! I would love to hear your thoughts on Ma Meuilleure Ennemie, I Can‘t Hear it Now, Our Love, What Have They Done to Us, Goodbye. Edit: The instrumental soundtrack is also amazing. Some of my favorite tracks are: The Bridge, The City of Progress, She's Back, The Healer, That's Not Vander, The Only Way, A Warrior's Death.
I'm just glad you included What Could Have Been, which is one of my absolute favorites! I wouldn't mind that 3 hour video of you checking out all the tracks!
@@shimonaspancake I bet he did. I don’t know obvs, but I would imagine he probably listened to the entire thing and kept the most interesting bits for the video. It’s what I would do.
17:46 this melody is actually a reprise/callback to the first song in episode 1, in the very beginning of the whole show, it's so cool that it got tied back into season 2
@@viragszabo3332I dunno if I would call it that. It shows up every time we get a moving powder movement. It’s a song their mother sang, but it’s more directly tied to powder. We don’t see vi hum it until he last scene of the show
@@Jellysfrickingstuff You are probably right. I'm just an average League of Legends player who watches Necrit lol, and if I remember well he said this in his review videos. (Those are pretty interesting, go check it out if you want)
Lmao right, I (unironically) love finding bits of media that are just so good I can become mildly obsessed with them for a few weeks, just utterly immersed in it all
I wish they wouldn’t have played the darn “theme” music by Imagine Dragons in episode 2 right into the other musical number with the stylized visuals. It would have been so much better otherwise. The pop music numbers in the series feel like a crutch, as opposed to Peaky Blinders
The absolute genius about this series. The writers just cast the "you will cry now" spell, and the animators and musicians go to work. And you will cry. Like, before the first title screen.
I missed this motif in my initial watchthrough but when I came back to the soundtrack that well-places motif wrecked me. Glad someone else pointed it out too!
Would LOVE to get all the videos you'd like to make diving into working on S2 music! I genuinely want nothing more in life than to create something that has the impact the music you've made has had on me. All the love!!
@@wearemako Alex you deserve soooo much more credit than your receiving for Arcane!! Been a fan since Beam and always go back to Smoked Filled Room & especially Let Go Of The Wheel!! 2 of my all time favourites 😁
@wearemako love you dude! Please tell me there's going to be more breakdowns on your channel with making of/behind the scenes of season 2 songs? Was a bit disappointed with the current behind the scenes/afterglow stuff. I was happy to see your name on some of the song artists! Look forward to more content from you!
I'm 50 and I never imagined being so overwhelmed by a show. The final scene with Sting's song and the looks between Ekko and Jinx after their fight are the 2 moments where it's almost impossible for me to hold back the emotion
He didn't even listen to the best part of the song too! That "Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyy don't you love whoooo I aaaamm" with the rocket flying across the sky 😭
I love that song, it's so good. And it gets even better with time, because you can make a very strong case Jinx creates a monster of her own in that scene: Caitlyn. The Caitlyn we meet in season 1 is kind, optimistic, naïve, always tries to see the best in people. But because of this scene, she is willing to unleash chemical warfare on an entire city and then heads up a brutal dictatorial regime, all to flush out one person.
Arcane was the first time in a while I cried because something was utterly beautiful... You could pause practically anytime and you get an utter masterpiece... Would love to hear your thought after watching it.
I was thinking the same thing while watching it - the composition and artwork in every frame was stunning. I'm not surprised it is one of the most expensive animated series ever.
@ at first I was like, come on guys what’s taking you three years. 10 minutes in I knew what took them so long. The animation is so good I was sure they used mocap, but nope just straight up honest animation.
Guns For Hire is an all-time classic for me. I had just finished my final exams in high school, said goodbye to the teachers, come out of the room, put in my earphones, and started listening to it. That is the image I will always have when I'm listening to Guns For Hire. My last walk on the corridors of my high school. And of course I'll remember "The Scene" in which it plays. It's also an unofficial Bond Theme.
You've probably heard it in the context of memes, It was written for the show as the theme song but its made its way into meme culture and meme edits, tiktoks included
A huge amount of both the Arcane Season 1 and Season 2 soundtrack is written and produced by someone called Alex Seaver. He is a fantastic song writer and producer. You might know the EDM DJ's Mako, thats him (and Logan Light). He wrote and produced; Playground, Goodbye, Misfit Toys (the only song he has front credit for) and What Could Have Been from Season 1, to name a few, as well as production credits on alot of things on Season 2. Without him, the Arcane soundtrack would have been significantly different and sadly he gets almost no credit for it....
He's credited on season 2's "What Have They Done To Us" as well. I'll just say I think anyone taking more than a cursory glance at the music of Arcane has probably discovered Seaver like I have, so I don't think it's accurate to say he's getting NO credit. I will say that people seem to be largely unaware that most of the music in Arcane is original, which I think would hinder their chances of stumbling across Seaver. His approach to making the music for Arcane seems fairly revolutionary to me and I really hope it catches on. Collaborating with so many different artists from different genres to create new songs that perfectly fit the show...idk, everything about Arcane just seems like a love letter to art itself.
@@kyu2o337 he is visibly credited on what have they done to us because that is the only song in season 2 he sings on, hence why Mako is a featured artist. Maybe it is unfair to say he is getting no credit at all but he defiantly isn't getting what he deserves. PS, anyone that likes any of his production on the Arcane soundtrack and likes electronic music, go listen to both Smoked Filled Room & Let Go Of The Wheel off Mako's album Hourglass. 2 of my all time favourites and have been since they were released in 2014.
@@minhhapham7549 Spotify only displays visible credit for artists that 'perform' the tracks in question (ie sing or are a band) and so writers and production teams go massively under the radar. To view writers and production credits on songs you have to go to the drop down menu for individual tracks and click on 'view song credits', something that a lot of people either won't do or don't know how. This is why writers and producers fly under the radar. Max Martin is a very good example of a producer that doesn't get the credit he deserves. If he was a visibly credited artist on every song he had produced he would probably top the Spotify charts ahead of The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, considering he made the majority of both their songs. Have a look at his discography and you will be amazed the amount of chart topping songs he has produced for other artists.
@kiwi1294 That's kind of par for producing though, no? I'm sure behind the scenes he's getting all the credit he deserves, especially given the way he leaves credit on the song's to the performing artists. Idk, I just really dig his approach, and I think he probably prefers to be more behind the scenes...and like I said, I'm certain he's getting plenty of credit where it matters to him.
Sucker is probably my favorite from S2 although there are also a lot of others that are up there so I can't say for sure. I Can't Hear It Now will probably always bring me to the edge of tears though
I knew your jaw would drop when you heard Guns For Hire, it's such a bizarre song in the best way, it keeps taking the strangest turns and yet it sounds AMAZING!! And the scene it's played over is so fucking good, the combination of the context and the song is one of the best things I've ever seen.
The piano part at the end of Misha's piece is actually a quote of an in-universe song ghat the characters sing or hum diegetically at various points, which also gets quoted in the score at times.
9:28 holy shit. What Could Have Been teasing you by not showing you which way it's going for the entire first verse is...wow. Super clever for the context of the show. Let's say this is a really dramatic decision point for no fewer than three (arguably four?) of our main characters. Everyone's trying to figure out which way the others are gonna break, and almost everyone goes exactly the way you expect them not to.
I love that we're phyically watching you whilst you're actively listening to the pieces- I find it oddly fascinating how you're hearing something that I don't understand, but i'm watching that reaction across your face- It's just really cool.
It’s both the first and the last melody from the series, and it’s a song about the poor and the rich which is a hint to maybe the most important message in the story, about social equality and oppression.
This is fantastic!! Im sure I won't be the only to mention this, but another thing about Arcane's music that's really cool is that it was composed DIRECTLY to picture-meaning the album versions you're listening to here are just extensions of what they originally wrote & composed for the show. I find that really rewarding from a creative standpoint, as so often music & composition are the last thing added to what is ostensibly an already finished project. It's that collaborative process of Arcane's soundtrack that makes the music feel like a truly inseparable piece of the story as a whole, its a really one of a kind experience!
The tracks I do listen to from both seasons is huge lol... Playground, Dynasties and Dystopia, Misfit Toys, Guns for Hire, What Could've Been, Heavy Is The Crown, Sucker, Hellfire, To Ashes And Blood, Ma Meilleure Ennemie, Wasteland, The Line, Paint The Town Blue, Come Play, What Have They Done To Us and Enemy (opening title version) and original version, but MY FAVOURITES... Ma Meilleure Ennemie, Wasteland and What Could've Been, Guns for Hire is definitely on of my top 5 too I'd say.
"Spin The Wheel" by Mick Wingert is one to check out! Absolute musical highlight of the second season, and the singer is one of the voices actors from the show singing as their character, Professor Heimerdinger.
i know it’s not his thing but I would love to see CC’s reaction to at least that specific scene (having watched the show in its entirety to that point of course for context). It is still the highest point in S1 for me. Literally jaw dropped the whole time.
The flare... It's a very emotional tie-back, and then again, beautifully animated all the while getting the next action ready. Powerful writing. You're sitting at the edge of your seat, wiping the tears away to see how all of this continues.
I was going to say the way "Goodbye" drops at the end of e3 comes close, but no, there's just so much going on during "Guns for Hire" I think you're probably right. Silco losing his sh*t, Vi being Vi, and this desperate act by Jinx with the literal images of her dead friends on her back.
I'd have to say its the end of season one for me - going in knowing literally nothing about league of legends made the ending like 10x more powerful as I realised it was a tragedy in a single moment. I think thats probably the most powerful moment ive experienced in any work of fiction. And the score just made it _haunting_
I cant remember the last time i was obsessed with a show. Ive had depression for a long time and havent been able to enjoy games and shows like i used to. This show is special and brought me goosebumps, sadness, happiness and smiles. Its music, choreography, acting, animation and composition is simply stunning.
Awesome video like always ! Just a small info, in the last track you listened to, the piano melody that goes behind during the whole song is actually a Leitmotiv that is has a lot of meaning for the scene in which this song plays out ! So many subtelties that you may be able to hear after you watch the series and listen to the whole sound track ! I hope you give it a listen as i personnaly believe it to be one of the strongest OST of recent western medium ! Not just the songs btw, the score is also incredible
I love all the songs in this show, To Ashes and Blood is one of my favourites. I really hope you do a part 2 or a long video on the soundtrack, there’s so much to unpack, especially with so many different artists working on the soundtrack Great video once again!
Your channel scratches my undiagnosed perfect pitch so much. Having someone describe to me in technical terms why I feel so excited when I hear something very overly specific that just "sounds good" brings me so much happiness I swear I jumped in my chair. Especially with the first woodkid song, I have been obsessed with how it sounds for so long and you were able to explain to me why. The times I showed this song to my friends and went "THERE, DID YOU HEAR IT" and nobody ever dooooooeeesss. When you where deconstructing the chorus and said "Let's see if he does it again", I just yelled HE DOESSSNNTTTT!, and the way you reacted is exactly how I did when I first heard it!!!! Sorry this was long winded. I just want to thank you for this video, thats all!
The final showdown in Season 2 in which "I Promised You (feat. Ray Chen)" plays in the background, mixed with the visuals, convinced me that this show is truly special. That type of ethereal music is right up my alley. But also honorable mentions to "Spin The Wheel", probably my second favorite.
you are scratching the itch right now!!!! I hope you enjoyed the series after watching it. Goodbye and What Could Have Been just had the biggest impact for me.
I’m not the only one to say this, and I know it isn’t really the format of your channel - but a full watch along/reaction series of Charles watching Arcane would be…sublime The amount of knowledge, analysis, and appreciation you’d be able to share with all of us throughout this glorious 18-episode masterpiece would be unlike anything any other reaction channel could offer. I truly cannot express how much I want to watch a complete reaction from beginning to end from someone I respect so much. And someone who could communicate a unique and immensely interesting point of view on Arcane so perfectly. I’d join any Patreon or membership to have access to a full watch-along from Charles, without question
Please, please, please make a video on more from their soundtracks. They blow me away, and I'd love to see someone so knowledgeable break down the arrangements that make us feel the way they do. "Words to feelings", so to speak.
The first scene and it's score, specifically how it it's so intertwined is what got me absolutely obsessed. Just writing this comment thinking about that scene is giving me chills and tears
Mako (the composer & writer of What could have been & guns for hire) did a breakdown of the songs and how they were made for the show, which is really interesting as well
3:20 Oh my god the context makes a difference. A lot of the songs go from good to my favorite because of the scenes they accompany. Guns for Hire and Dynasties and Distopias for example. The emotional moments and pacing match up so well between the music and animation. It is very interesting to see how you pick up on these moments from just the music alone.
"Spin The Wheel" is my favorite song of the show. The lyrics really appeal to me in my current situation, and the hopeful, folksy instrumentation pushes it to the top.
16:22 THIS!! I was once trying to explain to my friend that I don't know how to read music and I dont know music theory. He didn't understand how this was possible, you explained it perfectly! It's not about reading the music, it's about hearing the music.
I really like the song our love by curtis harding. it appears in both seasons and it just has such a classic love song sound to it, and the context of the song gets changed between seasons which just makes it even better to listen to again and again. Everytime it has a new meaning.
I can‘t hear it now makes me teary-eyed every single time i listen to it. Both because of the significance of the scene its in, but also because of the depth of Freyas voice. That, Isha's Song, Ma meuilleure ennemie and Spin The Wheel are my favourites from season 2.
You already covered my fave, but if there's ANY other Arcane songs you're checking out in this format you gotta make sure to include 这样很好 (Isha’s Song) above any others!
9:00 I love the synergy here between music and lyric - it's ambiguous what chord(s) we're playing as there are only two notes, just as the title "What Might Have Been" implies ambiguity in our reality - different choices would have led to different outcomes. In both cases, choices are later made which define things down the line.
That last composition, that tune at the end is threaded through the whole piece because it's so connected to the characters the theme references. It's stunning.
I would kill to have you do a breakdown of some of the music in the Bluey kids series. It’s so unbelievably rich and complex and cool. It reminds me of how Mister Rogers approached music for children. They do great reworks of classical music and also original tunes.
It's really nice to see a music person actually analyze Enemy without just saying "imagine dragons bad." To be fair, ID mostly isn't amazing imo, but Enemy slaps so hard, and is probably their best song.
Loved this video so much. You took my two favourite songs (so far). Guns for hire by Woodkid and What could have been by Sting. Woodkid has a special place in my heart and if you can ever get to one of his concerts please do! It was the most amazing concert I've ever been to. What could have been always makes me tear up and when the violin kicks in it just breaks my heart entirely. Love these songs
Is there a part 2 or a longer analysis of all the songs? This is making me enjoy and appreciate the care and effort that went into this show even more!
Funny, I follow you for quiet a while and without knowing that Misha is a friend of yours that whas my favourite song moment in the show, how the music works with the visuals hit me in a different way.
Actually The Beast is partially a cover of the first song, the lullaby we could hear in the first episode. It is a really good foreshadowing of something that happens at the end of the scene. I feel like not so many people actually realised it at first. I knew the lore of Warwick before this scene. And hearing that made me sooooo emotional
The motif on piano at the end of Misha's song, is actually "Dear friend, across the river". It's the first song that you hear during the first episode of Arcane (Powder sings it).
The little talk about how Misha comes at music and how it is all about what you HEAR and knowing theory is not necessary was really nice. I always felt like I can't make stuff because I lack the "proper knowledge" and should not even try in the first place. This is very reassuring to hear and know, especially about musicians I really look up to!
It's not exactly pleasing to listen to but "Appointment of a general" is one of my favourite tracks from this soundtrack. It's just so... Noxus. There's no other way to explain it
Stunning. Love your work. Would be interested to see a vid about your setup, speakers, and what you use to play music and controls to quickly pause play rewind etc.
Thank you for extending the deal! I’ve been on the fence about getting piano lessons. I use to play a little bit, and bought a really nice Arturia midi keyboard and I reaaaally don’t want it to collect dust. So this will be amazing for me to get back into it! Also I can already tell how much work has gone into the courses and how detailed they are. I’m so excited to dive in!
I LOVE the idea of reacting to arcane music before the show, I think it gives you a rlly cool peek into the content without major spoilers, and I love hearing the insight of people who understand music way more than I do as to how it could connect to the show.
You might recognize the piano theme from "The Beast" when you watch the first scene of the first episode. It quite literally opens up the series. It's diagetic in a lot of scenes too which I think is pretty cool.
Can't believe I missed your Black Friday sale... ah well. What an amazing video as per usual! Always love your reactions and your talent showcased within. Thanks for another banger! 👍🏽
OK OK I'LL WATCH IT. This show seems absolutely insane in the best way, and everyone I know who has seen it keeps telling me I have to, as well. If this small look into the music is any indication, I'm pumped to see the rest. What are your favorite tracks from either season?? ALSO, you can still grab the insane Black Friday deal here shop.betterpiano.com your support is what keeps this channel running, so I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!!
Honestly any song from woodkid, but Remember Me from D4vd and Wasteland from Royal & The Serpent hit too hard when you have the context. Could you do an other video after you've watched the show, it would be amazing to hear what you have to say regarding the music to the scene maybe ?
watch it (it'll probably take two days, because you'll end up binging it) and then please make another video, there are so many incredible songs
watch it (xD)
It is unironically one of the most well-made shows ever produced. Full stop, no hyperbole. My favorite tracks are Open Your Eyes, Ma Meilleure Ennemie, The Line, and Remember Me both the intro and the main song. I Can't Hear It Now, Dynasties and Dystopia, Goodbye, and What Have They Done to Us all slap as well.
My Fav tracks are (huge league fan, playing for 12 years so I LOVE ARCANE), The Line, Though Ashes and Blood, Sucker, Stromae and S1 also What could have been. But all tracks are good imo, not one I'd say meh, maybe just not my taste
Please do a Part 2 of this! I would love to hear your thoughts on Ma Meuilleure Ennemie, I Can‘t Hear it Now, Our Love, What Have They Done to Us, Goodbye.
Edit: The instrumental soundtrack is also amazing. Some of my favorite tracks are: The Bridge, The City of Progress, She's Back, The Healer, That's Not Vander, The Only Way, A Warrior's Death.
I agree with these songs!
Spin the wheel is a must as well
@@ТомаАндреев-х5у Oh yes, that‘s a good one aswell!
These are all excellent picks for a part two!
Yes, but also Isha's song!
I'm just glad you included What Could Have Been, which is one of my absolute favorites! I wouldn't mind that 3 hour video of you checking out all the tracks!
Same, for deeply personal reasons. Ray Chen’s solo is absolutely heart wrenching. I just did a cover on my channel if you’re interested 🥺
The violin dude!!!
I’m sad he stopped right when it was about to get really good
I so wished he could listen to the strings later on. That would've blown his socks off!
@@shimonaspancake I bet he did. I don’t know obvs, but I would imagine he probably listened to the entire thing and kept the most interesting bits for the video. It’s what I would do.
17:46 this melody is actually a reprise/callback to the first song in episode 1, in the very beginning of the whole show, it's so cool that it got tied back into season 2
It is so cool that we can hear that melody as well over the heavy riffs at 14:42 with a organ/synth tone. Such a beaultifull contrast.
Yeah, it's The Bridge theme
@@viragszabo3332I dunno if I would call it that. It shows up every time we get a moving powder movement. It’s a song their mother sang, but it’s more directly tied to powder. We don’t see vi hum it until he last scene of the show
@@Jellysfrickingstuff You are probably right. I'm just an average League of Legends player who watches Necrit lol, and if I remember well he said this in his review videos. (Those are pretty interesting, go check it out if you want)
It literally is in the first track on the score, called "the bridge" @@Jellysfrickingstuff
my obsession with arcane is STRONG at the moment, thank you charles for feeding the monster more i love it
Lmao right, I (unironically) love finding bits of media that are just so good I can become mildly obsessed with them for a few weeks, just utterly immersed in it all
I wish they wouldn’t have played the darn “theme” music by Imagine Dragons in episode 2 right into the other musical number with the stylized visuals. It would have been so much better otherwise. The pop music numbers in the series feel like a crutch, as opposed to Peaky Blinders
Ok ok chill Viktor😂
@@TReZxDrEaMz all in the name of the glorious evolution
@@loool72 de glöörious eevolution...
The Line by Twenty One Pilots is sooooo good
Probably my favourite arcane track
Yes! Super understated but so good
Agreed! But I'm a little upset that the distributed version is different from the one in the show, which seems richer in harmony and instrumentation
@@Akosmo yo what i love ur music Akosmo LMAOOO didn't expect to see u here
@@quizzically_ambiguous Thank you!! XD
14:43 You just found the Bridge song in "The Beast" by pure chance. The opening of episode 1 is going to immediately destroy you.
I came in here to say this and am so glad you called it out. I hear The Bridge everywhere now
The absolute genius about this series.
The writers just cast the "you will cry now" spell, and the animators and musicians go to work. And you will cry.
Like, before the first title screen.
I missed this motif in my initial watchthrough but when I came back to the soundtrack that well-places motif wrecked me. Glad someone else pointed it out too!
I was like Leo DiCaprio in that meme where he points at the tv every time I heard The Bridge leitmotif in season 2 😂
I had never realized that the bridge song was nested in here 😢
big smile watching this. thanks Charles 🙇
You’re the best mako!!
Would LOVE to get all the videos you'd like to make diving into working on S2 music! I genuinely want nothing more in life than to create something that has the impact the music you've made has had on me. All the love!!
@@wearemako Alex you deserve soooo much more credit than your receiving for Arcane!! Been a fan since Beam and always go back to Smoked Filled Room & especially Let Go Of The Wheel!! 2 of my all time favourites 😁
Hey Mako!!! Where'd you take your profile picture at?
@wearemako love you dude! Please tell me there's going to be more breakdowns on your channel with making of/behind the scenes of season 2 songs? Was a bit disappointed with the current behind the scenes/afterglow stuff. I was happy to see your name on some of the song artists! Look forward to more content from you!
7:50 The context for Sting's song in the series is such a powerful moment in the story.
I can never watch that sequence without being completely emotionally overwhelmed.
@@clearlyrebecca "I thought you could love me like you used to... Even though I'm... different."
The voice acting is just pure music in that scene.
I'm 50 and I never imagined being so overwhelmed by a show. The final scene with Sting's song and the looks between Ekko and Jinx after their fight are the 2 moments where it's almost impossible for me to hold back the emotion
He didn't even listen to the best part of the song too! That "Whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyy don't you love whoooo I aaaamm" with the rocket flying across the sky 😭
I love that song, it's so good. And it gets even better with time, because you can make a very strong case Jinx creates a monster of her own in that scene: Caitlyn. The Caitlyn we meet in season 1 is kind, optimistic, naïve, always tries to see the best in people. But because of this scene, she is willing to unleash chemical warfare on an entire city and then heads up a brutal dictatorial regime, all to flush out one person.
11:20 I love it when he starts going to try to play something to understand it and then "the thing" happens and it's so good he gets stun-locked.
11:22 you know it's good when Woodkid gives Charles stank face.
Exactly
*you know it's good when Woodkid.
Arcane was the first time in a while I cried because something was utterly beautiful... You could pause practically anytime and you get an utter masterpiece... Would love to hear your thought after watching it.
I was thinking the same thing while watching it - the composition and artwork in every frame was stunning. I'm not surprised it is one of the most expensive animated series ever.
@ at first I was like, come on guys what’s taking you three years. 10 minutes in I knew what took them so long. The animation is so good I was sure they used mocap, but nope just straight up honest animation.
when vander told vi's mother that he always liked the name "violet" i started crying like a cat.
Guns For Hire is an all-time classic for me. I had just finished my final exams in high school, said goodbye to the teachers, come out of the room, put in my earphones, and started listening to it. That is the image I will always have when I'm listening to Guns For Hire. My last walk on the corridors of my high school. And of course I'll remember "The Scene" in which it plays.
It's also an unofficial Bond Theme.
You've probably heard it in the context of memes, It was written for the show as the theme song but its made its way into meme culture and meme edits, tiktoks included
Which song?
Probably "enemy" @@MrShazaamable
A huge amount of both the Arcane Season 1 and Season 2 soundtrack is written and produced by someone called Alex Seaver. He is a fantastic song writer and producer. You might know the EDM DJ's Mako, thats him (and Logan Light). He wrote and produced; Playground, Goodbye, Misfit Toys (the only song he has front credit for) and What Could Have Been from Season 1, to name a few, as well as production credits on alot of things on Season 2. Without him, the Arcane soundtrack would have been significantly different and sadly he gets almost no credit for it....
how do you know hes not? im just curious and would like to know. Thanks!
He's credited on season 2's "What Have They Done To Us" as well.
I'll just say I think anyone taking more than a cursory glance at the music of Arcane has probably discovered Seaver like I have, so I don't think it's accurate to say he's getting NO credit. I will say that people seem to be largely unaware that most of the music in Arcane is original, which I think would hinder their chances of stumbling across Seaver.
His approach to making the music for Arcane seems fairly revolutionary to me and I really hope it catches on. Collaborating with so many different artists from different genres to create new songs that perfectly fit the show...idk, everything about Arcane just seems like a love letter to art itself.
@@kyu2o337 he is visibly credited on what have they done to us because that is the only song in season 2 he sings on, hence why Mako is a featured artist. Maybe it is unfair to say he is getting no credit at all but he defiantly isn't getting what he deserves. PS, anyone that likes any of his production on the Arcane soundtrack and likes electronic music, go listen to both Smoked Filled Room & Let Go Of The Wheel off Mako's album Hourglass. 2 of my all time favourites and have been since they were released in 2014.
@@minhhapham7549 Spotify only displays visible credit for artists that 'perform' the tracks in question (ie sing or are a band) and so writers and production teams go massively under the radar. To view writers and production credits on songs you have to go to the drop down menu for individual tracks and click on 'view song credits', something that a lot of people either won't do or don't know how. This is why writers and producers fly under the radar. Max Martin is a very good example of a producer that doesn't get the credit he deserves. If he was a visibly credited artist on every song he had produced he would probably top the Spotify charts ahead of The Weeknd and Taylor Swift, considering he made the majority of both their songs. Have a look at his discography and you will be amazed the amount of chart topping songs he has produced for other artists.
@kiwi1294 That's kind of par for producing though, no? I'm sure behind the scenes he's getting all the credit he deserves, especially given the way he leaves credit on the song's to the performing artists. Idk, I just really dig his approach, and I think he probably prefers to be more behind the scenes...and like I said, I'm certain he's getting plenty of credit where it matters to him.
I knew it would feature Woodkid! That man's a treasure
On God, he doesn't have a bad song, the man only produces bangers
Both songs! Lol
Saw him live at Sziget 2022, what an experience
we await your analysis of Ma Meilleure Ennemie with tears cascading down our cheeks
....Sucker is also a fun one
Sucker is probably my favorite from S2 although there are also a lot of others that are up there so I can't say for sure. I Can't Hear It Now will probably always bring me to the edge of tears though
those 2 are my favorites too
My favorite is definitely Come Play
I knew your jaw would drop when you heard Guns For Hire, it's such a bizarre song in the best way, it keeps taking the strangest turns and yet it sounds AMAZING!! And the scene it's played over is so fucking good, the combination of the context and the song is one of the best things I've ever seen.
The piano part at the end of Misha's piece is actually a quote of an in-universe song ghat the characters sing or hum diegetically at various points, which also gets quoted in the score at times.
9:28 holy shit. What Could Have Been teasing you by not showing you which way it's going for the entire first verse is...wow. Super clever for the context of the show. Let's say this is a really dramatic decision point for no fewer than three (arguably four?) of our main characters. Everyone's trying to figure out which way the others are gonna break, and almost everyone goes exactly the way you expect them not to.
I love that we're phyically watching you whilst you're actively listening to the pieces- I find it oddly fascinating how you're hearing something that I don't understand, but i'm watching that reaction across your face- It's just really cool.
17:27 that melody is really important and can be linked to a really early scene in season 1
The very first one of the first episode actually
@@matthieuzglurg6015 and the last of s2
It’s both the first and the last melody from the series, and it’s a song about the poor and the rich which is a hint to maybe the most important message in the story, about social equality and oppression.
We need a part two with Isha's Song
PLSSSSS
Yes❤
I need this, please!
It's so Bond/Skyfall. Love it
The second one, yes
This is fantastic!! Im sure I won't be the only to mention this, but another thing about Arcane's music that's really cool is that it was composed DIRECTLY to picture-meaning the album versions you're listening to here are just extensions of what they originally wrote & composed for the show. I find that really rewarding from a creative standpoint, as so often music & composition are the last thing added to what is ostensibly an already finished project. It's that collaborative process of Arcane's soundtrack that makes the music feel like a truly inseparable piece of the story as a whole, its a really one of a kind experience!
The tracks I do listen to from both seasons is huge lol... Playground, Dynasties and Dystopia, Misfit Toys, Guns for Hire, What Could've Been, Heavy Is The Crown, Sucker, Hellfire, To Ashes And Blood, Ma Meilleure Ennemie, Wasteland, The Line, Paint The Town Blue, Come Play, What Have They Done To Us and Enemy (opening title version) and original version, but MY FAVOURITES... Ma Meilleure Ennemie, Wasteland and What Could've Been, Guns for Hire is definitely on of my top 5 too I'd say.
"Spin The Wheel" by Mick Wingert is one to check out! Absolute musical highlight of the second season, and the singer is one of the voices actors from the show singing as their character, Professor Heimerdinger.
i don’t think there’s any more powerful use of a song in any non-musical film/show than the guns for hire scene. it’s peak. PEAK
i know it’s not his thing but I would love to see CC’s reaction to at least that specific scene (having watched the show in its entirety to that point of course for context). It is still the highest point in S1 for me. Literally jaw dropped the whole time.
@@djbakasani couldn’t agree more
The flare... It's a very emotional tie-back, and then again, beautifully animated all the while getting the next action ready.
Powerful writing. You're sitting at the edge of your seat, wiping the tears away to see how all of this continues.
I was going to say the way "Goodbye" drops at the end of e3 comes close, but no, there's just so much going on during "Guns for Hire" I think you're probably right. Silco losing his sh*t, Vi being Vi, and this desperate act by Jinx with the literal images of her dead friends on her back.
I'd have to say its the end of season one for me - going in knowing literally nothing about league of legends made the ending like 10x more powerful as I realised it was a tragedy in a single moment. I think thats probably the most powerful moment ive experienced in any work of fiction.
And the score just made it _haunting_
I cant remember the last time i was obsessed with a show. Ive had depression for a long time and havent been able to enjoy games and shows like i used to. This show is special and brought me goosebumps, sadness, happiness and smiles. Its music, choreography, acting, animation and composition is simply stunning.
Awesome video like always ! Just a small info, in the last track you listened to, the piano melody that goes behind during the whole song is actually a Leitmotiv that is has a lot of meaning for the scene in which this song plays out ! So many subtelties that you may be able to hear after you watch the series and listen to the whole sound track ! I hope you give it a listen as i personnaly believe it to be one of the strongest OST of recent western medium ! Not just the songs btw, the score is also incredible
I love all the songs in this show, To Ashes and Blood is one of my favourites. I really hope you do a part 2 or a long video on the soundtrack, there’s so much to unpack, especially with so many different artists working on the soundtrack
Great video once again!
I needed the 3 hour full soundtrack analysis yesterday! Thank you for covering my favorite show!!!
I was so surprised to learn my favourite song from season 2 “The Line” was by twenty one pilots! should definitely check that one out
The Line is so good. Beautiful vocal melodies.
Release the 3 hour cut
Your channel scratches my undiagnosed perfect pitch so much.
Having someone describe to me in technical terms why I feel so excited when I hear something very overly specific that just "sounds good" brings me so much happiness I swear I jumped in my chair.
Especially with the first woodkid song, I have been obsessed with how it sounds for so long and you were able to explain to me why. The times I showed this song to my friends and went "THERE, DID YOU HEAR IT" and nobody ever dooooooeeesss. When you where deconstructing the chorus and said "Let's see if he does it again", I just yelled HE DOESSSNNTTTT!, and the way you reacted is exactly how I did when I first heard it!!!!
Sorry this was long winded. I just want to thank you for this video, thats all!
YYYEESSS ARCANE !!! Thanks for reviewing those amazing songs, it's a big part of why i love this show so much ! And enjoy this masterpiece !!
Never clicked on a vid so fast
Same 😂
RIGHT
The final showdown in Season 2 in which "I Promised You (feat. Ray Chen)" plays in the background, mixed with the visuals, convinced me that this show is truly special. That type of ethereal music is right up my alley.
But also honorable mentions to "Spin The Wheel", probably my second favorite.
Isha's Song from Season 2 I BEG YOU!!!
you are scratching the itch right now!!!! I hope you enjoyed the series after watching it. Goodbye and What Could Have Been just had the biggest impact for me.
I’m not the only one to say this, and I know it isn’t really the format of your channel - but a full watch along/reaction series of Charles watching Arcane would be…sublime
The amount of knowledge, analysis, and appreciation you’d be able to share with all of us throughout this glorious 18-episode masterpiece would be unlike anything any other reaction channel could offer.
I truly cannot express how much I want to watch a complete reaction from beginning to end from someone I respect so much. And someone who could communicate a unique and immensely interesting point of view on Arcane so perfectly.
I’d join any Patreon or membership to have access to a full watch-along from Charles, without question
check out the track "Sucker", especilly the bridge section! It is so harmonically interesting!
Please, please, please make a video on more from their soundtracks. They blow me away, and I'd love to see someone so knowledgeable break down the arrangements that make us feel the way they do. "Words to feelings", so to speak.
6:15 Bad Apple Jumpscare
LOOOOL i never realized Bad Apple was just this
Lmao
I love the emotion you have and show us when the transition is so good or unexpected. It makes the songs feel even more special !
I love the song with the chanting children and the marching drums. It feels primal, melancholy, and militant all at the same time.
The first scene and it's score, specifically how it it's so intertwined is what got me absolutely obsessed. Just writing this comment thinking about that scene is giving me chills and tears
Made in Abyss analysis is getting closer 100% sure now. VOH deserves its own video
Juroimoh Mutation would be hilarious and excellent
@@loganshalloe5927 Juroimoh Mutation is a must. It's so good in so many different areas and those CHANTS
Mako (the composer & writer of What could have been & guns for hire) did a breakdown of the songs and how they were made for the show, which is really interesting as well
You absolutely need to hear and analyze: Wastland, and Isha song
Yeah totaly! I'd love to know what's going on on both!!
3:20 Oh my god the context makes a difference. A lot of the songs go from good to my favorite because of the scenes they accompany. Guns for Hire and Dynasties and Distopias for example. The emotional moments and pacing match up so well between the music and animation.
It is very interesting to see how you pick up on these moments from just the music alone.
"Spin The Wheel" is my favorite song of the show. The lyrics really appeal to me in my current situation, and the hopeful, folksy instrumentation pushes it to the top.
I've listened to that song every day since watching watching that episode. Best song of the season!
Genuinely so underrated imo. Prob my favourite song from season 2
16:22 THIS!! I was once trying to explain to my friend that I don't know how to read music and I dont know music theory. He didn't understand how this was possible, you explained it perfectly!
It's not about reading the music, it's about hearing the music.
1:58 Your welcome.
I was about do type this too, the ads and self promotion went on for a while
I really like the song our love by curtis harding. it appears in both seasons and it just has such a classic love song sound to it, and the context of the song gets changed between seasons which just makes it even better to listen to again and again. Everytime it has a new meaning.
I can‘t hear it now makes me teary-eyed every single time i listen to it. Both because of the significance of the scene its in, but also because of the depth of Freyas voice. That, Isha's Song, Ma meuilleure ennemie and Spin The Wheel are my favourites from season 2.
You already covered my fave, but if there's ANY other Arcane songs you're checking out in this format you gotta make sure to include 这样很好 (Isha’s Song) above any others!
Dude the sobbing I did to that song.
9:00 I love the synergy here between music and lyric - it's ambiguous what chord(s) we're playing as there are only two notes, just as the title "What Might Have Been" implies ambiguity in our reality - different choices would have led to different outcomes. In both cases, choices are later made which define things down the line.
That last composition, that tune at the end is threaded through the whole piece because it's so connected to the characters the theme references. It's stunning.
I would absolutely LOVE to see this revisited after you've seen the show. When it hits.
Its my First time on your Channel. The way you know and feel the music is so impressive! Can't wait to watch more of your Videos!
I would kill to have you do a breakdown of some of the music in the Bluey kids series. It’s so unbelievably rich and complex and cool. It reminds me of how Mister Rogers approached music for children. They do great reworks of classical music and also original tunes.
Love it! I need you to do another one of these! So many more amazing songs.
It's really nice to see a music person actually analyze Enemy without just saying "imagine dragons bad." To be fair, ID mostly isn't amazing imo, but Enemy slaps so hard, and is probably their best song.
Im so excited for you to watch the show😭 i felt every emotion on the spectrum watching it and the feelings havent gone away since
IMO, the best song in this series, especially given its context, is "Goodbye" (S01 E03 ending).
Loved this video so much. You took my two favourite songs (so far). Guns for hire by Woodkid and What could have been by Sting. Woodkid has a special place in my heart and if you can ever get to one of his concerts please do! It was the most amazing concert I've ever been to. What could have been always makes me tear up and when the violin kicks in it just breaks my heart entirely. Love these songs
3:30 thank god. You are in for a ride
Is there a part 2 or a longer analysis of all the songs? This is making me enjoy and appreciate the care and effort that went into this show even more!
"Guns for Hire" is giving major James Bond vibes with some of those chord progressions!!
Thanks for the bundle and the reminder Charles! I bought the bundle for me and my daughter, can't wait to use it during the x-mas holidays! :))
Isha's Song is one of my favorites. The context around it is super powerful, but even the song on its own is incredibly moving.
LOVE LOVE LOVE! PLEASE RELEASE INDIVIDUAL LEARNINGS OF THESE SONGS!! ILL BUY A PIANO JUST TO LEARN THEM
Video starts at 1:56
I so wish I could discover Arcane for the first time (again) ! You are in for a treat !
Funny, I follow you for quiet a while and without knowing that Misha is a friend of yours that whas my favourite song moment in the show, how the music works with the visuals hit me in a different way.
I would LOVE you doing a part 2 (My personal favourite from Season 2 is "Sucker")
If you do another one of these I highly recommend
Isha’s Song
The Line
Sucker
Actually The Beast is partially a cover of the first song, the lullaby we could hear in the first episode. It is a really good foreshadowing of something that happens at the end of the scene. I feel like not so many people actually realised it at first. I knew the lore of Warwick before this scene. And hearing that made me sooooo emotional
Next: "ma meilleure ennemie" Please. I love how you break down music! its also from Arcane 2
The motif on piano at the end of Misha's song, is actually "Dear friend, across the river". It's the first song that you hear during the first episode of Arcane (Powder sings it).
It's kind of crazy how with "What Could Have Been" he just predicted what the song was going to do based off of the first couple chords lol
This was incredible! Please do every song from arcane!!
Charlie, you need to check it out!!!!!! I watched S1 at least 7-8 times and S2 twice. I wish I could pretend it's the first time.
And for the millionth time, the epic version of the intro used in the show is so much better than the original edit of the song released commercially.
I'ma spoil it for you Voldemort kills Barry Allen with a neon cat rainbow gun
goddamnit i was just about to watch it
The little talk about how Misha comes at music and how it is all about what you HEAR and knowing theory is not necessary was really nice. I always felt like I can't make stuff because I lack the "proper knowledge" and should not even try in the first place. This is very reassuring to hear and know, especially about musicians I really look up to!
It's not exactly pleasing to listen to but "Appointment of a general" is one of my favourite tracks from this soundtrack. It's just so... Noxus. There's no other way to explain it
This was awesome. Please do another one!
5 into 1... V into I... Vi... maybe im overthinking things
Stunning. Love your work. Would be interested to see a vid about your setup, speakers, and what you use to play music and controls to quickly pause play rewind etc.
4:45 neopolitan 6th chord spotted!
Thank you for extending the deal! I’ve been on the fence about getting piano lessons. I use to play a little bit, and bought a really nice Arturia midi keyboard and I reaaaally don’t want it to collect dust. So this will be amazing for me to get back into it! Also I can already tell how much work has gone into the courses and how detailed they are. I’m so excited to dive in!
isha's song made the scene it's in so much more powerful than it already was and i bawled so hard 😭 def one of my fav songs
Agreed!! Would love his analysis
I LOVE the idea of reacting to arcane music before the show, I think it gives you a rlly cool peek into the content without major spoilers, and I love hearing the insight of people who understand music way more than I do as to how it could connect to the show.
I think I smashed my mouse by how fast I clicked on this video
the writing, animation, music. everything about this show rules
You might recognize the piano theme from "The Beast" when you watch the first scene of the first episode. It quite literally opens up the series. It's diagetic in a lot of scenes too which I think is pretty cool.
Arcane season 1 and season 2 through episode 6 are PERFECT television PERIOD.
Can't believe I missed your Black Friday sale... ah well. What an amazing video as per usual! Always love your reactions and your talent showcased within. Thanks for another banger! 👍🏽