My favorite Soken story is about when Yoshi-P was first put in charge of the ARR rebuild. He had this insane detailed roadmap that he presented to the existing FF14 team. Apparently a lot of people were already exhausted and not looking forward to what amounted to making a whole new game. Yoshi didn’t get a lot of support in this infamous meeting. EXCEPT for Soken. Yoshi said he was the only one who stood up and was like HELL YES LETS GO TEAM. Sums up Soken’s character so well, and why Yoshi has such love for him.
It's not just the tone of the music with "higher", the video also transitions from dark red and black stuff to an all-white which makes the human eyes go "WOW". Coupling that with the little tilt from the camera to make you see the bigger picture, it gives you goosebumps in a short time frame.
An interesting note on that. The color composition of the video changes to the color tones specific to the expansion with the music. So when it switches to Heavensward? You get blue tones. Stormblood gives red tones. Shadowbringers turns to white and black. It fits well.
I get goosebumps at the intro of every single turn of theme, old and new. These music have been engraved into my brain tied to emotions of joy and tears. The visuals u all say are really icing!
I think one of my favorite things about the way Soken composes music is that not only does it all stand well on its own, but it's amplified to a whole other level by the context acquired from playing through the story. The man's WEAPONIZED leitmotifs.
He can hide tone combinations in his music and the scenes they are used in that you only have to hear a few notes of and your heart sinks with the anticipation of emotions that'll just pull it through the wringer... And then you listen to it again.
9:11 exactly my thought aswell when i heard it, like did soken actually have all this in mind to plan it out? or did he just go and went yeeeeeeeeeeea i can make it even BETTER now. anyways soken = gigabrain
@@Rayjii when you consider that answers references things we don't learn untill shadowbringers it could be possible that for the big finally to this ark of the game that Soken planned on bringing in all the major themes back
This (no joke) really feels like a free master class episode of music. I've never been so continually amazed amd thoroughly entertained with a someone on TH-cam so consistently.
That's what I appreciate so much about Alex. Not only is his passion so infectious, he explains what the music is doing (and why it feels a certain way) in ways I, as a non-music person, can understand. Many other music people get too deeply into the music theory lingo that I can't follow along, but Alex always expresses it in ways I can follow along with. Love it!
So I actually tried 14 for the first time the day before Soken announced he had been diagnosed with cancer. One my reasons for trying it out, despite being very wary of MMO's, was the music. To The Edge and Answers specifically. So hearing that he composed some of it while being on what very well could have been his death bed, purely out of passion and love for the audience is currently the best motivator for getting through A Realm Reborns dull fetch quest. I feel like I owe it to this man to go at least give it an honest shot, and thats a weird, but nice feeling to have going through a game for the first time.
Welcome to the community, happy to have you, hope you have fun! The devs of this game are more in touch with the community than any other game out there, and it shows.
Bit of advice I like to share with new players. ARR’s story can be dry in patches, especially a lot of stuff between the base game and the stuff leading up to Heavensward proper, but it’s world building. A lot of it will have some sort of significance later on and makes the story better. I hope you stick with it. The story gets incredible later on.
@@agenthossness9357 Thats what I've heard and I'm doing my best to stick with it. I've ran into bit of a snag with my free time in the coming months, so I have to put any long form games on the back burner for the moment. But when I can get some free time again I'll be sure to pop on some podcast and grind through the base game into heavens ward.
@@GhettoBagel Thats my biggest reason for trying it out. People have been talking about this game with a spark in their eyes for a few years now. One that I don't think I've seen since the days of Halo 3 on Xbla 2.0.
i hope you stay with it because it truly is a game made from passion and love and you start to feel it with Heavensward especially and by the time you hit Shadowbringers, which feels like a masterpiece in story telling and musical composition.
I’ve heard some debate as to whether or not that’s true, I personally think it’s him for part of it, zenos at others, and urianger at the very beginning
It’s Emet all the way through. The passage at the beginning, that he narrates, is almost word for word what he says at the beginning of the Amaurot Dungeon, about the Final Days.
Just finished a New Game + all the way through the last quest and I am now sure it's Emet's voice from start to finish. His voice has some similarities with Zenos and Urianger hence the confusion but you can clearly tell it's Emet Selch
The way Soken seemlessly blended each main theme together while adding pieces of other big battle themes is seriously breathtaking. He's out done himself yet again. This trailer music really hits different. It is the story of our journey as the Warrior of Light and the way the music seems to leave us with hope at the end is simply perfect!
I like how this guy starts out professional and analyzing the music, but less than halfway in, he's all of us just fanning out to a badass jam. I agree, Alex. I agree.
Really loved that you embraced singing, and thought it was really cool when in the trailer we were in the "light" there was a piano carring the main melody and female vocals and in the"dark" there was a guitar and male vocals
The reason Soken samples other themes in his compositions is because FF14 itself calls back to things you learned as far back as ARR, and if you really get into the lore of the game there will be things you'll notice that just bring out a huge blast of emotion; Soken does the same with the music, he takes what you know and adds nods to it in new themes to take you on an emotional feels trip with the music as well as the story itself.
I really appreciate your music reaction videos. It really helps me have a better understanding of what lies beneath the music. As someone who doesn't know much about music, your videos are a godsend! And plus its FF and videogames!😄
As someone with more knowledge than the average person but not a musician myself, it always blows me away how well he does it such that it's useful for everyone from the layman to the musician!
So much this. I know nothing about music and Alex opens my eyes (and ears) to layers of meaning and nuance in the FFXIV soundtrack that just blow my mind.
I feel when Soken saw and heard all the feedback while fighting cancer it just reinvigorateed him to go one step higher and this is him coming back saying "I'm Back!" #welcomebacksoken
I don't even play FF14 (yet) but that Soken story/speech at the Fan Festival made me incredibly emotional, sympathetic, impressed, and awestruck all at once. I will undoubtedly be thinking about the team's passion every session once I pick up the game someday.
As a fellow musician, your excitement when talking about these game music (xiv, nier, especially for me) is infectious and I feel that excitement SO MUCH
I'm not afraid to admit that the key change near the end of the trailer theme makes me choke up. Every time. So damn emotional, it makes me hope that the expansion lives up to the amazing music we got from Soken here. Also, full version of La Hee Funk, when? xD
My dude, these are the kinds of discussions I wish I could have with my friends. And I’m so happy you highlighted the multi-vocals because not many people notice them at first glance. I love those layers! Soken is the true successor to Uematsu.
As i was watching this and hearing alex's reaction to the sharlayan theme, i FINALLY REALIZED where i heard that melody before... IDYLLSHIRE! Twelve's be damned
@@tsukipon74 It's not just Sharlayan architecture, Idyllshire was created using the ruins of the Sharlayan settlement that was abandoned during the end of the 6th Astral Era.
@@sleepythemis Which at most was 10-15 years ago. Always struck me as odd how decayed the place was when we get there. Especially before it got built up.
"This uh... May sound really nice... If we made it FUNKY" Dude, I love your analysis and hearing your passion for music pouring through them! I also learn a lot of things I didn't notice/knew about the songs. Major props to Soken for making this masterwork as always, even though he's been through a lot
"This man, he can't be stopped" Too true! Literally, literally nothing can keep Soken from composing, even being in a hospital bed! Also "How long did it take him to write this track?" I mean knowing how fast he's worked on songs in the past, including getting at least one song in 2 hours? Probably not nearly as long as it would take a normal human!
Man I had the same kind of reaction to the graphics of that trailer. Some of the tricks the visual artists are pulling just blows me away, the shader they used on that rose quartz sword early on, or the crazy fur dynamics on that boss with all the mouths. All the passion you feel for sound is rivaled in the other aspects of this work
I just discovered your channel recently, and I absolutely LOVE your analysis. I dropped out of music to pursue a more stable career, but I have always had a passion for music. Seeing your channel is such a joy to see someone get into various music media, and makes me miss it so much. Thank you for being as excited for music as you are :)
Loved the review. What you were talking about the end when the vocals elevate I get chills everytime I hear it like 10 years of a journey and emotion all jammed in a couple seconds. Stay funky my friend.
They started playing this during fanfest and I just sat there slackjawed like "Man Alex is gonna have a FIELD DAY with this one" And you DIDNT DISAPPOINT ❤️❤️❤️ there is SO MUCH LOVE in this track it's INSANE
Footfalls as a track, and the in game event that uses it, is probably the first instance of a piece of media bringing me to tears. I recently listened to the standalone track, and tears began to flow almost immediately. It might honestly be one of Soken's greatest pieces.
I always love your XIV reactions Alex, there's always things you point out that I normally wouldn't hear listening to the tracks myself (my hearing isn't the best lol.) It gives a further appreciation for the songs I already loved. So thank you for doing these, and I look forward to more, and awesome funky remixes, in the future!
Okay, though I have a legitimate question. Who do we have to petition at SquareEnix to get Alex & @HuskybytheGeek the chance to write/perform a legit full length funky/rock remix album for FFXIV (maybe with The Primals)? Because I don’t know about the rest of you, but need this in my life lol That aside though, I’m already so excited for Endwalker, but Alex, your enthusiasm is so infectious that I’m more excited after watching this video! Excellent job as always & hope you have a wonderful day!
Around 17:30, when you explain how the vocals are stacked with others in the song, it blew my mind. I've watched this trailer dozens of times, and never heard that part the way you do. When you sang it out yourself, really focusing on those vocals, 100% truth it made the hair on my neck stand up and my eyes start to well. Thank you for opening my ears to that!
I wish I had at least half as much drive and passion as Soken. His works hit me on an emotional level again and again. We are so very blessed to have such wonderful person working on this game we love so much ❤
The music makes this trailer. They obviously make it so that the music takes you into a journey and that journey has been us the WoL for years into the final conclusion of this long arc. Amazing. Been waiting for this react since the trailer as well! Great as always.
YO I NEED A FULL VERSION OF THAT JAZZ STORMBLOOD BRO That was glorious edit also the Sharlyan funk mix holy heck yes. For real though, always when I hear a new track in FFXIV I think "that's the peak, how can Soken go higher than this?" and he somehow always does. The man is a genius. final edit: ok scrap everything I said. Funky Soken mix at the end is diamond-tier. I need a full version of THAT pure majesty.
Musicologist/Music Theorist here -- Thank you for pausing at the end of cadences in your explanations. So many courses I've helped teach where professors interrupt progressions and regressions instead of cadential expressions. Well done! Thanks for the great engagement!~
I've watched the full trailer almost a dozen times and am still noticing things. This time it was a line in the Sharlayan section, "standing tall", being a reference to "stand tall my friends" in Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I've had the latter as my display name on Twitter since I finished 5.0 and now I'm obsessing over the meaning of this. It can't be a coincidence that Amanda Achen sang both. Does this confirm the theories that Tomorrow and Tomorrow is from Venat's perspective and that Venat had a hand in founding Sharlayan at the same time? Come to think of it, if Susan Calloway is the voice of Hydaelyn, Jason Charles Miller sings as Zodiark and and Amanda Achen represents Venat, who do the lyrics Sam Carter sings correlate to? My best guess is the Warrior of Light or Azem (or both) but maybe it's Zenos or Fandaniel depending how the lyrics are taken and what's really going on with either of them?
I wanna say if we're conflating main theme vocalists with character perspectives. JCM with Shadowbringers is more representative of the Amaurotines/unsundered than to Zodiark considering Zodiark doesn't really have a "home" nor does he hope for anything really since most of what we know about him is that he basically just served the role as a tool, granted one with a lot of power and the ability to make decisions on its own discretion to achieve what is asked of it, but a tool nonetheless. As for Endwalker, it's totally a representation of the players (or the Scions at the very least) for the main theme considering the lyrics "Should we lose our way/Tire of all this pain/We won't be afraid to forge ahead" or also with the earlier "Fire will be repaid/'Fore our echoes begin to fade" referencing how we tend to be reactionary when it comes to us taking action as pretty much 9 times out of 10 we labor to solve issues caused by others that started it with somewhat malicious intent, or especially in this case where with Fandaniel it's 100% malicious.
@@Kanethedragon I said Zodiark because that's what an official (albeit offhand) comment said. Keep in mind that Zodiark's perspective is heavily influenced by that of his summoners', especially his heart, probably more than Hydaelyn since Hydaelyn was summoned not for the sake of the summoners and their people but for the sake of people they did not know in all the ages to come. As for those lines you picked out, it doesn't require much imagination to see how they might apply to Zenos/Fandaniel considering we don't truly understand their perspective yet. Which I thought I was quite clear on. The lines make perfect sense for WoL/Azem, but they might make some *twisted* sense for our villains.
Come for the best musuc analysis in all of youtube. Stay for the most accurate reactions to key moments in the trailer. Great video as always Alex! PS: that Lahee funky remix *chef's kiss*
This song always gets me emotional and I don't really know why, maybe it's an encapsulation of all the nostalgia from the themes and my memories with them. Or perhaps it's how the melodies and chords are constructed and blended either way such a good theme. And as always an incredible video thank you Alex
I came home with the intention of continuing to watch more of this week's episode of the Trash Taste podcast, which I started during my break at work. Then I saw this had dropped. This took priority. That, good sir, is a feat videos few and far between can accomplish. Well done. Beautiful analysis as always.
A new FFXIV trailer and a new Alex Moukala breakdown. All is right in the world :) I also can't wait to hear the full new Sharlayan theme, I LOVE it so much.
Your funky remixes are so lit af, love all your vids. The 1st funky vid with the daft punk mix that you put with that riff with the synth arpeggiation going down that had the stoppage of the syncopation gave me freakin' chills @2:29! Keep it funky always! Hope we see you on EW when it comes out :)
Yeah! The Heavensward and Stormblood themes in this one are amazing! I can't wait for the official translation of the new dragon lyrics in the redone HW theme! I also like how subdued the Shadowbringers theme is. I wonder if they did that because the story happens in a different world? A whisper of a world apart from their own if you will. PS: I saw that trap at the end Alex! Thank god I scanned through the chapters! I still listened to it...
I hear it this way and it was translated in one youtube video what is removed because it was only music and not at all trailer. Deeh hess y sohm fah ahim Oohr thail eil al arrn ool (The sight of the Ancient's world in dreams Does the trecherous heart of the crystal promise all) Ehs tahn eehl dysh Saih oohd: Moh ka lehs? (Standing alone, what's sacrificed is destroyed Choose wisely: the moon or the land?)
That part d sounds like a repeat of what they say in the "Heavensward." They were: Dys An Sohm In (Our slumber disturbed,) Rohs An Kyn Ala na (All my brothers wake.) Mah Morn Na-ah-ah-ahrr (The saviors must perish.) Sahl Djahs Afah An (Vengeance will be ours.)
With these explanation with the music, I'm so scared for all the feels I will be experiencing in Endwalker ; A ; your analysis already makes me tear up!
the "song of hope" section never fails to hit me really really hard, especially with context from finishing Endwalker, to the point i kept shouting in my head GET TO THE GOOD PART OF THE AMAZING SONG.
"The music sucks!" - Asmongold 2021 Always happy to see someone with an actual musical sense review this stuff. This entire song is just 8 years of feelings condensed into 6 minutes.
@@jettabunny8676 He is a prisoner of his online persona, like many others. He could change it, but it would cost him a lot of money in lost subs and donations.
@@jettabunny8676 Asmongold's taste in music just isn't what Final Fantasy produces. Alongside the artstyle. The game isn't for him which is something he's said a lot. He likes gritty realistic stuff, which FF isn't on the surface. He's actually upfront about respecting the game and knowing it's just not for him. Which I respect, especially since that's an issue WoW is facing, IE. Making the game accessible to as many people as possible for money. While FFXIV knows what it is and keeps doing what the community wants because they don't need to stick their fingers in any other communities. Why should we care what someone who doesn't play the game and won't, thinks about the game?
@@Sydney_Belladonna "likes realistic things" *plays WoW* Uh huh. Also you can be respectful towards one game without having the need to constantly react to it negatively and incite their fanbase to hate on it even more. Which unfortunately, Asmongold and others do. Respect goes both ways.
Man your videos are the quintessence of quality! You recognized so many things in the track that surely the majority of us didn't even hear, that's the quintessence of TALENT! Cheers for Italy! Saluti dall'Italia!
The music in this trailer is fucking amazing and given what Soken was going through when he was working on these tracks, I can't help but think that he went ham on everything because it might've been the last few tracks he'd ever create. I love that man. I love the devs. I love this game.
I always smile and cry when I watch these kinds of videos you make. Always makes me happy to listen to you gush and groove as you react! And thank you for that funky version of song of hope section!! Ahhh, I want a full version!! Thank you so much!
This theme is amazing. It starts off with Endwalker music to show the coming end, and then it throws in motifs from Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringer, and A Realm Reborn. And then it finishes up with Endwalker again after showing us everything that has happened through the story.
"There's so much nostalgia imbued and charged into those beautiful chords" - I still, to this day, decades after hearing it for the first time, get goosebumps whenever I heard that stunning prelude/crystal theme. 100% effective 100% of the time. There is an undefinable magic in music.
Alex always apologizing for stopping the track, but man that's what we are here for. For the mozzarella spots you provide us on the pizza which is an insane good soundtrack, so we can understand that it not only sounds amazing but it was composed with so much thought and love for the game. Love your vids an stay funky!!!
You know, i'm looking at you mentioning the similarity with the Ramuh theme- And considering that at some point with the sheer volume of tracks something might get repeated. Except you mentioning that reminds me- That Ramuh, back in ARR, was the only primal considered peaceful and he in fact warns you that there are things about light and dark you don't know. At this point me and mine speculate Ramuh even *knew about Hydaelyn and Zodiark's relationship*- So the theme similarity on those particular tracks? The part of Sharlayan, Shadowbringers and Ramuh? Reffering to a secret you have been told exist, and likely forgot that?
"Though depicted in legend as a wise and benevolent elder who harbors ancient secrets.." this is a lore details for Ramuh and oh it shows.. the most wise amongst primals, and harbors ancient secrets.. means it knew! Damn, isn't it foreshadowing something. Ohh and I just remembered, in latest patch we talked with the Sylph again after all these years.. there must be something to it.
That transition to the final climax of the song is easily the best part of the whole song and trailer for me. The melody brings everything back home to the beginning but also imbues it with a mixture of melancholy and hope. But on top of that you have a number of overlapping voicings, and then the harmony of the bass and drums chop it up in a really interesting way. There are so many transitions and call backs that evoke a nostalgia for the entire long road that led to this point, and that in turn gives such a tremendous weight to the final climax. I can't help but love it.
I was eating cake when Alex was explaining the layered vocals near the end of the video, to say the least, I had a great understanding of the flavor of all the layers coming together.
When you pointed out the chord progression between Thunder Rolls, Shadowbringers and the Sharlayan theme--those are all my favorite pieces in the game, it's amazing to finally see that link! Thank you!
When I saw the trailer at fanfest my reactions were "What the fuck that's heavensward?!? WHAT THE FUCK THATS STORMBLOOD torn from the heavens 😭" Thank you for your hard work in making this and giving articulation to what I was feeling. Fantastic work as always 💜
I love how you help understand why the ff14 music sets an emotional tone in their songs, how they create such a huge impact. Explaining the end of the theme and how they layered all those voices suddenly makes me know why I have tears hitting when that last verse hits
I always love these reaction/analysis videos. Alex you're great and I hope you keep this up because every time I get a notification from your channel I sit right down and watch it asap.
Warrior of Light shows up: Endwalker melody Estinien shows up: Heavensward melody Thancred and Urianger shows up: A Realm Reborn melody G'Raha Tia shows up: Shadowbringers melody All the melodies go to a higher tone while the Warrior of Light goes up to the moon and all characters look up. I can't tell if the music was made for the trailer or vice versa xD So great, dood! By the way, vocal party colors lmao
Omg thank you for making this Video! And how lucky am I to find it. You really shared your professional perspective with us with real examples and explanations, which was fantastic. Also you have pointed out the details of the music and told us why it was great. I’m getting sick of some videos I found with the title of “filmmaker” or “musician” reacts to the trailer, and all the adjectives and expressions they used were somehow limited to: “good” “so good” or “amazing”.
Omg Alex, LOVE THE FUNK! We should do a funky song together! ;)
:D
Didn't see that coming.
OMG You and Alex... for FFXVII??? maybe?? I'M SOLD 1000% Soken, PLS!!!!!
@@xanthra p
yes pls!
Soken: "Hey, you thought that was a 10/10, right?"
...
Soken: "...Wanna see 11?!!"
every single bit of music he does.
Soken: I'll fuckin do it agin
Please, the man skipped 11 and jumped straight to XIV
LA HEE
@@mattmcguirk4511 Clever af, this one.
Soken is a madman, from his LaHee to his fight against cancer. This man is a treasure!
We do not deserve him! 🙏🏾
He belongs in the pantheon of great composers alongside Nobuo Uematsu and Shoji Meguro
@@Its_an_Eze definitely do not deserve, man is an international treasure, must be protecc at all costs
I kind of want a reaction video to Soken's live La Hee. lol
I do not care how many WoW players we have to sacrifice to the gods to keep Soken with us but the price would be worth it. xD
My favorite Soken story is about when Yoshi-P was first put in charge of the ARR rebuild. He had this insane detailed roadmap that he presented to the existing FF14 team. Apparently a lot of people were already exhausted and not looking forward to what amounted to making a whole new game. Yoshi didn’t get a lot of support in this infamous meeting.
EXCEPT for Soken. Yoshi said he was the only one who stood up and was like HELL YES LETS GO TEAM. Sums up Soken’s character so well, and why Yoshi has such love for him.
Stay funky, my friends.
Perhaps.
Funk life
Love your funk mixs
...la hee...
warrior of funk hahaha
It's not just the tone of the music with "higher", the video also transitions from dark red and black stuff to an all-white which makes the human eyes go "WOW". Coupling that with the little tilt from the camera to make you see the bigger picture, it gives you goosebumps in a short time frame.
An interesting note on that. The color composition of the video changes to the color tones specific to the expansion with the music. So when it switches to Heavensward? You get blue tones. Stormblood gives red tones. Shadowbringers turns to white and black. It fits well.
I get goosebumps at the intro of every single turn of theme, old and new. These music have been engraved into my brain tied to emotions of joy and tears. The visuals u all say are really icing!
@@drakeway981 It's definitely not just the music that's masterfully done. Both the video and the music just complement each other so well.
Endwalker walker trailer starts
Players: ohh.. I've heard this before
Soken: this isn't even my final form
Looking at the Endwalker OST now and how it's used, this couldn't be any more true.
I think one of my favorite things about the way Soken composes music is that not only does it all stand well on its own, but it's amplified to a whole other level by the context acquired from playing through the story. The man's WEAPONIZED leitmotifs.
He can hide tone combinations in his music and the scenes they are used in that you only have to hear a few notes of and your heart sinks with the anticipation of emotions that'll just pull it through the wringer...
And then you listen to it again.
@@TarossBlackburn and again AND AGAIN
That Stormblood theme moment - that just makes the trailer for me. I've watched it so many times and the music there just hypes me up so much!
I still cant get over the twelvesdamned pure emergy and force it has
Like I can’t wait till the song gets released so I can scream along to that part XD
@@lenaboyer6981 Cant wait to rock out to it and lose my voice lmao
As soon as the Stormblood section started I was like “Oh shit okay, Soken!!” And then that “FREEDOOOOOOM!” hit and my body FROZE, goosebumps ALL OVER
*Cancer decides to attack Soken.*
Cancer: Why do I hear boss music?!
Community: *Beats the shit out of Cancer world boss ingame*
lol
This made my day. LOL!
Soken: Bitch, I composed that, in fact I composed all of that!
The fact that the storyline is bordeline kinda like fighting against cancer makes it even better
Soken is short for So f*cken good
The theme of the best themes
The bestest theme
It’s still insane how many masterpieces come out of FFXIV. Soken will surely go down as one of the greatest composers of the decade
Soken and Keiichi Okabe are the top of Japan composers rn.
You forgot to include Keiki Kobayashi.
@@IIxCOCOxII Couldn't agree more
Wasn't Soken mentored by Nobuo Uematsu?
Either way Soken is a great composer for the series.
someone has to inherit Nobue Uematsu seat
Alex: This is a masterpiece
Video cuts to funky LA HEE
Me: *Dies*
Find someone who looks at you like Alex looks at the EndWalker full trailer.
FINALLLYYY didnt finish the video yet but wanted to comment on how i´ve literally waited for this since the trailer came out lmao
9:11 exactly my thought aswell when i heard it, like did soken actually have all this in mind to plan it out? or did he just go and went yeeeeeeeeeeea i can make it even BETTER now.
anyways soken = gigabrain
Same XD
Omg. Possible collab in the future? Say yes! 😎
Same here checked almost everyday 😆
@@Rayjii when you consider that answers references things we don't learn untill shadowbringers it could be possible that for the big finally to this ark of the game that Soken planned on bringing in all the major themes back
This (no joke) really feels like a free master class episode of music. I've never been so continually amazed amd thoroughly entertained with a someone on TH-cam so consistently.
That's what I appreciate so much about Alex. Not only is his passion so infectious, he explains what the music is doing (and why it feels a certain way) in ways I, as a non-music person, can understand. Many other music people get too deeply into the music theory lingo that I can't follow along, but Alex always expresses it in ways I can follow along with. Love it!
"If zenos had a persona 5 palace" i don't know why, but that one got me good
I need a full track version of this!
So I actually tried 14 for the first time the day before Soken announced he had been diagnosed with cancer. One my reasons for trying it out, despite being very wary of MMO's, was the music. To The Edge and Answers specifically. So hearing that he composed some of it while being on what very well could have been his death bed, purely out of passion and love for the audience is currently the best motivator for getting through A Realm Reborns dull fetch quest. I feel like I owe it to this man to go at least give it an honest shot, and thats a weird, but nice feeling to have going through a game for the first time.
Welcome to the community, happy to have you, hope you have fun! The devs of this game are more in touch with the community than any other game out there, and it shows.
Bit of advice I like to share with new players. ARR’s story can be dry in patches, especially a lot of stuff between the base game and the stuff leading up to Heavensward proper, but it’s world building. A lot of it will have some sort of significance later on and makes the story better. I hope you stick with it. The story gets incredible later on.
@@agenthossness9357 Thats what I've heard and I'm doing my best to stick with it. I've ran into bit of a snag with my free time in the coming months, so I have to put any long form games on the back burner for the moment.
But when I can get some free time again I'll be sure to pop on some podcast and grind through the base game into heavens ward.
@@GhettoBagel
Thats my biggest reason for trying it out. People have been talking about this game with a spark in their eyes for a few years now. One that I don't think I've seen since the days of Halo 3 on Xbla 2.0.
i hope you stay with it because it truly is a game made from passion and love and you start to feel it with Heavensward especially and by the time you hit Shadowbringers, which feels like a masterpiece in story telling and musical composition.
I know this isn't related to the video but the trailer being narrated by Emet-Selch is such a nice touch, too.
I’ve heard some debate as to whether or not that’s true, I personally think it’s him for part of it, zenos at others, and urianger at the very beginning
He's such a compelling narrator. I really hope he continues to follow our journey and narrate things for us, and not just in trailers.
It’s Emet all the way through. The passage at the beginning, that he narrates, is almost word for word what he says at the beginning of the Amaurot Dungeon, about the Final Days.
Just finished a New Game + all the way through the last quest and I am now sure it's Emet's voice from start to finish. His voice has some similarities with Zenos and Urianger hence the confusion but you can clearly tell it's Emet Selch
The way Soken seemlessly blended each main theme together while adding pieces of other big battle themes is seriously breathtaking. He's out done himself yet again. This trailer music really hits different. It is the story of our journey as the Warrior of Light and the way the music seems to leave us with hope at the end is simply perfect!
I like how this guy starts out professional and analyzing the music, but less than halfway in, he's all of us just fanning out to a badass jam. I agree, Alex. I agree.
The song itself is amazing, but what i really came here for was to watch Alex nerd out to it.
It's why I've hung around for the last year
Love your analysis and perspective in different aspects of music, keep up the awesome work, Alex.
Hang on, I think I've seen your brother somewhere before. He looks just like you, but he has a mustache?
how dafuq do i keep seeing you? ahahahahaha
is yt recommending me every video you comment on? cuz this is really strange lol
I see your comments everywhere wtf
Really loved that you embraced singing, and thought it was really cool when in the trailer we were in the "light" there was a piano carring the main melody and female vocals and in the"dark" there was a guitar and male vocals
It's almost like the theme is referring to the conflict of hydalyn and zodiark.
The facct that you funkified Souken's LaHee makes you a national treasure, Alex
The reason Soken samples other themes in his compositions is because FF14 itself calls back to things you learned as far back as ARR, and if you really get into the lore of the game there will be things you'll notice that just bring out a huge blast of emotion; Soken does the same with the music, he takes what you know and adds nods to it in new themes to take you on an emotional feels trip with the music as well as the story itself.
Soken is an absolute king. He just keeps dropping heat like he’s a damn pyromaniac. He stays winning.
I really appreciate your music reaction videos. It really helps me have a better understanding of what lies beneath the music. As someone who doesn't know much about music, your videos are a godsend! And plus its FF and videogames!😄
As someone with more knowledge than the average person but not a musician myself, it always blows me away how well he does it such that it's useful for everyone from the layman to the musician!
So much this. I know nothing about music and Alex opens my eyes (and ears) to layers of meaning and nuance in the FFXIV soundtrack that just blow my mind.
I wept when I heard the HW music incorporated into this trailer theme....it was so well done!
Your funk over the sharlayan theme is why I love your videos. That's the creativity and humour were here for!
I feel when Soken saw and heard all the feedback while fighting cancer it just reinvigorateed him to go one step higher and this is him coming back saying "I'm Back!" #welcomebacksoken
Alex: *dropping f-bombs of excitement left and right*
Me: *nodding along because the music really do be like that*
"...every single melody is enhanced..."
me: "they leveled up"
I love whenever a theme contains a bunch of previously established themes within it, like the final boss theme in Bravely Default
I don't even play FF14 (yet) but that Soken story/speech at the Fan Festival made me incredibly emotional, sympathetic, impressed, and awestruck all at once. I will undoubtedly be thinking about the team's passion every session once I pick up the game someday.
Looking forward to you joining us!
Looking forward to you joining us!
One thing is the music his SO much harder when you know the story.
Did you ever pick it up
@@anime-lk8kq yup! I'm in the middle of storm blood. But taking a break currently to catch up on Zelda/TV shows haha
As a fellow musician, your excitement when talking about these game music (xiv, nier, especially for me) is infectious and I feel that excitement SO MUCH
Even before I started watching I will always know this is quality content
I'm not afraid to admit that the key change near the end of the trailer theme makes me choke up. Every time. So damn emotional, it makes me hope that the expansion lives up to the amazing music we got from Soken here. Also, full version of La Hee Funk, when? xD
My dude, these are the kinds of discussions I wish I could have with my friends. And I’m so happy you highlighted the multi-vocals because not many people notice them at first glance. I love those layers! Soken is the true successor to Uematsu.
As i was watching this and hearing alex's reaction to the sharlayan theme, i FINALLY REALIZED where i heard that melody before...
IDYLLSHIRE!
Twelve's be damned
Dont forget to mention that its the Night theme of Idyllshire which is a huge contrast to Hydalynn being the goddess of light
Idyllshire has Sharlayan architecture after all so I love the connection
@@tsukipon74 It's not just Sharlayan architecture, Idyllshire was created using the ruins of the Sharlayan settlement that was abandoned during the end of the 6th Astral Era.
@@sleepythemis Which at most was 10-15 years ago. Always struck me as odd how decayed the place was when we get there. Especially before it got built up.
@@AlleluiaElizabeth In all fairness, it probably got a little bit of help from the 7th Umbral Calamity :V
"This uh... May sound really nice... If we made it FUNKY"
Dude, I love your analysis and hearing your passion for music pouring through them! I also learn a lot of things I didn't notice/knew about the songs.
Major props to Soken for making this masterwork as always, even though he's been through a lot
"This man, he can't be stopped" Too true! Literally, literally nothing can keep Soken from composing, even being in a hospital bed!
Also "How long did it take him to write this track?" I mean knowing how fast he's worked on songs in the past, including getting at least one song in 2 hours? Probably not nearly as long as it would take a normal human!
3 days
@@samziegelman1835 The 2 hours was referring to a story Koji was telling about how fast they did some work previously.
@@JackgarPrime Yup, and I was referencing the amount of time it took to create the music and lyrics for the endwalker trailer
@@JackgarPrime ya, lol, they had to write and compose sophia theme in two hours and it's such an awesome track that it was a surprise to find out
Got an ad for Alex’s course on this video, and he just so happened to be wearing the same exact fit
Sokens music makes me want to play FFXIV again every time i hear it. That alone is an acomplishment that shows how much of legend this man is.
100%. I literally just reinstalled 2 days ago because of this trailer and the power of the music.
I reinstalled few says ago and i finally reached heavensward the story is so good
Every single person who worked on and made Endwalker trailer: Oops, all bangers
WE NEED THAT STORMBLOOD JAZZ COVER NOW
Man I had the same kind of reaction to the graphics of that trailer. Some of the tricks the visual artists are pulling just blows me away, the shader they used on that rose quartz sword early on, or the crazy fur dynamics on that boss with all the mouths. All the passion you feel for sound is rivaled in the other aspects of this work
just a 10-20 more years till games look like that xD
@@BL33NB thats ok, we'll probably be alive to see it :)
@@justaguy2732 To see, maybe... able to afford it...? dont think so lol
@@BL33NB rutracker :D
I love that the music is leitmotifs of various expansions as if, like our companions, the expansions have followed us on this journey aswell.
I just discovered your channel recently, and I absolutely LOVE your analysis. I dropped out of music to pursue a more stable career, but I have always had a passion for music. Seeing your channel is such a joy to see someone get into various music media, and makes me miss it so much. Thank you for being as excited for music as you are :)
Loved the review. What you were talking about the end when the vocals elevate I get chills everytime I hear it like 10 years of a journey and emotion all jammed in a couple seconds. Stay funky my friend.
Soken’s 5 course meal for our ears. And Alex is excitedly enjoying every part. And we are getting hyped with him.
They started playing this during fanfest and I just sat there slackjawed like
"Man Alex is gonna have a FIELD DAY with this one"
And you DIDNT DISAPPOINT ❤️❤️❤️ there is SO MUCH LOVE in this track it's INSANE
8:35 the distorted feedback was amazing, that comboed with the screaming vocals into the transition. that is the best part of the trailer for me
Footfalls as a track, and the in game event that uses it, is probably the first instance of a piece of media bringing me to tears. I recently listened to the standalone track, and tears began to flow almost immediately. It might honestly be one of Soken's greatest pieces.
I always love your XIV reactions Alex, there's always things you point out that I normally wouldn't hear listening to the tracks myself (my hearing isn't the best lol.) It gives a further appreciation for the songs I already loved. So thank you for doing these, and I look forward to more, and awesome funky remixes, in the future!
That snippet at the start of you jamming out and just laughing is absolutely contagious.
Okay, though I have a legitimate question.
Who do we have to petition at SquareEnix to get Alex & @HuskybytheGeek the chance to write/perform a legit full length funky/rock remix album for FFXIV (maybe with The Primals)? Because I don’t know about the rest of you, but need this in my life lol
That aside though, I’m already so excited for Endwalker, but Alex, your enthusiasm is so infectious that I’m more excited after watching this video! Excellent job as always & hope you have a wonderful day!
WAITTTTTT THE FUNKY VERSION OF THE OLD SHARYLAN THEME ALEX YOU'RE THE BEST
Around 17:30, when you explain how the vocals are stacked with others in the song, it blew my mind. I've watched this trailer dozens of times, and never heard that part the way you do. When you sang it out yourself, really focusing on those vocals, 100% truth it made the hair on my neck stand up and my eyes start to well. Thank you for opening my ears to that!
I wish I had at least half as much drive and passion as Soken. His works hit me on an emotional level again and again. We are so very blessed to have such wonderful person working on this game we love so much ❤
The music makes this trailer. They obviously make it so that the music takes you into a journey and that journey has been us the WoL for years into the final conclusion of this long arc. Amazing.
Been waiting for this react since the trailer as well! Great as always.
YO I NEED A FULL VERSION OF THAT JAZZ STORMBLOOD BRO
That was glorious
edit also the Sharlyan funk mix holy heck yes.
For real though, always when I hear a new track in FFXIV I think "that's the peak, how can Soken go higher than this?" and he somehow always does. The man is a genius.
final edit: ok scrap everything I said. Funky Soken mix at the end is diamond-tier. I need a full version of THAT pure majesty.
Funky La Hee: th-cam.com/video/HXfsbDVL-Ig/w-d-xo.html
Not quite "full" but 32 seconds
Musicologist/Music Theorist here -- Thank you for pausing at the end of cadences in your explanations. So many courses I've helped teach where professors interrupt progressions and regressions instead of cadential expressions. Well done! Thanks for the great engagement!~
I've watched the full trailer almost a dozen times and am still noticing things. This time it was a line in the Sharlayan section, "standing tall", being a reference to "stand tall my friends" in Tomorrow and Tomorrow. I've had the latter as my display name on Twitter since I finished 5.0 and now I'm obsessing over the meaning of this. It can't be a coincidence that Amanda Achen sang both. Does this confirm the theories that Tomorrow and Tomorrow is from Venat's perspective and that Venat had a hand in founding Sharlayan at the same time?
Come to think of it, if Susan Calloway is the voice of Hydaelyn, Jason Charles Miller sings as Zodiark and and Amanda Achen represents Venat, who do the lyrics Sam Carter sings correlate to? My best guess is the Warrior of Light or Azem (or both) but maybe it's Zenos or Fandaniel depending how the lyrics are taken and what's really going on with either of them?
Criminally underrated comment.
I wanna say if we're conflating main theme vocalists with character perspectives. JCM with Shadowbringers is more representative of the Amaurotines/unsundered than to Zodiark considering Zodiark doesn't really have a "home" nor does he hope for anything really since most of what we know about him is that he basically just served the role as a tool, granted one with a lot of power and the ability to make decisions on its own discretion to achieve what is asked of it, but a tool nonetheless. As for Endwalker, it's totally a representation of the players (or the Scions at the very least) for the main theme considering the lyrics "Should we lose our way/Tire of all this pain/We won't be afraid to forge ahead" or also with the earlier "Fire will be repaid/'Fore our echoes begin to fade" referencing how we tend to be reactionary when it comes to us taking action as pretty much 9 times out of 10 we labor to solve issues caused by others that started it with somewhat malicious intent, or especially in this case where with Fandaniel it's 100% malicious.
@@Kanethedragon I said Zodiark because that's what an official (albeit offhand) comment said. Keep in mind that Zodiark's perspective is heavily influenced by that of his summoners', especially his heart, probably more than Hydaelyn since Hydaelyn was summoned not for the sake of the summoners and their people but for the sake of people they did not know in all the ages to come.
As for those lines you picked out, it doesn't require much imagination to see how they might apply to Zenos/Fandaniel considering we don't truly understand their perspective yet. Which I thought I was quite clear on. The lines make perfect sense for WoL/Azem, but they might make some *twisted* sense for our villains.
Come for the best musuc analysis in all of youtube. Stay for the most accurate reactions to key moments in the trailer. Great video as always Alex!
PS: that Lahee funky remix *chef's kiss*
4:23: “hwUARRRRHHH hURdTHUHRRR thURR thUHhhh DTHuhhhhhhhr”
These are the new lyrics now, Soken.
Your PASSION and critical analysis to the emotional connectivity of how these games are scored is just FLAWLESS. SUBSCRIBED!!!
This song always gets me emotional and I don't really know why, maybe it's an encapsulation of all the nostalgia from the themes and my memories with them. Or perhaps it's how the melodies and chords are constructed and blended either way such a good theme. And as always an incredible video thank you Alex
I came home with the intention of continuing to watch more of this week's episode of the Trash Taste podcast, which I started during my break at work. Then I saw this had dropped. This took priority. That, good sir, is a feat videos few and far between can accomplish. Well done. Beautiful analysis as always.
I see, you're a man of culture as well.
I always listen to trash taste podcast whenever i play final fantasy 14
I’ve been listening to this trailer theme so many times that when it does eventually get released without the sfx, its still gonna play in my head
A new FFXIV trailer and a new Alex Moukala breakdown. All is right in the world :) I also can't wait to hear the full new Sharlayan theme, I LOVE it so much.
Soken really is a musical genius. Thanks for this awesome analysis, had a giant smile on my face the whole way through.
Your funky remixes are so lit af, love all your vids. The 1st funky vid with the daft punk mix that you put with that riff with the synth arpeggiation going down that had the stoppage of the syncopation gave me freakin' chills @2:29! Keep it funky always! Hope we see you on EW when it comes out :)
I appreciate the amount effort you put into your reactions so much! You’re THE man!
5:03 “AMAZING. **tongue noise** WOW”
- Alex Moukala, May 2021
Yeah! The Heavensward and Stormblood themes in this one are amazing! I can't wait for the official translation of the new dragon lyrics in the redone HW theme! I also like how subdued the Shadowbringers theme is. I wonder if they did that because the story happens in a different world? A whisper of a world apart from their own if you will.
PS: I saw that trap at the end Alex! Thank god I scanned through the chapters! I still listened to it...
It was translated already . Roughy translation is is it talking about the ancients and their final days.
I hear it this way and it was translated in one youtube video what is removed because it was only music and not at all trailer.
Deeh hess y sohm fah ahim Oohr thail eil al arrn ool
(The sight of the Ancient's world in dreams
Does the trecherous heart of the crystal promise all)
Ehs tahn eehl dysh Saih oohd: Moh ka lehs?
(Standing alone, what's sacrificed is destroyed
Choose wisely: the moon or the land?)
That part d sounds like a repeat of what they say in the "Heavensward." They were:
Dys An Sohm In (Our slumber disturbed,)
Rohs An Kyn Ala na (All my brothers wake.)
Mah Morn Na-ah-ah-ahrr (The saviors must perish.)
Sahl Djahs Afah An (Vengeance will be ours.)
With these explanation with the music, I'm so scared for all the feels I will be experiencing in Endwalker ; A ; your analysis already makes me tear up!
This choir teacher is smiling ear to ear at those harmonies
the "song of hope" section never fails to hit me really really hard, especially with context from finishing Endwalker, to the point i kept shouting in my head GET TO THE GOOD PART OF THE AMAZING SONG.
"The music sucks!" - Asmongold 2021
Always happy to see someone with an actual musical sense review this stuff. This entire song is just 8 years of feelings condensed into 6 minutes.
Asmongold is straight cancer anyway. Dude's opinions are trash.
@@jettabunny8676 He is a prisoner of his online persona, like many others. He could change it, but it would cost him a lot of money in lost subs and donations.
@@jettabunny8676 Good thing Soken's used to dealing with cancer
@@jettabunny8676 Asmongold's taste in music just isn't what Final Fantasy produces. Alongside the artstyle. The game isn't for him which is something he's said a lot. He likes gritty realistic stuff, which FF isn't on the surface.
He's actually upfront about respecting the game and knowing it's just not for him. Which I respect, especially since that's an issue WoW is facing, IE. Making the game accessible to as many people as possible for money. While FFXIV knows what it is and keeps doing what the community wants because they don't need to stick their fingers in any other communities. Why should we care what someone who doesn't play the game and won't, thinks about the game?
@@Sydney_Belladonna "likes realistic things"
*plays WoW*
Uh huh. Also you can be respectful towards one game without having the need to constantly react to it negatively and incite their fanbase to hate on it even more. Which unfortunately, Asmongold and others do. Respect goes both ways.
Man your videos are the quintessence of quality! You recognized so many things in the track that surely the majority of us didn't even hear, that's the quintessence of TALENT! Cheers for Italy! Saluti dall'Italia!
The music in this trailer is fucking amazing and given what Soken was going through when he was working on these tracks, I can't help but think that he went ham on everything because it might've been the last few tracks he'd ever create.
I love that man. I love the devs. I love this game.
I always smile and cry when I watch these kinds of videos you make. Always makes me happy to listen to you gush and groove as you react! And thank you for that funky version of song of hope section!! Ahhh, I want a full version!! Thank you so much!
This theme is amazing. It starts off with Endwalker music to show the coming end, and then it throws in motifs from Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringer, and A Realm Reborn. And then it finishes up with Endwalker again after showing us everything that has happened through the story.
"There's so much nostalgia imbued and charged into those beautiful chords" - I still, to this day, decades after hearing it for the first time, get goosebumps whenever I heard that stunning prelude/crystal theme. 100% effective 100% of the time. There is an undefinable magic in music.
Fuck yes! I’ve waited so long for this video, Alex! This Endwalker trailer is honestly one of my favourite trailers of all time.
9:49 Thanks for including my Drawings man, Honestly didn't expect to see it here
This is awesome!
Alex always apologizing for stopping the track, but man that's what we are here for. For the mozzarella spots you provide us on the pizza which is an insane good soundtrack, so we can understand that it not only sounds amazing but it was composed with so much thought and love for the game. Love your vids an stay funky!!!
YESSSS I was waiting for your reaction! Really love seeing people enjoying music the way you do!
You know, i'm looking at you mentioning the similarity with the Ramuh theme- And considering that at some point with the sheer volume of tracks something might get repeated.
Except you mentioning that reminds me- That Ramuh, back in ARR, was the only primal considered peaceful and he in fact warns you that there are things about light and dark you don't know. At this point me and mine speculate Ramuh even *knew about Hydaelyn and Zodiark's relationship*-
So the theme similarity on those particular tracks? The part of Sharlayan, Shadowbringers and Ramuh? Reffering to a secret you have been told exist, and likely forgot that?
omg that’s an insane connection
"Though depicted in legend as a wise and benevolent elder who harbors ancient secrets.." this is a lore details for Ramuh and oh it shows.. the most wise amongst primals, and harbors ancient secrets.. means it knew! Damn, isn't it foreshadowing something. Ohh and I just remembered, in latest patch we talked with the Sylph again after all these years.. there must be something to it.
That transition to the final climax of the song is easily the best part of the whole song and trailer for me. The melody brings everything back home to the beginning but also imbues it with a mixture of melancholy and hope. But on top of that you have a number of overlapping voicings, and then the harmony of the bass and drums chop it up in a really interesting way. There are so many transitions and call backs that evoke a nostalgia for the entire long road that led to this point, and that in turn gives such a tremendous weight to the final climax. I can't help but love it.
I was eating cake when Alex was explaining the layered vocals near the end of the video, to say the least, I had a great understanding of the flavor of all the layers coming together.
When you pointed out the chord progression between Thunder Rolls, Shadowbringers and the Sharlayan theme--those are all my favorite pieces in the game, it's amazing to finally see that link! Thank you!
When I saw the trailer at fanfest my reactions were
"What the fuck that's heavensward?!?
WHAT THE FUCK THATS STORMBLOOD
torn from the heavens 😭"
Thank you for your hard work in making this and giving articulation to what I was feeling. Fantastic work as always 💜
Alex, I love your videos, the way you go through each bit and parts of songs, is so awesome.
I love how you help understand why the ff14 music sets an emotional tone in their songs, how they create such a huge impact. Explaining the end of the theme and how they layered all those voices suddenly makes me know why I have tears hitting when that last verse hits
I always love these reaction/analysis videos. Alex you're great and I hope you keep this up because every time I get a notification from your channel I sit right down and watch it asap.
Warrior of Light shows up: Endwalker melody
Estinien shows up: Heavensward melody
Thancred and Urianger shows up: A Realm Reborn melody
G'Raha Tia shows up: Shadowbringers melody
All the melodies go to a higher tone while the Warrior of Light goes up to the moon and all characters look up.
I can't tell if the music was made for the trailer or vice versa xD
So great, dood!
By the way, vocal party colors lmao
Omg thank you for making this Video! And how lucky am I to find it. You really shared your professional perspective with us with real examples and explanations, which was fantastic. Also you have pointed out the details of the music and told us why it was great.
I’m getting sick of some videos I found with the title of “filmmaker” or “musician” reacts to the trailer, and all the adjectives and expressions they used were somehow limited to: “good” “so good” or “amazing”.