Who would have thought than an animated show featuring colorful ponies could and would give rise to a gifted and inspiring community that thrives on love, creativity, and the magic of friendship? Well, to quote my fellow writer, DrakeEmberHeart, once again, “art inspires art,” and MLP has indeed inspired countless artists across the globe to create a bottomless well of artistic creativity that includes visual art and animation, short stories and full-fledged novels, fun games, and amazing musical compositions.
Game developers for the popular game, “Pony Town,” have just released a new place to explore: the bakery! And, of course, with this tasty location comes new music by talented composer, Wandering Artist. Aptly named, “Baker’s Shuffle” recalls the relaxed, old-world pace and ambience of a traditional French bakery. Accordions and light jazz elements mingle invitingly and encourage the listener to sit back, relax, and enjoy the culinary delights, friendly conversation, and hustle and bustle of a real bakery. So, whether you’re a long-time resident of Pony Town or a new arrival, a trip to the bakery will bring a musical treat! This is part of the Pony Town OST update on Bandcamp Pony Town Bakery Update.
I’m sure that all of you have seen the announcement about HMH’s change in terms of the music we’ve been covering, but just in case you haven’t, please go and read it first! Many of us were probably not expecting this, but after much deliberation, all of us here at what has now become House Music Herald feel that this is the right choice going forward. We hope that you all will support us in this shift as well! We have discussed the various aspects of this in depth and have answered every question, so as we move forward, here is my first article for House Music Herald!
New information and character designs from MLP G5 have recently been released, and the fandom has been quick to respond, especially with music inspired by the upcoming generation. SpinScissor, a newer artist on the scene, has jumped on the G5 train as well, presenting an upbeat track that features a diverse instrumental with interesting melodies and rhythms. A fun drop section with a futuristic vibe, quirky sound design, and pony vocal chops carrying several different melodies all fit together wonderfully in this playful piece. In the final drop, SpinScissor really lives up to his name with what feels like a quirky conglomeration of funky sounds and melodies that had me imagining random objects spinning around but somehow bringing hope in the midst of glorious chaos. It’s as if we are hearing random thunder and watching strips of almost indiscernible light in the night sky until, suddenly, the thunder and light explode into a glorious display of fireworks and the mystery is revealed.
Upbeat EDM might not be the type of music you may expect from a piece titled “Luna’s Sky.” With such a peaceful sounding name, I imagined some gentle orchestral sounds. However, experimental producer PeKaNo has taken a surprising approach to this track, melding ambient sounds one might expect from a peaceful tribute to the night sky with an epic trance beat that seems to showcase the explosive supernovas and epic events that also characterize the heavens. Gentle piano notes like the twinkling of countless stars flavor the background of the piece and suggest the gentle piercing of the nighttime sky by Luna’s protective voice as she declares her love for the night and promises to guard those under her care. This inspired strong emotions in me as I listened, as did the epic crescendo at the end of the piece. The contrast of gentle ambience with upbeat drums powerfully depicts the true majesty of the night sky. While the peaceful beauty of Luna’s sky radiates down to the world below, there is also an unseen war in the heavens, as stars and planets supernova and galaxies are born. I, for one, love to imagine Luna herself in full battle gear, dodging explosions and battling nightmares in defense of the world below. Allow this entrancing piece to transport you to worlds unseen as you hear the struggles of war in the heavens as they mingle with the majestic tranquility of Luna’s sky!
Spikey Wikey’s track, “Shining Free,” has gone through quite a few fun revisions since it first came out. From its original release almost two years ago on PonyChord, to its VIP release a little over a year ago, to Single Purpose’s upbeat remix of the VIP, Spikey Wikey has once again revamped his classic track with “Whatever” – a bouncy house tune that resamples every sound and sample from “Shining Free” except for most of the vocals. While staying true to the house vibe of the original, “Whatever” features a jazzy bass guitar that makes you want to put on your dancing shoes! Enjoy this bouncy, wonky, funky tribute to the episode Tanks For The Memories!
In this finale to his concept series, A Tale of Starlight, RedSpark introduces Battle, Fallen and Epilogue – a stirring musical rendering of Starlight Glimmer’s epic battle with evil forces after Twilight became ruler of Equestria. Each movement of the piece corresponds to a scene in the story. First, a gentle piano accompanied by strings sets the stage of the calm before the storm of battle. Next, we hear the sound of war drums, choirs, and horns with a “Pirates of the Caribbean” feel, marking the breakout of an epic confrontation. After this, the music transitions into solemn strings and choirs, and we feel that the enemy has struck our hero to the ground. A grand orchestral section eventually whittles down to a few keys on the piano, conveying uncertainty and the possibility that the hero has suffered defeat. Gradually, however, with resolute strings and horns, the music builds and crescendos into strength and hopefulness. We can hear that our hero has risen to launch one last attack against the enemy – an attack that vanquishes the darkness once and for all! A victorious anthem plays to signify the heroes reveling in triumph! To convey the journey of the exhausted but triumphant warriors as they head homeward, a soothing piano melody wafts over the listener like a lullaby. Don’t miss this inspiring orchestral piece that beautifully concludes this inspiring saga following Starlight Glimmer in her epic battle against evil, and also be sure to check out RedSpark’s full story behind the music, A Tale of Starlight, on Fimfiction, as well!
Written as the theme for the upcoming online convention, Snowfall ONLINE 2021, this track skillfully depicts a winter sunrise with its brisk beauty tinged with the harshness of the season. An ongoing tension can be felt throughout, as if the earth is slumbering, but mysteries yet to be revealed are hidden beneath its surface, ready to burst forth with spring’s arrival. In the intro, the sound of church bells carried along by brisk winds immediately brings to mind the mingling of winter’s playful and harsher elements. Strings play a slightly melancholy yet hopeful melody, while plucky sounds create an upbeat, “frolicking-through-the-snow mood. Gentle bells suggest winter delight and tranquility, but heavier strings intermittently suggest its darker side. Layer by layer, the piece adds more and more instruments as the track progresses. Finally, however, the piece reverts back to the church bells that sounded at the beginning. I’m sure the attendees will enjoy listening to it as they attend the convention. Enjoy this contrast of the dark and bright elements of winter!
Versatile producer Ebunix returns to Equinity Project with this epic drum and bass piece from Equinity’s latest album, Immersion! The track starts off with a muted beat and melodies that hint at future action. It quickly picks up speed and drops into an upbeat DnB section featuring an inspiring melody that brings to mind images of soaring through the sky above the clouds. The track then takes a breather for a moment before launching into some super cool neurofunk sound design! Finally, it all crescendos, as the inspiring melody and DnB section from earlier return with neurofunk elements that add an extra layer of fun. In keeping with the track title, “Fallstreak,” it’s easy to visualize Rainbow Dash diving through the air for a sonic rainboom. The bouncy neurofunk sound design simulates the winds that buffet and resist her; the encouraging melody, drums, and bass overlaying it portray her determination and perseverance despite the resistance. Plunge through the stratosphere with Rainbow Dash in this upbeat piece from Equinity: Immersion!
PumpkinZ’s new track, Submarine, skillfully captures the feeling of delving into the ocean’s expansive beauty on a wondrous submarine excursion! Immersive bass flows throughout the song, creating a sense of traveling through the sea, while steel-drum-band-type sounds add to the feeling of underwater fun. Images of bursts of bubbles, beautiful fish, and ocean scenery filled my head as I listened to this piece. I could see gentle sunlight gently filtering happily down from the ocean surface, while cool waves washed the sides of the submarine and refreshed the sea floor. The rhythmic beat maintained a feeling of vacation adventure, as opposed to merely drifting peacefully through a gentle sea. As I listened, it felt as though I’d fallen asleep to sounds of water dripping from my faucet and was transported to a dream world on a submarine adventure beneath the waves. Enjoy this immersive journey as you listen to this and other tracks on Equinity: Immersion!
