Milk Bar Mornings: Winter Wastelands

There are hundreds of songs in the Zelda series, each one with its own story, but each also contains its fair share of technicalities. With that in mind, I present a brand news series here on Zelda Dungeon, Milk Bar Mornings. Here on Milk Bar Mornings, we will be analyzing various tracks from the series. To kick off the series, we will be focusing on the various songs of Winter from the series. The Zelda series has many icy and wintery songs, but for this post, we will be focusing on the cold, creepy songs presented through out the series. So hit the jump to see what we have in store!

Ice Cavern: Ocarina of Time

Ocarina of Time is a first in the series, being the first 3D Zelda game. The game is also highly known for its soundtrack, each song a little capsule of nostalgia. The first song we will be analyzing is the Ice Cavern from Ocarina of Time. The Ice Cavern is an area the player must venture through, to get the Iron Boots, to progress to the Water Temple. The Ice Cavern is located in the now frozen over Zora’s Fountain. The Ice Cavern’s theme presents a very crisp isolated sound, bells ringing the melody, with a slight icy breeze blowing in the background.

The song presents a very clear story of isolation. Through the seven years when Link was kept in the Light Temple, Zora’s Domain remained frozen, the place isolated and forgotten. When Link arrives, the place has been left for years, monsters have started to inhibit the place, adapting to the icy conditions. The song shows that through the bells, and how the echo, showing the emptiness created through the years. The sound of the wind blowing, creates an icy tone, making the player feel as if they are walking in the arctic winds, chilling there hands on the controller. The song shows a much darker side to ice, and how it is not a one way pass to no school, but rather an element of isolation and death.

Temple of Droplets: The Minish Cap

The Minish Cap contains many great pieces of music. One of them is the Temple of Droplets theme. The Temple of Droplets is a location Link must venture through to get the Water Element, to infuse with his blade. Similar to the Ice Cavern, the Temple of Droplets follows the sound of isolation. The beat of the song is done with jingle bells, the leads changing between a vibraphone and strings. The song’s vibraphone plays a sound full of isolation and death, meanwhile the strings play a sound of danger and it points out that Link could fall. The jingle bells create a feeling of loss of time, almost like the ticking of a clock, reminding the player that he/she must get out of there.

The song, like all songs, portrays a story. The Temple of Droplets portrays a story of being trapped. One of the first things Link encounters in the temple is an Octorok trapped in ice. The vibraphone and strings together tell the story of the danger the Octorok holds, and how it could go on a rampage at anytime. The intimidation is heavily presented through not just the music though, but the actual visuals themselves. Together, a strong sense of danger rushes through the player through out the temple.

Snowhead Temple: Majora’s Mask

Snowhead Temple is the second dungeon Link encounters in Majora’s Mask. Snowhead Temple is located on the peak of Snowhead Mountain, the home of the Gorons. Similar to Zora’s Domain in Ocarina of Time, this place has been frozen over. Once a location full of calm springs, Snowhead Mountain has become and endless raging winter. Inside Snowhead Temple, Link primarily is in his Goron form. The theme for Snowhead Temple presents a very airy echoey wind, with the occasional sound of something moving inside. With this, the small sound of a choir passes through the dungeon, topped of with the sound of an organ playing some quick notes. Like the rest of Majora’s Mask, Snowhead Temple’s theme contains a very creepy aura, almost as if you are being watched.

The story presented in Snowhead Temple is one that runs parallel to the game. Like the rest of Termina the Goron’s are facing the fate of being destroyed by the moon. Link must venture through the temple to save them. The wind and the sounds of movement show the emptiness of the temple. Untouched for years, Link must go in and travel through the dungeon, facing the beasts inside, to finally go and awaken another one of the giants. The choir emphasizes the calls for help from all of Termina, relying on Link to save them all. The organs remind Link, on the other hand, that he could die doing this. Together the sounds show aspect of the temple, and Link’s quest, reminding the play of what they are doing.

But that is all for this issue of Milk Bar Mornings. Let us know in the comments what theme you would like to see the in the next post! Thanks for reading!

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