Introduction
On 28 Sept. 2020, gamers could purchase Mihoyo’s Genish Impact, an action-adventure role-playing video game. They had a concert on 3 Oct. 2021 to celebrate their tenth anniversary, which was broadcast live in numerous locations across the globe. Performers include Idiotape, the Flanders Symphony Orchestra, the Koheean band, and VoicePlay. Idiotape sings “Path of Takisha.” One can hear elements of both rock and EDM in this tune (electronic dance music). Moreover, I will admit that this music has the potential to give you the chills or perhaps make you want to run away or fight. It works wonderfully as the background score for a villainous character or a tense situation.
Discussion
At first, the music progresses slowly, with the flute playing for a few seconds to set a spooky mood. Then the EDM soundboards help it build up speed with more author’s last names! The electric guitar, percussion, and the rich tones of the violin all come at you at once. The electric guitars’ shrill timbre and the drums’ crashing cymbals set off the pitch at a high frequency, amplifying the song’s dynamics and volume to give the impression that you will attend a live rock and roll show. A violin, piano, and electronic dance music (EDM) soundboard keeps the fast, frantic tempo going, setting up a “dun-dun-dun dun dun dun” pattern to which the listener can hum along (Adams 188). For me, the most chilling portion of this song occurs at 1:08:27, during the bridge, when the rest of the instruments stop playing, and the violinist plays softly. The song’s most impressive conclusion occurs at 1:08:41 when the tempo picks up with a symphonic crash, electronic dance music rhythms, and electric guitars all working in perfect unison. All credit goes to the vocalists who came up with these fantastic theme songs for the characters in Genshin Impact, which give Idiotape its eerie, dark, and energizing atmosphere.
The song “Destined Parting” was picked to play as the ship sailed off into the sunset, marking a fitting end to a remarkable journey. Written in an orchestral style that emphasizes harmony, it is performed by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra under Krzysztof Urbanski’s baton (Adams 194). I feel compelled to warn you that, even though this song is not featured in the game, it may very well make you feel all the feels and force you to shed a few tears, as Genish Impact is known for having some of the most engrossing soundtracks used in its gameplay. When we listen to this exquisite musical abstraction, we are reminded that we will inevitably suffer the loss of someone or something dear to us. The performance begins with a quiet, soothing beat produced by the xylophone and piano (Treece 3). A few seconds later, the clarinet, trump, and violins join in, raising the tone and volume. When all these instruments come together, the resulting music is so grand that it makes you feel like you are in a king’s palace or on a spaceship.
Finally, around 1:41:20, the mood shifts noticeably. Violins, clarinets, flutes, piano, and trumpets develop their deep, rich timbre at a slow rhythmic flow, creating an atmosphere of sadness and loss. The last change, at 1:42:15, is imposing, in my opinion. The slow tempo gives the string instruments and piano/harp/clarinet time to linger on their notes, creating a beautiful, melancholy coda (Agency 4). The Flanders Symphony Orchestra gave a robust and faultless performance that gave this piece a tone of excitement and emotion that enthralled the audience.
Having seen this amazing performance, I can say that “Path of Yaksha,” the second song, is my favorite. One of the game’s main protagonists, Xiao, has a catchy anthem that I enjoy listening to. Xiao has a serious reputation and does much damage to his rivals. He must pay back the debt of 1,000 years of pain and suffering he has caused by enlisting the aid of evil spirits to fight against himself (Agency 6). It is clear from Idiotape that music, like in Xiao’s case, plays a significant role in his development as an individual. They painted a picture of a dishonest, depressed, and distraught Xiao through their music. When I listen to this music, it is as if I am the hero of my own video game or story. It is perfect for me since it captures the music I enjoy.
Conclusion
My preferred musical genres include classical, electronic dance music (EDM), and alternative rock. When I need to focus and unwind or am anxious about something, I put on some classical symphony music. Though pieces like “Destined Parting” have a somber undercurrent, listening to symphonic music generally calms my nerves and appeals to my sense of beauty and serenity. As an avid listener of electronic dance music (EDM) and alternative rock, I knew I had to have “Path of Kasha” on my iPod the second I heard it at this event. No matter how gloomy the lyrics or tone, I always feel energized after listening to the music of this genre. I would tell a friend to check out Genshin Impact because their concert paints a vivid picture of originality in terms of instrumentation, coherence in terms of theme, and exceptional talent among the performers.
Works Cited
Adams, Matthew James. “Tech Otakus Save the World?” British Journal of Chinese Studies 12.2 (2022): 188-208. Web.
Agency, Some News. “Melodies of an Endless Journey Rewards: Genshin Concert 2021:1-10 Genshin Impact｜Game8.” Game8｜The Top Gaming and App Walkthroughs Straight from Japan! Game8, 2022, Web.
Treece, David. “Language-in-song, language-as-song: new perspectives from Brazil on song translation theory and practice.” Santa Barbara Portuguese Studies 3 (2019): 3. Web.