Awesome Video Game Music: Aquatic Ambiance

I generally find water levels to be kind of frustrating in games, but somehow they often seem to have really relaxing, really great music. Donkey Kong Country is no exception, with Aquatic Ambiance being one of my favorite songs in the game.

To me, the ocean is a vast, mysterious place that's pretty fascinating. Aquatic Ambiance seems to embrace this notion. Its central chords are beautiful, and do a wonderful job at capturing both the size and wonder of the ocean. It almost seems as if the song is lost at sea, but not really worried about it- rather, it's in awe of such a calm and majestic setting. Layered on top of these chords are simple, poignant motifs. They consist of quick, punctuated notes that seem to represent the voice of the ocean- I imagine creatures such as dolphins or whales singing. All of this paints a pleasant picture of a peaceful ocean habitat, one undisturbed by outside forces. There's no sign of man's influence anywhere, which is very true to the game as a whole. One of the defining aspects of Donkey Kong Country (to me at least) is how natural the game is. It's a game filled to the brim with a wide variety of creatures and environments, and even with some of the characters' personifications it stays pretty true to this idea throughout. Its music is one of the main contributors to this feel, with songs like Aquatic Ambiance making its respective level feel that much more raw and real. I simply can't imagine a song feeling more like water than this.

Like all good water level themes, there's a certain serenity to Aquatic Ambiance that makes it incredibly pleasant to listen to. Unlike many similar themes, however, this one seems to be first and foremost about water. That speaks volumes to Donkey Kong Country's dedication to its nature aesthetic, and makes the game feel that much more genuine for it, which is just fantastic.

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