The music was good, but not what I was expecting

[LDK777]

All the music was top notch, particularly the World 2 theme as you are in the Iceometric Palace.

However in this day and age of modern gaming, video game music has sadly been sorta pushed to the background. As video games have become more about story, presentation, and immersion, music is used less often and when it is used it is used in a far more atmospheric and subtle way. It's sorta there to support what's going on without being 'distracting' It's now very akin to how a movie uses music.

I think YL leaned just slightly too much towards this atmospheric/subtle style.

I wanted the more old school catchy melodic style tunes. In the 8, 16, and 64 bit eras of gaming video game music was just much more noticeable. It seemed to be more in the forefront, with catchier tunes and stronger melodies. Video games were games, not movies, and as such they had catchy music in almost every level (or at least that was the idea).

I hope in YL2 that the music is more this old school style. All the world themes are fantastic but are generally too slow in rhythm to be catchy. All my favorite parts of them are when they are faster paced and more noticeable. In other words the music doesn't need to be subtle, let it shine in the forefront.

[Scrubber]

Can I just ask .

What happened to David Wise's music? I feel like all I hear was grants? I don't recall hearing the jungle theme that he made in game.

[bjaxx87]

I might be wrong since I'm usually raging when I'm playing the Kartos challenges, but isn't that where David's "Jungle Challenge" went?

[mickeythelegend]

I think the music is good and some of it feels very Banjo like. There are sounds I miss though from the 64 and what I really liked about Grant's that we didn't really get this time was the sound effects within the music. Like the birds and chimps in jungle japes in DK64, the owls etc in Mad Monster Mansion and Mumbo's "eekum bokum come and ave a go" chant in Mayahem Temple. They were atmospheric and it always made me think that there were living things around me and it made it more fun

[Rasmusic]

[Ciro]

[Natsu]

I somewhat agree with the OP. I'm curious what you thought of Moodymaze Marsh's theme, though. I felt like that one was really catchy and could have been in the original games with its style. Cashino also felt very similar to me, and one of its variants (dance floor) reminded me heavily of some of the music from Blast Corps. and Jet Force Gemini.

[PandaLover]

Grants Music has always been moreso background music that blends into the level. I have always prefered David Wises music as it can stand on its own as music you would actually want to listen to. It adds more feeling into the game, which I think Yooka Laylee given its poor character and story development desperatly needs. Grants Music is more like elevator music. You dont really notice it but it fits the situation well I guess.

I always assumed that Playtonic brought in both Grant and David with the intention of them working together, however at some point Playtonic basically decided to go with Grant over David and so he ended up making almost all of the music. Its a shame, I liked Davids song for the jungle world alot better than Grants.

Davids jungle world song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExTESGxBMKg
His second jungle world song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTxm9grgAs8

Grants jungle world song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLKikiy_ZFM

[Theguyoverthere]

At first, I thought the same exact thing: the music is good but not quite as melodic and memorable. However, after listening to the tracks more and more (and playing the game hours on end), there actually are very catchy tunes in the game! The problem is, they are kind of short and I wish the tracks were longer. Tribalstack tropics is super catchy and gets stuck in my head all the time, and Hivory Towers has the perfect Grunty's Lair style melody to it.

[Piet]

Imo:
Grant > David.

Even while playing Snake Pass David's music sounds like DK music, which isn't bad, but it is too much of the same imho.

[Scrubber]

I think David Wise's original jungle theme would have suited tribalstack tropics much better than grants did. Grants jungle theme sounds more suited to a world like terrydactyl land.

[dotEXE]

[The Pho]

The music is easily my favorite part of this game and I really enjoyed this game. It all felt very much like it would've belonged in Kazooie/ Tooie. Perhaps it could've stood out in a few more areas but the main themes were all perfect.

[Spydr Webz]

[FailureFactory]

I love both guys' music. However, I connect Wise with 2D platforming and Grant with the banjoesque 3D adventures for obvious reasons. I think letting Wise do the music for most of the 2D passages (minigames, Kartos) was the only plausible way to have both of them in one game, but I feel it still isn't much of a role.
To me it's sad that one of these two had to be demoted to second place, but I see no good alternative.

[Spydr Webz]

[FailureFactory]

[Natsu]

I'm really digging Burke's stuff actually. Jobstacle Course is one of my favorite songs in the game. That piece feels straight from a game like DKC3 or something.

Burke has been with Rare since Microsoft, doing stuff for Kameo, Viva Pinata, etc.

[Meinhard1]

Grant was always going to do the main world themes, I'm sure.

Haven't listened to everything (waiting for the switch) but I would atribute the change in Grant's music to how his composing/style has changed over the years. I don't think Grant can "replicate" the melodic style of BK as that's not what arises from his brain anymore. However what he gave us seems To be be a sort of "evolution," and answer to the question "what if Grant composed a Banjo-style game today."

Snake Pass sounds like Donkey Kong in that it's a) David Wise b) is for a game with smilar playful tone (DKC:TF, especially). Wise's style is quite distinctive, yes, but there's also a lot of breadth and diversity to it.
Wise has really special ability to pull surprising musical ideas seemingly out of at, and weave them into music that still feels natural melodically and emotionally.

I've heard two versions of Tropic Trials: the Switch trailer, and the soundtrack. A shame to hear it didn't make it in the game. Was also hoping this title would be David's chance to work with an orchestra. Ah well!!