Music of Civ VI

[God of Kings]

At least it's not the US anthem ... whoever thought it was a good idea to make people sing "The Star Spangled Banner" was evil, the thing calls for quite the range...

Since "The Star-Spangled Banner" isn't used for America's theme, it means that we don't listen to it for other first look videos before the initial release of the base game (it would be really jarring). Imagine "The Star-Spangled Banner" being played when Sarah introduced Qin Shi Huang of China!

 

[Zaarin]

At least it's not the US anthem ... whoever thought it was a good idea to make people sing "The Star Spangled Banner" was evil, the thing calls for quite the range...

It was originally a drinking song, and I suspect you have to be drunk to sing it properly...or appreciate it properly. Since I've never been drunk, this is speculation on my part.

 

[ToothedBomb]

My favourite from the ones announced up 'till now is Mali, but I like the Maori and Inca a fair bit too. The other ones have been really underwhelming to me.

 

[fatalitod]

The music for the Ottomans from the First Look appears to be based on this:

 

[fatalitod]

Ottoman First Listen

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Beat me to it!

 

[Kimiimaro]

Ottoman First Listen

Grand and powerful, with Oriental feel in it... Truly fitting for the Ottoman Empire. Every single one of the variants does sound unique. I can't wait to hear more from the livestream!

Also, the Atomic theme has choir? Wow!

 

[Zaarin]

This is my favorite of the new themes so far. Their oudist is very talented, and the oud happens to be one of my favorite instruments. I'm now drooling over the possibility of a collaboration between Geoff Knorr and Jordi Savall...

 

[Basileus Rhomaion]

A friend helped me identify the Mehter song that is heard in the Atomic part of the First Listen:

 

[Txomin]

Lovely! Can't wait for the full medieval theme. The atomic sample has a beat that reminds me of ceddin deden.

edit: seems a better comparison was made, neat!

 

[Alexadamz]

ceddin deden

Will they bring back Ceddin Deden as an ambient theme for the Ottomans, like we got Morghe Sahar for Persia and High Mountain Flowing Water for China? The Ottoman's theme at Civ 5 is one of my favorites.

 

[Guandao]

Looks like Geoff Knorr composed more themes for this expansion than Roland Rizzo (he only did Hungary and the Inca so far).

 

[CivLuvah]

I LOVE the Ottoman theme overall. Especially the Industrial theme, which has (ironically) a Lawrence of Arabia feel to it.

 

[Zaarin]

Looks like Geoff Knorr composed more themes for this expansion than Roland Rizzo (he only did Hungary and the Inca so far).

I'm hoping Geoff Knorr composed the Phoenician theme as well. I like some of Rizzo's work (I think I'm one of the few here who appreciate the Civ6 Aztec themes, and both Hungary and Inca are really good IMO), but on the whole I like Knorr's better. Also Rizzo's themes tend to be woodwind focused, and a string focus is absolutely more appropriate for Phoenicia.

 

[Alexadamz]

I'm hoping Geoff Knorr composed the Phoenician theme as well. I like some of Rizzo's work (I think I'm one of the few here who appreciate the Civ6 Aztec themes, and both Hungary and Inca are really good IMO), but on the whole I like Knorr's better. Also Rizzo's themes tend to be woodwind focused, and a string focus is absolutely more appropriate for Phoenicia.

I don't dislike that much the Aztec theme, as many do, and I understand the choice they made, making it sound more Mexican in the later eras. But i feel they overall is somewhat weird. They could have chosen another base song, but maybe that was more difficult. Have they looked for any musical group that plays traditional Nahuatl music? They worked with those kind of groups for Mapuche and Inca themes. That is the main complain I have about the Aztec theme.

 

[Zaarin]

I don't dislike that much the Aztec theme, as many do, and I understand the choice they made, making it sound more Mexican in the later eras. But i feel they overall is somewhat weird. They could have chosen another base song, but maybe that was more difficult. Have they looked for any musical group that plays traditional Nahuatl music? They worked with those kind of groups for Mapuche and Inca themes. That is the main complain I have about the Aztec theme.

Yeah, if I recall correctly the theme was based on a song played by a group of street performers. It's unfortunate as I'm sure there must be artists in Mexico performing traditional Nahua music like the Quechua performers who helped with the Inca themes and the Poundmaker Singers who helped with the Cree.

 

[Alexadamz]

Yeah, if I recall correctly the theme was based on a song played by a group of street performers. It's unfortunate as I'm sure there must be artists in Mexico performing traditional Nahua music like the Quechua performers who helped with the Inca themes and the Poundmaker Singers who helped with the Cree.

And that seems like really amateuristic. Much like the Aztec in game. Why the hell they were a Civ that was available only by pre-purchase some months before the full free release?

 

[Zaarin]

And that seems like really amateuristic.

In general the DLC, R&F (except the Netherlands' snoozefest of a theme), and GS themes seem to be a big improvement over vanilla in terms of working with musicians familiar with the musical traditions of the civ in question. They couldn't even get an erhu player for China, which leaves me baffled.

 

[Morningcalm]

The Ottoman themes surprised me--not only are there quite a few different musicians involved for the Ancient and Medieval Themes (counted four or so Turkish names as well), but the Atomic theme has vocals!

My favorite theme for this expansion so far is still that of the Mali, but Ottomans are probably my second favorite.

 

[Alexadamz]

In general the DLC, R&F (except the Netherlands' snoozefest of a theme), and GS themes seem to be a big improvement over vanilla in terms of working with musicians familiar with the musical traditions of the civ in question. They couldn't even get an erhu player for China, which leaves me baffled.

Netherlands is the weirdest theme for R&F indeed. I can't understand the choice, the artist has a french surname and seems like from the whole Flanders, Belgium included, more than Netherlands itself.
From vanilla, I must praise the brazilian theme. As a brazilian, I really liked they chose "chorinho" as the music to the civ. Ernesto Nazareth was a great brazilian musician and the other songs all feel brazilian, though older than the songs most people recognize as brazilian nowadays. They could have even used more Nazareth's songs for ambient, I would never feel tired of it.