This Ocarina of Time Cover Album Will Transport You to Hyrule

Ocarina of Time brings up many great memories for me. It was the first game I ever preordered after following months of coverage in various magazines. My 1.0 version, gold cart still sits proudly on my gaming shelf, and the memories live forever. Some of my fondest memories came from the expertly-composed soundtrack from the legend, Koji Kondo. Clearly, I wasn’t the only one with these memories, and in 2017, a Kickstarter campaign was launched for Hero of Time, an Ocarina of Time tribute album. Though the album is now three years old, publisher Materia Collective has started to re-promote it on YouTube, with videos for some of the tracks and a special retrospective video.

The album, arranged and directed by Eric Buchholz, features orchestral arrangements for many of the major themes in the game, such as “Lon Lon Ranch,” “Hyrule Field,” and the Forest Temple theme. Each theme is masterfully recreated, capturing haunting melodies and the more upbeat tracks with respect and finesse. While the classic N64 tunes still have their magic, the songs truly come to life with piano, sweeping strings, and horns. Listening to the album, I could imagine myself approaching Volvagia, preparing for confrontation.

“Spirit of the Valley,” the theme from Gerudo Valley, is a particular standout on the album. The first strum on the guitar strings immediately gives the song that familiar Spanish feel from the desert theme. The music builds around the chords until you find that familiar guitar riff, about halfway through. “Memories of the Forest” is another track that really transported me into the world of Ocarina of Time. Soft, sparse, and haunting, I felt as though I were actually chasing Poes in the Forest Temple. The quick, sharp notes from the flutes at the end give a feeling of mystery and loneliness, in fitting with the game’s first temple.

Many other tracks offer these same feelings, like “Ganon’s Tower” and “Great King of Evil,” both tracks, of course, punctuating the end game and the completion our journey. I encourage you follow this album link, and listen on whatever platform suits you. Put on your headphones, and allow yourself to get lost in Hyrule, once more. Also, be sure to check out some of the other great albums from Materia Collective.

If you’ve listened, what did you think of the album? What were some of your standout tracks? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Materia Collective