Yo make sure to watch that Hollow Knight OST live stream I talked about if you haven't already! -> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RrzjiXIwRqg.html
If you'd like to, could you maybe do a break down of "Fountain" from the game inmost. Very talented music composer. It tells part of a story and I think you'd really enjoy it along with the rest of us
Fr, the amount of depth he can create with a single scale is mad. I also have a huge appreciation for his instrumentation, the soundscape of this track is so unsettling, I mean just listen to that heavy string percussion. When it comes to the soundscapes in their music I honestly believe Larkin is one of the best composers there is.
Nosk is a terrifying ambush predator. Intelligent enough to disguise itself to lure in prey until they willingly enter its nest. Then revealing its true self after ensuring there is no escape and attacking until the prey is subdued. The movement of the music really feels like dealing with a predator that's jumping in and out of the shadows to attack you.
It's an intelligent creature that seems to lack readable thoughts from the Dreamnail. Even when it's taking the form of Hornet in Godhome, if you use the Dreamnail on it all you'll get is "..." Yet despite that it seems to be proud of its hunting, stringing them up as trophies of a sort, suggesting it does it for sport and not just to eat. A fascinating creature, truly.
@@garytina7009 and the fact that it can actually read deep enough into its preys mind to know about its loved ones and disguise as it is what it makes me. Like, imagine seeing a friend you haven't seen for years, and when you get close, they just burst into a long neck and transform into a spider 3 times your size. This is why I love Nosks "lore"
@Garytina Nosk operates by reading a creatures memories and emotions and disguising itself to lure in food, because the knight is a hollow vessel it has no thoughts or things to lure us in with, so nosk appears as us and I'm willing to bet that the dream nail dialogue is our own mind as we pick up our memories that it's reading Or nosks (if its a species) can simply stop thinking so prevent another nosk from preying on it effectively
Man it's impossible to dislike Larkin's music. He just doesn't miss the mark when it comes to atmosphere and emotion. Hollow Knight's soundtrack as a whole is nothing short of a masterclass, borderline perfect in my opinion. And somehow he already looks set to outdo himself with Silksong judging by those samples, I cant wait to hear the rest of that soundtrack.
Hollow Knight combines a unique and gorgeous art style with an amazing soundtrack. The game itself is a masterpiece, but it just wouldn’t be the same without the music. The music strings the whole experience together, especially in a game where there’s no spoken dialogue, as the main character is dead on the inside and can’t talk. The music conveys the emotions of the game perfectly. There hasn’t been a game like this in years. Absolute perfection
Yes, but that's specifically because of the impact of music on culture. A culture who has never heard the patterns in music that are most commonly associated with "something scary" would never assume anything disturbing from it. It's cultural and based on experience.
Now I’m waiting for a reply going to tell this guy on how the brain listens to some ways of music despite never hearing it before show emotion or force emotions.
@@godslaughter Maybe, but I heard that high pitched sounds that horror movies often used are supposed to remind us of crying baby which would naturally make any human feel uneasy.
@@vanjaarsic1616that would explain why those notes never have that effect on me (and even sound rather pleasant). Crying babies have always made me feel happy for some reason. I am autistic, so my brain reacts to all sorts of things differently than it should, so if its just how the brain is wired, regardless of reason, it makes sense I'm an outlier. As usual, for better or for worse.
The twisted beauty of Nosk's theme is that it basically tells you what that... thing is doing. When the music is 'quiet', it is lurking, waiting to catch you off guard. When it gets louder, the beast is jumping out to attack you with all its relentless brutality. And the way in which new disturbing sounds and scales appear in both segments with each iteration tells you how the battle is escalating, becoming more savage, more... violent. Until at last it reaches its climax and, abruptly, ends. No fanfare, no heroic or tragic feeling, just silence. The quiet, tense relief born of having survived the trap of a vicious predator. Art. Glorious, musical art.
I've always thought that these little " tic tic" noises around 0:36 resembling the sound that fangs or claws would do if poking something empty, like a skull or a shell. It's kinda fitting to Nosk
Taking into account the quickness of that percussion line, perhaps this could be further interpreted as a suggestion of Nosk itself scuttling over piles of bones. Or exoskeletons, seeing as they are bugs. 🕷
Nosk is easily the scariest monster in this game, and the music for him is designed to match that terror perfectly. Appropriately, you won't hear that track for any other beast in the game. Even before you see him, everything about his lair is designed to entangle the player in a sense of creeping dread, like you're walking into a death trap. And if you should die the first time you battle him and go to face him again, that beast still has another trick under its twisted carapace that literally defies the standard formula for every other boss encounter. (If you know, you know!)
yeah Nosk is like, openly cunning and intelligent, almost feels like there's a thinking complex mind underneath the more monstrous behaviour which just adds to the effect. _especially_ with the vague implication that all the Corpse Creepers you find in Deepnest are just juvenile versions of the same species
@@SirPogsalotCreates I believe they're referring to the fact that if you die to Nosk and reenter the arena, you expect to see the beginning cutscene again, but Nosk will start charging at you before you have time to safely reclaim your Shade
I always loved that little quiet part with just the violin playing. It reminds me like an even more understated version of the Jaws theme right before the shark shows up
What Nosk is is a predator that dwells in the deepest, darkest tunnels beneath a kingdom, it can read minds and shape shift, and uses this to take on the form of it's preys loved ones. When you encounter it, Nosk is disguised as a sibling of the main character, All around it's lair are the bodies of everyone it killed, and if you read their minds you'll be given warnings of what Nosk is, cause their last thoughts were all about confused shock at seeing people they cared about being in front of them
Wait I thought nosk shapeshifted into the knight, not one of its siblings. I assumed this was because the knight is emotionless and has no loved ones, which confused nosk Although in godhome nosk does actually end up imitating hornet when you encounter it
Some of the sounds in the background of Nosk's theme is actually Deep Nest's ambience where Nosk resides. Funny thing with Nosk, he's effectively a shapeshifter. Thus we never truly know what he looks like because he has a spider-like form... and a flying insect form that's only used in a DLC area dedicated to boss gauntlets. His theme initially not being 'full' and being 'hidden' is fitting because of his very deceitful nature and the fact that he's an ambush predator also.
@@kwamemwangs2173 then again, what if Nosk only took on the spider form because he is in Deepnest, surrounded by creatures with similar appearance (most of the enemies in Deepnest resemble spiders in one way or another). Who knows how Nosk would look like if he decided to make his lair in Greenpath, or Forgotten Crossroads or Fog Canyon?
This is definitely one of my favourite brakedowns of yours. The type of music it is and having some understanding of it makes this a bit more goal oriented. You didn't just analyse what is happening, you also did an exceptional job explaining why it happened.
In game, nosk will disguise itself as it's prey's loved ones to lure them into its nest, which could be the explanation for those 'wrong' notes you mentioned.
@@supercato9613 That's... not a spoiler. If you know what happens in game this is NO spoiler for the actual encounter, it's obscure lore you just read in the Hunter's Journal. How does it makena difference where you read it?
@@helion_ut It is a spoiler because it may come as a shock or surprise when first encountering it in game. If you can't expect it on your first playthrough, then talking about it is spoiling it.
@@TryHardGamerYT I don't think such a vague random lore side informatiom 90% of all people miss is a spoiler, tbh. Spoiler, as in to spoil, means literally turning someone's experience from good to bad- This comment changes NOTHING about the experience because yet again, it's an obscure lore fact. When he will meet Nosk for the first time he will STILL be surprised and terrified by what is happening, I'm certain.
@@helion_ut it's one of the 2 things that make Nosk scary: his introduction. If you just say how Nosk hunts, the whole mystery and creepiness of the encounter is ruined. Now we can of course just hope Davi forgets about it, but I don't like to rely on that.
Nosk is easily one of the most fitting tracks for that fight. I was watching my little brother play and guided him to Nosk on purpose just to see how he would react. Let’s just say he is scared to play hollow knight now😂
I had the privilege of playing the game totally blind (rare for someone chronically online like myself lol). Nosk was one of the moments that I wish I could relive. The bewildered confusion and excitement at seeing another knight, the gut-wrenching shocked-silent _horror_ as Nosk twist and bent itself outward and expanded into its true (?) form, the frantic running and panicking during a boss that is actually fairly simple to defeat once you expect him and understand his attacks. It was such a jarring shift in tone from the rest of the game. Mentally scarring in the best possible way 👌
This is one of the few soundtracks we get in the deepnest area of the map (it’s mainly just scuttling and crawling noises, no music) and I think that really adds to it
I absolutely adore the extra little stutter that Larkin does when descending at the end of each line (line? bar? I don't know music terminology) It makes the music feel like it's more frantic or like it's skittering, which suits Nosk's encounter so well
"I'm going to tell you why we get this sensation of hunter stalking prey" and that's why I love your channel, you explain why music works the way it works
I think you’re doing a really great job explaining the thought process behind these songs to people who don’t know much about music theory like myself, I understood everything in this video!
Not the song I expected from Hollow Knight but a great choice nonetheless. Also definitely listen to the rest of the HK soundtrack, Christopher Larkin really upped his game for the DLC music, which makes me extremely excited for Silksong's music.
I think that it would be funny to see your reaction on "Truth Beauty And Hatred" from Hollow Knight. It's a song from a DLC so you haven't heard it in the official soundtrack yet
It's so interesting that the chords are suggested at first rather than explicitly played, and it makes sense. I don't like spoiling the game for the sake of discussing the music, but it's suggested that the true likeness/nature of Nosk is hard to ascertain, which makes it all the more disturbing. Nosk doesn't exactly have a definitive form of its own but rather it appears as a creepy twisted image of its prey.
I love this track. It certainly gives off that scary and uneasy feeling and the fight itself is that way. You find this secret area and then you see something interesting so you decide to follow it but actually it lures you into it’s trap and you have to fight it and your like “Wtf is this thing!” I love how you can totally understand the entire thing just listening to it. Very cool.
A very underrated but actually gorgeous song I remember was Fallen Blood from EBF4. Maybe you should give it a listen in your free time because I think it's truly a masterpiece.
YEEES I'M SO HAPPY! Saw this video in my notifications and I couldn't believe!! Nosk isn't the most difficult or interesting bossfight, gameplay-wise, but it has the COOLEST setup in the entire game, and the music, in my opinion, delivers the horror that was set up perfectly!
It’s so cool to see such accurate breakdowns of my favorite games just from the music! I think it would be really cool to see you listen to some of the tracks from the game Outer Wilds. The game relies heavily on environmental storytelling, and the music plays a huge part in the feel of the game (and the music is just really good in general)
Amazing video, as always! Nosk has a unique vibe that is different from the other bosses, and I really liked it along with the music. This theme makes me feels exactly like being cornered. For me, while other Hollow Knight’s tracks stimulate my emotion, this one stimulates my sensations. It feels like jangling my nerve. The fight was so fun though!! Thank you for this, Davi :)
With the way the violin is used I also get ' Psycho ' vibes 🤔 And fun fact near the end they actually put the sound Nosk makes in the track which adds even more dread 😮 Also while Nosk is spider-like it's more of a dangerous ' mimic ' creature rather than a full-on spider 🤔 😉 So yeah Nosk is the main reason why I severely dislike going to Deepnest 😓 ( the area where it lurks, somewhere) the build up to it is absolutely fantastic 😉
A track like this that I would love to see a recation to is Mora the spider from Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Any music from that game is a feast for the ears.
That "Jesus" at the end. Came from his heart and soul, Also the "noises" that you can hear in the background of the track are ambient sounds from the area which the boss is located in, and the boss practically represents the area as a whole.
Nosk is certainly the most terrifying enemy simply in execution. The intro to their lair is incredible and it really makes you feel alone. Reading what the souls of those who had died were thinking before they died just adds to it. Of course, I knew exactly what to expect so it didn't hit me as much, but some people who might not have the narrative experience of the game might get horrified.
The buildup to Nosk and the music that played when it revealed itself was simply incredible! Unfortunately the fight itself was over fairly quickly…that said it’s amazing how they crafted so much atmosphere and immersion into a 2D game with a protagonist who is the definition of blank slate.
Another song that’s similar to Nosk’s theme is “one step, two step” by Tobias Lija. The person that made the music for little nightmares 2, it’s a really good song in my opinion.
It would be cool if you reacted to some Bug Fables' music, it has a very interesting soundtrack as well. If I had to choose one song it would be probably "Oh no! WASPS!!" or "Transcending, Overpowering, Everlasting".
Hey Davi! Could you react to "Lace" from Hollow Knight: Silksong (made by Christopher Larkin of course) Silksong is a sequel to Hollow knight which haven't released yet, but we have gotten 2 samples from it's OST. "Lace" is Silksong's version of Hornet, and I think you'll understand why when you listen to it. Atleast check it out in your free time if you won't make a video of it👍
It's been so long since I played this game but maaaaan I didn't expect to remember this song so clearly! Hearing it again just sounded so incredibly familiar, it must've impacted me much more than I remembered
Your comment on some notes being hidden is very in line with the so called hunter or Nosk as it mimics the player on first contact but later is reveals its monstrous spider-like form
This soundtrack was the reason of why I died so many times to this boss. After I got used to it I won the Battle. It wasn't even a matter of skills or patterns, I was *TERRIFIED* 😂
I have a great appreciation for epic video game music, but I am as good at understanding it as I am at being an Olympic athlete. Thank you, Davi Vasc, for providing us mere mortals with your distilled analysis!
Hey, I know you already covered everything in the livestream, but if you're going back over certain pieces, then please do a breakdown of Broken Vessel! It's my absolute favourite of the Hollow Knight OST, and it would mean a lot!
1:37 Is not a spider, but it changes the aspect to catch preys. That's why the head it's similar to the player one. It's like the horned lantern fish (ya know, that fish with a light on the head)
@@theroboman727 Having multiple legs means nothing. It has a spider vibe, yeah, but it's just a creature that changes his body to hunt. The hornet version is not a spider, for example.
I find it unlikely that nosk is some kind of shapeshifter and transforms into a different animal for every different bug. There is nothing like shapeshifting anywhere else in hollow knight from what I can remember, other than like, wyrm -> pale king and knight -> slug with shape of unn lol. I don't know what flying hornet is about, maybe another stage in its life cycle? Even assuming that nosk is straight up a shapeshifter, calling it a spider is a good description for the *only form we ever see outside of godhome*
At 3:23, that "very disturbing" chord possibility took me IMMEDIATELY to Bohemian Rhapsody! Rather fitting, I think. At 4:05 "more notes," yes...right...onward to the first statement of, "...Mama..." Then you get into the "terrifying" part, and then in the rhapsody, there comes the words, "...sometimes I wish I'd never been born at all..." Wow! At around 6:24 here, things are matching up with about 2:53 onward with Dan's version of the rhapsody. Wild! Around 3:16 in the rhapsody, things get "...very, very frightening..." Perfect! From about 8:31, this track starts sounding like, (about 3:17) "Galileo! Galileo! Galileo! Galileo! Galileo, Figaro!" At 3:39 in Dan's rhapsody, the choral answer, "No! We will not let you go!" drops in, which is quite reminiscent of what begins to happen at 8:42 here. Of course there's a bunch more extended frenetic action in the rhapsody, but it ends up back to the same type of simple progression with which it began. Fantastic! I'm really beginning to want to try this game, but I'll either have to go through Steam or GOG, for my Windows 10 computer. I dislike Steam, intensely. I did (a couple of hours ago) actually get a copy of the slightly-upgraded version of Railroad Tycoon 3 that actually WORKS! Wheee! I LOVE the railroad music in that game, and I love trying to beat out the other RR tycoons...so glad to have it back! I also bought an on-sale, updated version of World of Goo, which was a favorite of mine years ago. I haven't installed it yet, but will soon. We'll see how it works! My grandkids keep telling me they're not sure I'd like Hollow Knight. They're not used to seeing me play that type of game, but I used to, all the time! I'm going to finish out your reactions before I make up my mind, though, I think. Anyway. Thanks for this really fun one. Love it! 😀
I just noticed that the music sounds stringy and thin, like Nosk; also, the clicking that you hear throughout the song actually reminds me of a theory I have that we’re attracted to clicking, tearing sounds because it’s similar to the sound of tearing into meat, so of course we’d be attracted to the sound of sustenance. Those clacking, high-pitched sounds in this song represent that such sounds are all that Nosk lives for, and that hunger and desire for the tearing of meat is in place of a mask (identity) of its own.
While you're still on Hollow Knight music, I would love to hear Broken Vessel, It's one of my favorites and I don't hear as many people talking about it!
I always love your videos. I think you do an amazing job explaining all of the different terms and phrases of music theory. As someone who has a decent understanding of it all I feel you explain it perfectly! If you want anymore suggestions there are actually quite a few Hollow Knight tracks that weren’t in that livestream. One of my favorites is “Truth, Beauty, and Hatred” Keep making great content! :)
The way it gets quite then loud suddenly makes me imagine the horror of trying to run and hide from a predator stalking me and praying it doesn't catch me
I know this is unrelated and I’m not a patron (wish I could be.) But I have a suggestion. I know you heard “The Grimm trope”, but it has a sequel that I don’t think you heard since it’s not in the first album. The song is called “Nightmare king” and it’s theme for a rematch against Grimm (kinda) I think you’d really like it.
The great thing with this violin it's the feeling of that's a Violin with a spider web for the cord, the string, that's give a tons of "Predator vibes" and you know how much these creature are really great about to be a predator
When I clicked or the video, I knew, you would like that track. It tells you so much about Nosk. The interaction with Nosk in the Game is in some aspects, sadly not as expressive, but again, the track really makes sure, you know what Nosk is all about
While I don't strictly "enjoy" listening to the Nosk theme (you aren't supposed to) it is certainly one of the best tracks in the game artistically. For all the reasons you analyzed it feels just uncomfortable and wrong, which is exactly what nosk is. You didn't mention it but I especially love how the last few notes of each loop almost fall over eachother, just when we think we understand the pattern, Larkin breaks it. The song refuses to submit to our expectations in so many different ways and on all scales from individual groups of notes to the pacing of whole sections, and it fits with nosk's character perfectly.
Wow. I just found your channel today and I already love it so much. It would be so cool if you reviewed music from games like Omori (It means everything, Omori & Omori Alter together), Everhood (You want gnomes, Frogs are friends) or maybe even Kingdom Hearts which has a really good ost (Vector to the Heavens, Tension Rising). Like, I was genuinely surprised by how entertaining your videos are.
i think this song hits way harder with the full context. we won't spoil it here, but the buildup to where this song plays is one of the most unsettling sequences in a game we've ever experienced.
You should, every time you listen to a song relating to a certain character, make a guess at the end of the video about what type of character it is. Just came here from your ASGORE video and you had NAILED him! I would love to see you do this.
request: "Pipeorgankind" from the webcomic Homestuck! always love your content and love how enthusiastic you are about music. whatever soundtracks you choose to break down i will always enjoy watching!!
One of my favorite things about hollow knight is how perfectly matched the boss music is to the aspects and personality of the bosses, it all feels so perfectly right
This really gives me the same vibes as the blood starved beast from bloodborne. Nothing to complex. Just the same aggressive melody over and over again which is getting more intense over time. A wild animal. The design of the bosses itself are also quite similar.
