Mili - Compass // Reaction 

Cassie did say this on twitter: "For Compass, I really aimed to sing like a whale spouting!! I imagined breathing in, holding your breath, enduring and endure some more, and then finally blowing up" and i think she nailed it

For those unaware: The in-game version has a heartbeat added as an additional instrument

THE FAULT LIES WITH YOU! ISHMAEL!

One of the reasons for people wanting that song covered is how it was used. The battle it is utilized in is so damn good, so much cinematography, amazing pacing...

“I expected a build up” there’s a few people who’ve made the song have its buildup like it does in-game, and it really gives more than how it’s formatted in the video they post (no insult to Mili, it’s just kinda weird not having that natural buildup)!

Mili was originally not aware of the plot of Moby Dick, the basis for chapter 5 of Limbus Company. When Project Moon gave a brief run down of what it’s about to Mili, Mili thought for a moment and came up with an idea to incorporate Ishmael’s character with the ocean into this song. This is a similar story to Mili being asked to make Between Two Worlds, since she never read Demian or knew the metaphor of the realm of light and the realm of darkness. However this time she was told about Kromer’s character rather than Sinclair’s. That’s why Between Two Worlds sounds more sinister.

Important note on the beginning part when it says: "Your mermaid's setting sail." It is very important for the story context of the song and to set up what it is about. In the setting, whales are not like our real world ones but are more like lovecraftian monsters and their "mermaids" are humans they have swallowed and turned into deep-one like monsters to do their bidding. Ahab in Limbus Company has gaslit and manipulated her crew to do her bidding to help her with her obsession and is explicitely compared to one such whale chewing up her crew and turning them into her own mermaids, Ishmael included as she got lost in her own obsession with revenge. However, in the finale Ishmael realizes this fact and that she never actually decided for herself what she wanted to do but that realization enables her to break free from Ahab's influence.

Thanks for covering this one so quickly! "Claustrophobic" is a really interesting descriptor for the music, considering the circumstances of the setting and the character it revolves around. Without going into much detail (out of consideration for anyone who hasn't played it yet), it's a boss battle where the character is not only physically trapped within an inescapable space, but also trapped and smothered by her own overwhelming negative emotions, particularly hatred and obsession. Having the track be so dense with its instrumentation actually really makes sense taking that into account. As for the matter of it being "less dark", that ties into it as well, since it's less "body horror and dystopian violence" and more "reflecting on and overcoming one's own emotions". A lot of the darkness in it is context dependent, rather than just being in your face. It's one of those bleak but hopeful boss themes like "Fly, My Wings", while "Between Two Worlds" and basically everything from Ruina are just heavy to the highest degree.

Sadly, it's missing the heartbeat that could be heard in the game. It's just that little extra that elevates an already amazing song.

Good break down man, just wanted to tell you the context of the song a bit. The song plays during the final boss of the most recent chapter of the game, and this chapter has deep themes of not knowing what one should do, and obssesion that blinds you to the proper path you should take. (trying not to spoil anything)

Compass, for once the related Literary reference is something you may have heard of: Moby Dick. A ton to mention about this one. The claustrophobic nature of the song giving no room to think is related to the in-game character the lyrics are based off, Ishmael. Compulsed towards their goal of killing their captain - Ahab - they haven't been themself pretty much the entire chapter, in a single-minded haze towards the White Whale to find the captain. The first two verses and the 1st chorus make up the bulk of the encounter, but after that is where the gameplay integration that makes this song so fantastic starts. That third verse (i wanted blood / i wanted black and white / your evils predefined) infinitely repeats as Ishmael has harpoon in hand, Ahab unable to continue fighting, ready to fulfill their goal... only to realize that they've been wrapped around Ahab's finger this whole time by seeking out them to kill, as stated in the first chorus (my compass was swallowed by the sea / i curse this relationship between you and me) and instead of giving Ahab the death Ishmael so wishes to give them, they turn to what really matters and snub Ahab's dream instead, plunging the harpoon into the heart of the White Whale in time with the crescendo of the 2nd chorus (hold on tight / i'm piercing through the rope that strangled you and me / let us be free) Other than the beautiful blending of the song into the gameplay, there is an... "instrument", if you want to call it that, that is left out of this version divorced from the game. That instrument is the White Whale's heartbeat every 4th beat of the quieter parts of the song, including the entire 1st phase that has zero lyrics, just the heartbeat and what you hear in merely the first measure of the MILI version of the song

Well, the thing about this song is that it's about someone clawing their way out of an obsessive and truly toxic relationship, freeing them from the chains that were dragging them deeper and deeper into that murky water called hate. Truly, this song is wonderful.

Oh yeah. I've been a Mili fan for a while, but this one absolutely blew me away in a way that was much different from all of Mili's other songs.

This song gets more emotional and important when you are playing the game. My experience in the boss was that I used almost all of my EGO recources (special skill recources) in the second last room to the final boss so it was a fighting struggle against the boss, so it was a great feeling after I beat the boss. It also increases the feeling as Ishmael is one of my top 3 characters.

"Thats bastard has still to be alive."

I love that you say this one made you feel claustrophobic considering the whole theme around the character this one plays for. Especially after diving deeper into that. Love the start up for this one, all the various sounds feel very eerie yet mystical and almost sound like they're mimicking sea creatures of sorts. Kind of wish we could get your reaction to the 'chapter ending credits' songs as well for Limbus Company, each chapter is sang by one of the character's VA's, and this one's was my favorite. Not because of it being my favorite character either, but just how pretty it sounded from the VA. Each one has it's own unique feel thanks to this as well!

Because I haven’t seen anyone else mention your point on the name Compass, yes it absolutely ties to the sense of loneliness and claustrophobia you’re describing Ishmael, the focus character, is… not directionless but rather has one all consuming goal that stops her looking beyond it to the future. She frequently feels like a warped version of herself, remembering the people she used to define her future by and unable to perceive it without them She also literally refers to the “player” character (he is his own character, not a faceless/personalityless avatar) as her compass after this fight. A “sometimes annoying one who sticks their head in other people’s business” said with a smile. Through Dante’s persistence, she has found direction, a new compass for her journey

If youre just doing the Project Moon Mili stuff only ones you didn't name are Poems of a Machine, and And Then is Heard No More From a Place of Love is fun to witness someone's first hearing.

I think this one benefits most from its role in the game contextually

This song could have been longer BUT ITS ALL YOUR FAULT ISHMAEL!

The song is perty short because it had build up in the game. It start with Compass (Instrumental) than the lyric start appear when boss move to another phase. If you play the game it also have heartbeat added as an additional instrument though out the fight.

I wonder if its intentional that the last lines of "high tide, low tide" sound like "I died, you died"

only one i can think of you havent heard yet was "then it was heard no more" alongside "poems of a machine" when it comes to mili songs, both of the ones mentioned are from Library of ruina

i agree with the feeling of claustrophobia entirely!!!! to me it also feels like im drowning in the music, the entire time listening i had this unease in my heart and i couldn't really place it

WE MAKING IT OUTTA THE PEQUOD WITH THIS ONE!

Compass is so good i levatate everythme i listen to it

You should listen to one of the fan mixed versions of the track, it hits even harder with better buildup and the heartbeat that was used in the game

Do be sure to add World.Execute(Me) and Every Other Ghost to the queue :p They aren't LoR/Limbus songs , but still dope Mili being Mili.

You should also listen to “Poem of a machine”! It’s an underrated one that not many people usually think of.

Man, I Love Mili

honestly compass is what i imagine if milli was on board for lobcorp, doing songs for the meltdowns perhaps. not sure what it is but it has that kinda qualia to it? idk maybe thats just me lol

you should totally try out a project moon game if you find the time, theyre all extremely well written and fun

I love this new one but I feel like it's incomplete without the heartbeats in the background. Here's to another "Ant then is heard no more" suggestion.

I say it feels different without the heart beat in the background.

Would love to see your reactions to some of mili's non PM songs. Some of my personal favourites are Ga1ahad and scientific witchery, Summoning 101, Camelia, Victim and World.execute(me);

I feel like there is a buildup, just to the second chorus ykwm? Anyway, I can loop this song for hours on end without tiring of it… Mili is peak 💥💥💥

if you want to do more MIli reactions i recomend sustain. Nice vid!

definitely look at k1g4n3's mix i feel like they really tied it together and u can imagine the story without actually doing the fight yourself

oh good lord good luck with "a place of love" when you get there ;D

I'd recommand you Though our path may diverge and the two opening from goblin slayer. It's way more churchy but if you liked intense vocals and lyrics, those are part of my favs from mili

Very dense music eh? Getting swallowed by and crushed beneath the sea perhaps?

I recommend and then is heard no more form library of ruina mili.

What the original story tells in my opinion is,... Instead of doing what people around teach and tells you what should do, (which are, in many times, wrong) We need to find and forge our own paths. Spoiler alart! Original story is, Ishmael gave up working in the company and just left, feeling empty. Then she saw a recruitment for sailer and she just joined because she liked the sea, and mayhaps die there in the end. Captein, Ahab, was obsessed with catching the whale(or mobydick) and defines it, root of all evil as it is a gigantic monster that killed many. Captein is willing to sacrifice everything to catch the whale and does so. She brainwash every crew so they willingly give up their lives so she can acheive her goals. Everyone dies while Ishmael survives, she realize they were all indoctrinated and used by her. Since than, she promise revenge on Ahab and tries to hunt her down, no matter the cost... which in turn, makes her no different from Ahab wanting revenge on the whale. In some sense, Ahab still controlled her, just in a different way. The clockface( thats you in the story ) makes her realize what she had become. Ishmael frees herself from the way and becomes the captein of her own life. Ps. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rmeXjAjorE8.htmlsi=0wPjy7MBbI8OURhW How they use the song in game. (They got eaten by the whale and fighting below its heart)

You should listen to gospelion in a classic love, It's a good song.

this song hits hard,it makes me feel like im fighting against a struggling battle(but the fight this song was attached to was pretty easy imo)

no fun fact today, a lot of people beat me to it... sorry UnU you should check for a version with the hartbeat tho, doesn't seem like much but it really adds to the experience in my opinion

Whats that shirt youre wearing?

I prefer the version with buildup and heartbeats, just like in the game.

Funny thing, they literally used whale and dolphin calls in this song

Extentions of you next?

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Why gacha games have the best music? Xd