#christopher larkin

I’m of two minds on this: I almost, almost, hear the Dies iræ in Choral Chambers but it lifts towards the end instead of the established lower note progression of the true Dies iræ.

It’s there and it’s not.

And that’s really interesting for this particular track because of what function the Citadel as a whole, and the Choral Chambers in specific, serve in the story Silksong tells. I think the Dies iræ is not in the Choral Chambers track for the same reason it’s not in the Underworks track: “For Pharloom eternal, a bug who serves must never die.”

[ID: Terminus Ventrica Station quote: Due to unacceptably high injury and unsanctioned deaths, Ventrica travel shall henceforth be denied to all. For Pharloom eternal, a bug who serves must never die.]

Dies iræ is not present in either of these musical compositions (Underworks + Choral Chambers) because death is forbidden in order for the machine of the Citadel to perpetuate itself.

And at the same time, the Dies iræ IS present in the Choral Chambers—with a twist—because undeath pervades the Citadel in its entirety through the Haunting.

Is Dies iræ there and not there in the Choral Chambers because it’s an obfuscation of the presence of death?

A tiny, white lie?

[ID: A quote from Sherma’s Act 2 dialogue in Songclave: Do not judge me a doubter! The Citadel is a holy place indeed, resplendent and vast beyond my wildest hopes! But yet... the grand halls ache with silence, and I see suffering in the shadows wherever I peer too deeply. Fear, and pain... why were these things allowed into our paradise? Have my brothers and sisters not yet earned their holy reward?]

I mean, Christopher Larkin continually COOKS and finding good piano arrangements is pretty easy

but the ost that's most fun to play is reflection

apparently a large portion of people who play hollow knight don't actually know what reflection is??? like they hear it, and the recognize it, but they don't know where they've heard it before or what they recognize it from

and I play that thing everywhere, so both friends and random strangers always go '??? I know this??? what??? is it resting grounds or smth?'

the humble lore drop of folly and poor self control:

Silksong is a very good game. A VERY good game. I waited seven years for it and I was met with a masterpiece wrapped up for the price of twenty something dollars and the pain-staking process of combing through bosses and areas to progress.

But there is one track in this game.

One track that struck something very deep in me, and I don't know why.

Choral Chambers.

I haven't reached the area yet. Have no idea what's waiting for me in there, since I've been avoiding spoilers like the plague. But when I was perusing the soundtrack for reasons unknown, I flicked Choral Chambers on and I was *stationary.* Usually, soundtracks are something I listen to in the background (making food, working, etc), but this one demanded I stand still and listen.

There's something almost religious about it. The vocals in the back, rising and falling like a church organ - the soft piano, mumbling a symphony to go along with the orchestra. Turning it on felt like walking into a chapel, unknowing of what creature lies at the altar. What God I'm about to stumble in upon and worship with everything I have. It's so achingly distant yet sad in its entirety that I'm almost at a loss for words of how to describe it.

City of Tears is still my favorite game soundtrack of all time, but by God, Choral Chambers is fighting tooth and nail to take that spot. It feels like watching a stained glass window you know holds no ties to the divine, and still making out God between the pieces of cement binding the glass together. A divine that will never love you, never touch your skin like another of man, and still falling to your knees in worship. Because what else can you do? What else rises to the surface of humanity when struck with the beauty of the indescribable, other than to kneel?