Besides the transcendent “Ballad of the Wind Fish,” one of my favorite songs from Link’s Awakening is the music heard as the adventurer traverses the rocky area known as the Tal Tal Mountain Range. Its mad-capped melody which sounds like a smoothie made up of two parts “Overworld Theme” and one part mountain range music is one that is near and dear to my heart and one that I often find myself humming as I rush about trying to get things done. In his piano arrangement, Tim de Man brings in multiple other instruments and also fiddles around with the tempo to create a new version of this iconic track that feels both like an enchanted dance number and an epic end to players’ adventures.
One of the first things listeners will probably notice about this tune is its very fast pace. There are hardly any moments where the music really rests. Even at the end of each loop of the melody, it only builds momentum back toward an even more intense beginning. This frenzied pace brings to mind the monstrous attacks Link faces in this region. On the western side, he’s left to constantly dodge Moblin spears and Shrouded Stalfos blades as he climbs ever left toward Turtle’s Rock. On the eastern side, Tektites hound the hero by hopping after him, hoping to pin him down with a mighty leap and end his quest. A screen full of Tektites can turn into a frantic dash to whittle down their numbers for sure! Once you add in the threat of a Like Like’s shield thievery, you definitely find yourself engaged in a frenzied dash as you move ever east toward Eagle’s Tower.
Something about the Tal Tal Mountain Range’s music has always reminded me of a dance reel as well. I can imagine a couple of accomplished dancers swinging and swaying to its melody, skirts twirling and feet shifting in constant motion. Tim de Man’s implementation of other instruments only adds to this. Each additional instrument from accordion to drum only serves to further transport us to a small dance club leaving us to watch the performance of the hero. Placing Link in that dance may make his unlikely partner a Moblin or Like Like which seems ridiculous at first. The more you think about it, though, the easier it is to see each screen Link enters as a dance. As the enemy moves, Link responds either with a calculated dodge or a flash of steel. Unlike most dances, this performance ends with only one of the entertainers left standing. Just remember to never slow dance with a Like Like!
With each repetition of the melody, this song builds in intensity and epicness. In this way, this song serves to encapsulate the whole adventure of Link’s Awakening. Early on in the quest, we encounter this song as Link fights his way to the fourth dungeon, Angler’s Tunnel. After gaining a few more of the Instruments of the Sirens, we return to the Tal Tal Mountain Range as we gallantly use our Hookshot to rescue Marin from its towering cliffs and climb toward Turtle Rock before continuing the ascent to Eagle’s Tower. As time passes and our journey nears its end, the song builds in intensity and epicness as we approach the base of Mt. Tamaranch. The culmination of the quest is at hand and Tim de Man’s music responds by featuring the theme at its most epic, giving us a sense of accomplishment or reminding us of the accomplishments of the past.
