It’s always refreshing to see (or hear, in this case,) a new batch of Zelda inspired songs made for fans, by fans. It’s especially impressive when said songs are based on the already powerful orchestrated soundtracks of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. This week, we’re going to focus on albums from two up-and-coming talented fans: the “dark Giant Horse” musician DarkNuk, and Zelda Universe Columns Writer Zara Matthews.
DarkNuk
First up, let’s introduce DarkNuk, a New Mexico resident “Zeldad” with his wife and three children. Growing up as a Zelda fan at a very young age, DarkNuk returned to the land of Hyrule through music as a creative outlet in the pandemic. He began his quest of producing and releasing Zelda cover songs and released his first album in 2023. But one album wasn’t enough. DarkNuk would soon get the creative itch once more when he got a hold of Tears of the Kingdom, and began to make cover songs inspired from the game.
Now, as we approach Tears’s first anniversary, DarkNuk has released another album called “Tears of Hyrule” for everyone’s listening pleasure. “The sequence in which the songs are played in the album match my own experience with the game,” says DarkNuk. “This was my attempt to recapture those same feelings from that memorable first playthrough, while adding my own musical twist. As you can probably tell, my music doesn’t really fall into a specific genre. Instead, I am having a great time experimenting with different sounds, rhythms, instruments, and overall vibes.”
Having tested out those “Tears of Hyrule” tunes for myself, I can certainly attest to those vibes. From comforting Tarrey Town to peppy Lookout Landing, DarkNuk’s songs bear welcome tidings and a calming lo-fi presence. He even somehow makes Rito Village getting pummeled by a dangerous blizzard sound like a chill winter wonderland. And yet, none of the softness seems boring at all, which is an impressive feat for one who is not as inclined to these types of slow-tempo songs like me. The combination of interest without interruption makes DarkNuk’s tunes a great choice for background study music. Both DarkNuk’s albums “Tears of Hyrule” and “Goodnight Hyrule” can be heard on Spotify. “Tears of Hyrule” can also be heard on many other music platforms through DarkNuk’s landing page.
Zara Matthews
Next, we have Zara Matthews’s riveting album “Musical Ruins of Hyrule: Piano Selections.” Aside from being an active ZU Columns Writer, Zara has a growing acting career in Canada. Did you know she performed as Ellen in “Black Conflux” at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019? From live theater to film and television, Zara brings her creative expertise to the piano in this gorgeous album cover. This too, is one of those very special calming sets that always have something interesting going on in the background. From a shrine at the snowy mountaintops to everywhere in between, you can feel the awe and wonder of Hyrule all over again through the soft piano keys. Zara even sings a very special solo track “Right Here” along with her piano about a certain princess and her hero–well, I won’t spoil it for you. Just listen to it for yourself.
Zara Matthews has graciously provided us her Tune Link portal that connects to her music in several different apps. (No, it’s not Toon Link, silly, we just wrote that to make sure you were still paying attention.) The Tune Link portal connects to Spotify and Deezer. Her album “Musical Ruins of Hyrule: Piano Selections” can also be found on Pandora, iHeartRadio, Saavn, Nuuday, Anghami, Tidal, and KKBox for listeners who are familiar with any of these.
I must admit, it takes a lot of guts to follow up on the grand scale orchestrated movements from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, but by finding their own creative strides and being confident in their love for the series, Zara Matthews and DarkNuk’s albums stand out just fine. Their soothing and moving music tracks are ideal study companions, sleep aids, or anytime one might need to wind down and chill in today’s stressful world. Hit the pause button of life and give these albums a listen. They are certainly worth your while.
