As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to love all things cozy. A warm cup of coffee and a low-stakes book about a baker; a fuzzy blanket and a farming sim like Stardew Valley or Fae Farm; or a clingy cat who wants to be petted while I watch a Studio Ghibli movie are my jam. Perhaps that’s one reason why Breath of the Wild’s Kass is a favorite character of mine. To me, the beautiful melody of his accordion inspires a feeling of provincial life. It makes me think of nature and small, medieval villages just waiting for an adventure to start! Through the combination of three different instruments, Qumu’s “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Kass’ Theme (COMPLETE) [Remix]” transports listeners to a quaint little town where a quest may just be about to pop off.
The first instrument we hear is a piano. It plays in two layers here. The main melody plays in a higher tone while a slightly lower piano accompanies it. The delicate feel of the melody here reminds me of a flower girl wandering through a town seeking to make her way in life by spreading a little bit of beauty where she can.
Soon the delicate piano is replaced by a violin, accompanied by the deeper piano notes. The violin conveys a feeling of curiosity to me. The way the notes extend out a bit makes me think of a young lad or lass peeking around a building or into a window. Perhaps they’ve been entranced by the beauty of the flower girl and are looking for their best chance to introduce themselves.
A little later in the song, the violin also gives way to a deeper stringed instrument like a cello. The deep, rich tones of this instrument convey a feeling of wealth to me. I can easily imagine a wealthy merchant who has also taken an interest in the flower girl. Is that a bad thing? It depends entirely on the listener or how sleazy they imagine the merchant to be. The melody itself betrays no sense of sliminess as Qumu’s talents only create a sense of richness like a decadent auditory dessert.
Twice in the song, once towards the middle and once towards the end, “Kass’s Theme” swells into a rendition of the “Zelda Main Theme”. As it does so in this remix, the three instruments from earlier in the journey join together creating a beautiful moment of adventure. The familiar main theme already inspires the feeling of a quest, but the inclusion of the various instruments makes it feel like all the players of our musical story have finally come together. The flower girl has rebuffed the advances of the wealthy merchant, and sensing danger, the young hero jumps in to help. The outcome of the quest, like in the games, lies within the listener’s own imagination.
Qumu’s remix of “Kass’ Theme” takes its audience on a comfortable quest. The beautiful dance of the various instruments each taking their own individual paths before eventually coming together provides just enough stakes to imply adventure —while not being so suspenseful as to task the listener when they just need to relax. So cozy up and give it a listen!
