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Sun and Moon Soundtrack Discussion

Loved the soundtrack mostly. I think overall it's probably the best in the series with its high points. My favourites are Seafolk village (night), Guzma's battle theme, Tapu battle theme, Elite Four battle theme, Nanu encounter, Solgaleo/Lunala battle theme. I usually don't care for the soundtrack much, but I've found myself listening to these ones on Youtube fairly often.

Nanu's theme reminds me of Pyrite's theme in Pokemon Colosseum, and that's good for the nostalgia. Oh saxomaphone.

I replaced the Festival Plaza music with Seafolk village asap, because 1) the standard Festival Plaza music is awful and 2) Seafolk village especially at night is way too good on the ears to not listen at every opportunity possible.

Lush Jungle is also pretty good for matching its aesthetics and feeling like a jungle. First jungle in the series, I think? Shame the Pokemon encounters there mess that feeling up.

I find the wild Pokemon and regular trainer battle themes really disappointing though. I don't really like them and at this point are just annoying. And some of the routes have music that I don't care for too. But like I said in the first paragraph, the high points are really high even if the low points are low.
 
I just arrived on Ula'ula and so far I find the game's soundtrack great. Loving most of the music, except for these ones:

- Wild Pokémon Theme
- Trainer Battle Theme
- Hau Battle Theme
- Trial Theme
- Kahuna Battle Theme
- Gladion Battle Theme

Sadly it includes a lot of the battle themes, they're just too 'happy' for my tastes, I prefer my battles with more epic music. That said, Team Skull's Battle music is absolutely perfect and together with most of the route and town music, they make up for the above.
 
Soki said:
Sadly it includes a lot of the battle themes, they're just too 'happy' for my tastes, I prefer my battles with more epic music.
Click to expand...

I didn't like those themes either, but the best battle themes are yet to come for you! Don't worry!
 
Hey, do you think it'd be worth it to create another thread for this or should I just post it here? I plan to do a long, in-depth analysis with my personal opinions and thoughts on the soundtrack and I figured I might as well ask for all of your opinions on this since:
  • It's going to be very long, filled with a bit of witty commentary on the story and will cover the entire four-disc, 160-track soundtrack
  • Blogs are gone so I can't do it there lol
  • I figure that it'd probably be buried in the sands of time if I just posted it here.
So what do you guys think? I'm in the middle of writing up on the first disc now!​
 
TouyaShiro said:
Hey, do you think it'd be worth it to create another thread for this or should I just post it here? I plan to do a long, in-depth analysis with my personal opinions and thoughts on the soundtrack and I figured I might as well ask for all of your opinions on this since:
  • It's going to be very long, filled with a bit of witty commentary on the story and will cover the entire four-disc, 160-track soundtrack
  • Blogs are gone so I can't do it there lol
  • I figure that it'd probably be buried in the sands of time if I just posted it here.
So what do you guys think? I'm in the middle of writing up on the first disc now!​
Click to expand...
You should probably post it here; making a new thread would make people think it's another soundtrack thread to talk about soundtracks and consider it redundant.
 
TouyaShiro said:
Hey, do you think it'd be worth it to create another thread for this or should I just post it here? I plan to do a long, in-depth analysis with my personal opinions and thoughts on the soundtrack and I figured I might as well ask for all of your opinions on this since:
  • It's going to be very long, filled with a bit of witty commentary on the story and will cover the entire four-disc, 160-track soundtrack
  • Blogs are gone so I can't do it there lol
  • I figure that it'd probably be buried in the sands of time if I just posted it here.
So what do you guys think? I'm in the middle of writing up on the first disc now!​
Click to expand...

It would indeed have been a great thing to put in a blog, but as those aren't up yet, just post it here indeed. And if it's very long, please consider putting it in a spoiler tag, so people don't have to scroll forever to get to the next post ;)
 
Alright, I've got that noted down. Thanks for the advice, @NoirCore and @Soki! With that in mind... Let's begin!

Moonlight, Morning Sun, and Dimensions Beyond:
An Exploration of the Game Through An Analysis of the Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection
by TouyaShiro​

To judge the entire soundtrack would be me posting a long analysis of everything in it, including opinions, comparisons and other little tidbits, but here we go anyway! I think because I want to make analysis on the entire soundtrack, I'll do it disc by disc as it was in the physical Super Music Complete box set in each post. Do be warned of spoilers, even if some of them have been casually mentioned in this thread already! I'll also be noting on a composer's previous works; wherever applicable, I'll provide an example as best as possible to illustrate my points. Hopefully you may learn something new!

Oh, and one more thing: I'm covering everything in the soundtrack. Yes, even the jingles.
Disc 1: Yellow - Through Conflict And Turmoil, Cheer For A New Beginning in the Alola Region!

Starting off on a good note! The grand opening to the game that every other game has done in the past! Title Screen (feat. Masaya Watanabe, Lisa Ooki, Yuu Uchida, Naoto Fuga & Masayuki Okazaki) oozes nostalgia throughout, invoking a sample of many versions of the theme throughout the franchise's 20 year history, while also putting its own spin on it - though to me it most definitely samples the Oras/RSE version the most. Notably, though, this isn't actually the very first theme you hear upon opening the game for the first time.

With what I said in mind above, I have to give props to the game's actual introduction theme, An Adventure Is Beginning. Building up to something hype as you select your language - a neat little thing to add a bit of excitement and anticipation right before your settings are saved. And then... BOOM! You hear something that's been starting to make the rounds in Pokémon games as of late - a theme which, while heard in other Regions, has only very recently been clearly labelled with the name of the region in the soundtrack. I'm taking about the Alola Region Theme (feat. Masaya Watanabe, Lisa Ooki, Yuu Uchida, Naoto Fuga & Masayuki Okazaki), and it's at this point where Professor Kukui greets you for the first time. The feeling of adventure from this one theme alone is absolutely gorgeous to me, and it really stands out among all the other opening themes of previous regions!

So you enter all your details, confirm everything, and the camera pans down to a newspaper on your desk - then the theme Escape! plays as the game's second cutscene plays out. I really liked the feeling of tension in this piece, and then 57 seconds in as an aura of light bursts from Lillie's bag, an excerpt of the Main Theme plays as the logo appears! This, combined with the logo being shown to you in that fashion, I will not lie - it had me really excited for how the rest of the game would play out if they were willing to forgo a traditional title screen on your first playthrough and throw you straight into the gameplay and settings before you even see the game's namesake logo and mascot.

As per recent traditions, a piece plays upon arriving - or Waking Up! - in your new home, which then leads into My Home, a nice, calm and tropical beat fitting for music that would play only inside your own house - which is a bit of a change compared to previous games, as is the location of your house, since it now sits on Route 1 itself rather than part of a town such as Pallet Town or Twinleaf Town (Day). But that's not the next theme you hear in the soundtrack - no, this time we have Professor Kukui's Theme, as is per recent tradition to have a unique theme for themselves. This one highlights the professor's personality as much as his move-based puns do, and is pretty catchy if I do say so myself - certainly a different take compared to other professor themes in the past.

And speaking of Route 1 on Melemele Island... This particular theme actually sets up the main melody that you hear while on Melemele Island, and we'll get to that once they appear! The theme itself is bouncy and playful, as per a traditional Route 1 theme - barring the exception of Kalos, the theme of which matches the traditional "Route 1" mold going to Kalos' Route 2 instead. I found it pretty catchy, and very quickly noticed the similarities between it and the music that was shown off in the Special Demo Version, and it was quick to repeat itself once more in Iki Town (Day) [feat. Takahiro Morimoto] as I was playing through Pokémon Sun. This theme puts a nice bass line with ukulele, repeating the theme you heard in Route 1 with a more Hawaiian sound. Iki Town (Night) [feat. Takahiro Morimoto] is a slower and less upbeat take on the song, fitting for a small Alolan town basking in the light of the moon, and boy is it beautiful.

So your first task is to find the Kahuna of Melemele Island so you can pick up your starter Pokémon. Unfortunately, he's not there, so you're tasked to make your way up the Mahalo Trail. The music invokes a feeling of mystery and tradition, but also adventure as you ascend the steps to the cliff. This theme really stood out to me in the demo, though notably I think this is the only place where the music itself plays! (Edit: There are a few other places where it plays, including Melemele Meadow, but that's the last one I remember!) Following on from that, after an encounter with a mysterious girl On The Bridge... An air of silliness and panic in the song is quickly followed by a shift in pitch and tempo as Spearow start assaulting an equally mysterious Pokémon. You are then asked to go ahead and enact Pokémon - I Choose You! and save it! Lord knows that's a good idea, but we all went ahead and did it anyway! We had no choice in the matter. As we cover up the little being, the bridge gets destroyed in the middle by its own hidden potential and we go falling to our deaths right as the music starts trickling down - but then plot armour kicks in, and A Tapu Appears! Accompanied by a fanfare which actually hints at a significant theme that plays much later in the soundtrack, it then shifts as the camera focuses on the being that just saved your life. It's damn smooth if I say so myself.

A couple of introductions and denial of entry into bags later, Lillie's Theme kicks in. Despite the composers no longer having Shota Kageyama by their side, it seems that his influence over the music direction of the series - and hints of Kalos through the accordion - snuck into this theme, which shares her shy outlook on the world and her innocence. Notably, looking at it in retrospect, this song shares a very key instrument with another character you meet later in the adventure - the violin strings, and you'll see that throughout Minako Adachi's compositions in this game as the story progresses.

So after all that's said and done, you take Lillie and Nebby back to Iki Town after the incident, meet with the Kahuna (who you apparently missed along the way) and finally get to choose your starter Pokémon. Since the soundtrack covers these themes next, I think it'd be fitting to talk about it now rather than later - we have the new rendition of a classic jingle, Caught a Pokémon! This particular piece stands out to me for two reasons in particular - the tempo and speed of this version of the song matches Pokémon Red, Green, Blue and Yellow as heard on the Game Boy - as opposed to the version of the jingle that was coined by Gold, Silver & Crystal, and in the soundtrack, it comes much earlier than usual due to being named as it were, as opposed to the equivalent theme on other soundtracks which is Congratulations! Your Pokémon Evolved! In the same vein, Obtained an Item! is upped in tempo compared to previous Generations, though this one mostly remained the same in every Generation and just had different instrumentation - in this case, a ukulele.

An introduction happens once again as you're introduced to your rival friend Hau, who... wait, when did he become friends with us? In any case, his cheery personality comes through in both his speech and his music, Hau's Theme, being upbeat and lively as the Kahuna's grandson himself. Battle! (Hau), also known as My Friend Hau in the game itself, is lively and energetic with a tempo increase compared to his main theme - which is also sampled at 0:34. The battle theme has an air of silliness about it, and for these reasons, I think it's pretty catchy - a good start considering this is the first battle theme! After finishing this battle (which is rather easy since it's the starter weak to your own), you get a Pokédex... I think. What is that thing!? With a rather different pitch compared to most other versions of the theme, we have Obtained A Key Item! Though we already got one with that Sparkling Stone we were given earlier, it's promptly taken from us. Ensuring that we'll be getting it back tomorrow, he advises us to join a festival being held tomorrow. With a new Pokémon in tow, we talk to our mother about it and head to bed for the day. Good Night takes the classic healing theme from the Pokémon Center into a rather adorable remix, which strangely enough is heard exactly three times in the story (last I heard, anyway).

So you wake up, the Professor tries to hitch it up with your mother again, and now we're off to the other side of Route 1 - a rather unique experience, taking you from a side which matches Kalos Route 1 one day and taking you through a side which matches every other Route 1 ever. It's here that we learn about catching wild Pokémon, as per tradition - and Battle! (Wild Pokémon) kicks in to set the tone for the rest of the game's encounters. I will admit, the sound of this particular theme reminds me of a cross between the Oras and BW versions of the theme, taking the quality of the former and the instrumentation and pacing of the latter - of course, not without its own twist. I do enjoy this theme a lot, which is handy considering SOS battles are a thing! Of course, since players won't be at the point where they can do this efficiently, they'll just be out to catch whatever mon interests them - or just beat them down for the experience, all while being greeted by the ever present Victory! (Wild Pokémon). The song itself is pretty standard if you've already taken note about the common instruments used throughout the soundtrack thus far.​

Taking the scenic route this time and maybe encountering a select few new pokes along the way, approaching Iki Town induces a set of hand drums and other instruments, which kick in a full melody as soon as you enter The Festival in Iki Town, invoking a lively beat with a traditional beat set for celebration - and an enjoyable piece for my ears. You hear this theme exactly twice in the story, once at the beginning and once in the ending cutscene - where another celebration is being performed. But we'll get to that later - in fact, we gotta backtrack a bit because along the way on the right side of Route 1, when the eyes of two trainers meet, it's time to battle! Trainers' Eyes Meet! (Trainer) is rather interesting to me, even though it's a much shorter theme compared to others - in fact, for regular NPCs, this is the only encounter theme for them! No unique ones like there were in the past to distinguish certain trainer classes like the Gentleman and the Lass, though they do keep a specific soundbite linked to themselves still. Perhaps Game Freak knew how skipped over this theme was, because then we get straight into the Battle! (Trainer)

The battle theme of this Generation is, in my eyes, like a good trainer battle theme should be - nice and energetic, and it has a booming drum around 0:45 to add to the tension. To me, it helps that it reminds me more of the Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire trainer battle theme more than it does for the Kalos version, because I will admit - save for certain pieces of music, I kinda grew a bit of an aversion to the Kalos style of music. This brings me to my next point - Victory! (Trainer) is inspired by the GBA/Oras version of the song in pitch, interestingly enough - perhaps it's a carryover from how the last game used the same pitch, or perhaps it's embracing the anniversary just as much as the rest of the game is - nodding here and there with a specific tune or region in mind. Of course, the soundtrack is not without even more jingles, so it throws us with a sound that is etched into the mind of every Pokémon fan - the classic Level Up! Much like the victory themes and other jingles, it's easy to predict what it sounds like based on the musical style of the rest of the soundtrack.

One festive rival battle later (in which Hau has a Pichu - dang, he got lucky), acquisition of the Z-Ring and another show of fatigue from our player character... We finally wake up at the time our 3DS is matched to. Which may or may not be even worse for our sleeping patterns depending on which version you're playing. We're greeted by Lillie this time, who has us tagging along to The Pokémon Research Lab - Professor Kukui edition. It's a really chill, sorta surfer-dude adaptation of Professor Kukui's theme - befitting of a home on the beachfront, and the lax nature of the whole place. It really doesn't look much like a lab, but hey - it looks more like home this way, so I'm fine with it, and I'm sure Lillie would be too - considering she's currently staying there. Receiving a Rotom to inhabit our Pokédex and tell us where we can go next (which, if I'm honest, is actually quite helpful), and an island challenge amulet after a briefing on what it's all about, we're then sent over to the rest of Route 1 (Seriously, there's still more to this route!?) to head to the Trainers' School - but first, we need to make a brief stop at The Pokémon Center! Just as tropical as the rest of the soundtrack so far, it's pretty much what you'd expect from a Pokémon Center in Alola, and I love it. We're taught the basics, as usual, with the single most important function being the Recovery of our Pokémon. There's also a new section that we've never seen before, so with a small fee of $198 Pokédollars, we can Have a Break at the Café. A nice, chill theme that's very apt for where it plays - you get to listen to the bartender's words of advice for you, and he'll even spoil you daily with a regional treat for you to go. After finishing your drink, you Received Poké Beans!

Perhaps some of us would be curious as to the new functions installed into our Rotom Pokédex and menu. For those curious players, we are greeted with the game's multiplayer and social hub, the Festival Plaza (Day) or Festival Plaza (Night)! Both versions of this theme share the same melody, done in a sort of style which reminds me of the Sinnoh region the most with its own Wi-Fi Plaza in the day, and perhaps How About A Song? "Jubilife City" for the night version. This area bears a great resemblance to the Join Avenue of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, and since StreetPass is no longer a part of this game, we instead have this area for our wireless communication too. Many activities happen here, but you start off at the bare bottom - so you gotta Level Up at Festival Plaza first to get somewhere! With it, A New Shop Is Open at Festival Plaza! Hopefully. They range from bouncy castles to haunted houses, a couple of lotteries, some dye places, and heck - you can even do some Fortune-Telling at Festival Plaza if you so wish. Since it's the main multiplayer hub, along with receiving our fully functional Rotom Pokédex, we can now Trade! Uniquely, this version of the theme is more technological - and that's because the equivalent theme for evolving a Pokémon is much different, a bit of a change compared to other Generations which used a single theme for both. The tempo of this version of the theme also seems to match the Game Boy original - much like Caught a Pokémon! did. I theorise it's because the Game Boy games are compatible with Pokémon Bank themselves, and will be in the players' minds by the time the functionality to transfer them to Sun & Moon is implemented (which, hopefully as of this post, will be soon).

Geez, two paragraphs on this function! In any case, should you hammer at it long enough, you'll finally be able to rake in real big money through A Mission at Festival Plaza! A bouncy and uptempo version of the main Festival Plaza theme, fitting since you need to run around a lot trying to figure out how these missions even work! Hopefully it all pays off as you view the Festival Plaza Mission Results, yet another example of a concept I haven't really explained that much in great detail but is noticeable in the soundtrack already - and that's the concept of variations. We get more of that with Festival Plaza Mission Complete! and Festival Plaza Mission Failed... Hopefully you pull off more of the former than the latter.

Once you're all done with messing around with that, hopefully Rotom has already done its job properly by telling you to go to Trainers' School. Don't tell me you forgot already? In any case, it's a piano piece with bells in the background, giving off a sort-of vibe like you'd hear in an anime school setting. I'm sure most of us have encountered a Trainers' School at least once in the series prior to this one! In here, you may have Obtained a TM! The classic theme used since Gold & Silver returns once again. And then, after covering tasks over there, we finally make it to the city shown in the demo, as well as the biggest city in Alola: Hau'oli City. Hau'oli City (Day) [feat. Takahiro Morimoto & Kanoko Matsukawa] is an upbeat, tropical theme which once again takes the theme established from Route 1 and puts its own spin, fitting for the region's largest and most bustling city. It slows down a bit with Hau'oli City (Night), bringing a slower jazzy piano beat - once again, I cite the reference to Sinnoh, one of the only other games to have done day and night music in the game's soundtrack! This time, my comparison is to the original version of Jubilife City (Day) and Jubilife City (Night), though the changes are more obviously pronounced in the newer soundtrack. In this area, with the Poké Finder option opening up to us, we Hurry Along to see what he's on about. Another classic theme carried over by tradition for the tutorial NPCs! With the hand drums and a neat little guitar accompanied by the main melody of a xylophone (at least, I think it's that instrument, haha), it once again brings a classic tune into the new region's music style. With the function implemented, we have the Poké Finder Updated!

Hau'oli City contains a lot to explore - including the triumphant return of ways to personalise your trainer! First on the soundtrack in the list of things to find here is the new Salon, a chill theme much like you'd expect to hear in a beauty parlour with hints of the Kalos regions' smooth beats. After you're done choosing a hairstyle for yourself, we can go shopping for some clothes at the Apparel Shop! An upbeat theme with occasional hand drums, invoking a feel of beauty but also tying it into the tropics of the region you're currently in. Interestingly, this song does not play when you enter the Gracidea shop inside Hau'oli Shopping Mall, though you won't know that until you've cleared the Grand Trial since it apparently only opens up then! No wonder I thought nothing of going back there until I was well into island 3... Further on in the city, past the community center, we find the first of many of its kind - the Malasada Shop! Hau loves this place more than you can imagine. Unless your hunger for them outdoes his own.

Perhaps by now, you've had a Pokémon undergo Evolution - You've heard me say it enough already, so I'll spare you the trouble. However, you may find this theme plays instead - Evolution (Alola), a theme tying into this game's regional variants - along with the altered background, it lets you know that your Pokémon is doing something different from what veterans are used to! Heading to the end of the city, you may have seen the Ferry Terminal, a somewhat quiet theme which may remind you of music from a Gate.

Looking at the soundtrack like this is pretty insane for me, actually - looking back at how these pieces of music brought each moment of the story together. Overall, I enjoy the soundtrack that's been presented to me so far, and I'm looking forward to covering the music of the next island!
Whoo, buddy, that was a lot to write about. Hopefully you enjoyed it, and I'll (hopefully) see you in the next post for Disc 2!

Other Parts: Disc 1: Yellow - Disc 2: Pink - Disc 3: Red - Disc 4: Purple - Extra: Postgame, Trivia & Personal Highlights
 
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I really enjoyed the Sun/Moon soundtrack.

I'm not really sure of a favourite track, but I certainly had no glaring issues with it. Mt. Lanakila's theme was superb.
 
Now that I've finished the main story, I gotta say that I really do love the soundtrack overall. Still disappointed by a lot of the battle themes, but that's made up by the incredible music at Aether Paradise the second time, the battle music at the Pokémon League, and the theme that plays during the Tapu battles. I think the Tapu music is definitely my favourite battle theme.

Do gotta say that I'm disappointed that a lot of the Route and area music is reused. Even though the Poni Island music is pretty nice, it's kinda annoying that almost the whole island has that music. I'd expected to get some different songs in the different areas, but nope. Same goes for the Verdant Cavern/Lush Jungle theme, it just makes the areas feel less unique if they have the exact same music.

But overall I think the music was a big improvement over the last two games and that's good enough for now.
 
Soki said:
...overall I think the music was a big improvement over the last two games and that's good enough for now.
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I think I myself would like to explore that particular comparison to previous Generations when I write for the rest of my analysis - the fine balance between quality vs. quantity. I'm gonna touch on it briefly in this post, and perhaps give my full opinion on it once I'm done. With that said, I agree with a lot of the opinions you've mentioned in that post above.

Moonlight, Morning Sun, and Dimensions Beyond:
An Exploration of the Game Through An Analysis of the Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection
by TouyaShiro​
Disc 2: Pink - Skirting The Surface of A New Life!

Even though this is already the second disc, we haven't even moved past Route 2 on Melemele Island yet! Containing the location of our very first Trial up ahead of us, this piece starts a thing which is sadly unfortunate in this game's musical direction - the Route themes in this game are, for the most part, the exact same on every route on the island. That being said, the theme here is pretty much what I expect out of the equivalent route theme in other games, Kalos Route 4 being a rather large example of what I'm talking about - a theme for the early parts of the adventure, symbolic of the player having moved past the first step and moving to the next. It's a bit unfortunate, though, because we're interrupted mid-journey when Team Skull Appears! [feat. KYOtaro]

Now, I have to say - I really, really dig this theme. Street cred, thug life and copious amounts of "Yo!" are all emphasised in this encounter theme for Team Skull, with a characteristic "YEEEEEEEAH" 0:58 into the song. The soundtrack covers Trainers' Eyes Meet (Team Skull) [feat. KYOtaro] a bit earlier than it appears in the game itself - A shortened and looped version of the introductory riff to their battle theme, accompanied in game by a signature "POW!" whenever a member of Team Skull spots you as a trainer on the field. And, speaking of... Battle! (Team Skull) [feat. KYOtaro] starts with a synth introduction before being accompanied by their encounter theme - with its own "YEAH" soundbite - as the Team Skull logo appears. The theme kicks off into full force once the trainer model appears on the screen! The song is fast-paced and synth driven, in a bit of a contrast to most evil team grunt themes of the past (save for Team Flare). Of course, these are the grunts we're talking about here, so for most of us battling them should be no problem! Victory! (Team Skull) sounds a triumphant reprise of Team Skull's theme to celebrate your victory over these evil thugs.

After saving this guy's berries, we finally make it to Verdant Cavern—A Trial Site. A somewhat subdued theme with a hint of tradition and mystery, it plays in two locations (IIRC - if I'm wrong about this I will amend it. Do tag me to correct me on this, haha.) - the Verdant Cavern and the Lush Jungle. You're given your instructions into how Trials work, and provided that you accept the terms and conditions, A Captain’s Trial Begins! Introducing a new sort of theme to you to match an equally new tradition to replace the typical Gyms of past Pokémon games, Go Ichinose's first completely solo contribution to the soundtrack (i.e. does not involve any another artist in composition or arrangement) is upbeat and determined, sounding throughout the trial's duration as you complete tasks for the Trial Captains. The electric guitar portion from 0:50 and on in particular is my favourite part of this song. Do I think it'll replace the Gym themes? Probably not unless they reuse the concept of Trials in future games - which I'd certainly like for them to do.

Once you complete all your tasks, you're instructed to take the bait against your will - or because it's so irresistible, who can tell? A full motion cutscene then ensues where A Totem Pokémon Appears! And it's ready to beat your team down if you're unprepared! Putting a more tension-inducing spin on a previously established wild encounter battle, fitting of its nature as a specifically trained wild Pokémon not under the command of a trainer, Battle! (Totem Pokémon) is a minor key take on Battle! (Wild Pokémon) which ups the pressure and the intensity to match the situation. At least for me, it certainly fit since I deliberately went underlevelled for the entire game by turning the Exp. Share off! Eventually, though, you win as Victory! (Totem Pokémon) once again shortens a previously established theme in a triumphant tone. Perhaps you'll start to notice this sort of thing more often! Defeating the Totem Pokémon nets you a clear on the trial, and your path to clearing the challenge begins now that you've Obtained a Z-Crystal! Again, triumphant reprise of a previously established theme - in this case, sampling the Trial theme from 0:06 until the end.

Making your way over to Route 3 now that the barriers have been lifted, you encounter Melemele Meadow where you need to rescue Nebby again. Gotta hand it to him - he rejects bags more often than someone playing Papers, Please. Should you find that one out-of-the-way cave, though, you'll encounter the Seaward Cave. (The game really likes hiding secrets under crawlspaces you can barely see unless you walk up to their entrance.) Getting down to the bottom and exiting this early in the game won't yield you that much, except for a chance to encounter Bagon more often than you could at the top of the cliff. The song itself has an air of suspense about it, fitting for the first explorable cave on the island - that feeling that some Zubat's gonna creep right up behind you, in a quiet but sneaky tone.

We may have heard this theme a couple of times already, but the soundtrack only touches on the Island Kahuna’s Theme now - Not that it's any less appropriate, since at this point, it was time to make the loop back around Route 3 and back to Iki Town for our first Grand Trial of the Island Challenge! With an air of tradition and power befitting a character who was chosen by its island's guardian, the melody comes back at a much later point to put emphasis on the Island Kahuna's connection to the Land Spirit Pokémon. In this case, it precedes the official challenge - back at the town you originally started your journey at, and with a drum solo to begin, it's time to Battle! (Island Kahuna)

This theme mixes the Island Kahuna's theme in the beginning with an air of tension at 0:14, and transitions into a reprise of the Trial theme - fitting of what would be equivalent to a Battle! (Gym Leader) in Alola. For as silly as it may sound when the Trial portion kicks in, I enjoy this theme a lot! Funnily enough it's got a sort of victory-ish air about it, not unlike Victory Lies Before You! from both BW and B2W2, befitting of your final task on the island with only the Kahuna standing in the way between you and the goal. And then, you take out the last Pokémon and emerge the winner! Victory! (Island Kahuna) takes on the traditional Gym Leader victory theme, though rather oddly, cuts out about half of it compared to other versions of Victory! (Gym Leader) as is found in the rest of the series. Perhaps it's like the trainer encounter loops - players just skip over way too much of it these days!

With Kahuna Hala defeated, you've gained the Ride Pager and Registered a Ride Pokémon! Now you can take Tauros with you to smash some boulders, of which you've seen many on this island already! I will have to admit, actually... I had a major beef with Ride Pokémon (Land) initially, because it meant that it replaced the traditional theme that plays when you're on a Bicycle, and I just don't like this theme quite as much as I do some of the old bike themes - heck, even Bicycle in Kalos is better sounding in my opinion! Over time, the theme grew on me once I accepted it wasn't necessarily supposed to replace a bike theme, and enjoyed it for its bouncy country sound.

One of the first places you're told about when you gain Tauros for the first time is Ten Carat Hill, a cave located nearby the Pokémon Research Lab and also a modified location in the Special Demo Version. Now this cave theme is different - you've grown a bit stronger, you've got new partners with you, and it puts emphasis on digging even deeper! Unlike a lot of songs in this soundtrack, this one puts more emphasis on the atmosphere, with a nice piano every now and then. After you're done exploring there, we finally see that the Ferry Terminal is conveniently open for business - though we're On the Ship owned by Professor Kukui instead as we listen to this adventurous theme in an unskippable cutscene. The benefit to this is that for once, players actually get to hear the full length of the song - unlike most players who never took the ship and Crossing the Sea in the S.S. Tidal after the song's brief appearance through Mr. Briney's ferry trips earlier in the story.

And so, the player - me, you... us, so to speak - have left for Akala Island, landing in Heahea City! A lively tourist destination, the music reflects this in Heahea City (Day) - with a little bit of keyboard instrumentation added into the mix. Heahea City (Night) slows the tempo down a bit, but keeps the same sort of tourist vibe regardless, which it should since this is the city with the most hotels in all of Alola. It's kind-of amusing to see a superstar Pikachu on vacation later in the game when this music is playing in Hano Grand Resort and Hano Beach. A couple of plot points (and no sense of direction) later, it's time to go to Route 4 on Akala Island to continue our journey. Standard once again, continuing the theme of adventure as is previously established in other routes - think of it like Road to Cerulean City: Leaving Mt. Moon from FRLG - and once again setting up for the music you'll hear in the majority of the island.

Meeting with more Pokémon and trainers, you eventually reach Paniola Town. Both versions of the theme take a western approach, fitting of a town which looks like it came straight out of one. Hitomi Sato takes Paniola Town (Day) with a couple of tempo changes and a violin, and it's arranged by Hideaki Kuroda for the slower Paniola Town (Night), which includes a slow whistling - almost as if you'd hear this on a sunset out in the desert in the Wild West. The next location of your travels takes you beyond the town and into Paniola Ranch, a calm and peaceful theme emphasising harmony - fitting as the location of a ranch and the game's Pokémon Nursery, where you'll be hatching a lot of Pokémon Eggs if you're shiny hunting using the Masuda Method or breeding for competition. Personally, I leave that for the postgame.

A couple of routes later, you encounter a kid with serious anger issues. Perhaps you've finally met the one you can call "Rival"? He's prone to getting angry just as Hugh is, and has a rather cold, selfish exterior kinda like SIlver - and has a kickarse encounter theme just as Blue does. This is Gladion’s Theme! Even through its high-pitched lead instrument, this is the sound of someone who does not want to mess around, and that gets further reinforced when the slap bass kicks in at 0:27. The instrumentation of this encounter theme continue as Battle! (Gladion) begins! Full of energy but with a serious tone compared to Hau's themes, fitting for Team Skull's enforcer!

Your first Trial takes you to Brooklet Hill where the Trial Captain, sly of a liar as she is petite, grants you the ability to use the Ride Pokémon Lapras! So begins probably one of my favourite Surf themes in the series, Ride Pokémon (Aquatic), with its awesome piano and uplifting melody - and the occasional bubbles. Eventually, after playing along with her lies and slaying a beast made up of smaller beasts (but no, it's not Zygarde, it's just a Totem Wishiwashi in School Form), you make your way to the Royal Avenue - a popular and booming destination with an amazing battle facility (like you wouldn't believe!) that almost resembles a city due to what's on it! The theme sounds right at home with the likes of Nimbasa City, and is honestly one of my favourite city/town themes in the game. If you have any shopping needs, you've got the Thrifty Megamart to cover you with its insane discount coupons - which allow you to farm Premier Balls just by buying and selling your Poké Balls at half price! The song itself has a low-pass filter on it to really drive home the feel of being in a supermarket, and it's a bright and colourful tune fitting of a place that wants to attract as much attention as possible to draw customers to its door.

But, of course, there must be a reason why the Royal Avenue is named so! The game wouldn't let you pass through here without telling you, so with the Masked Royal, Hau and Gladion, you enter into the Battle Royal Dome! A facility with a new kind of battle type, the references to the Unova region continue as you're forced into a tutorial battle with levels closer to yours much like in the Pokémon World Tournament (PWT), as opposed to the tough Level 50 opponents that normally permeate the Battle Royal - it is a battle facility, after all! The introductions kick in with a sort-of Rocky feel to it, and it's all done in the style of wrestling entertainment, which is reflected in the theme, Battle! (Battle Royal), which plays out an introduction portion where all the trainers and their Pokémon are brought to the ring for competition! It then transitions into the main battle theme once the bell rings. If you're like me and picked Rowlet (or if you picked up a Popplio), your target will probably be the Professor Masked Royal's Rockruff. I will admit, this theme really grew on me since I had to play it a bunch to attempt to clear its Master Rank later in the game, which by all means is not an easy feat if you want that Idol style! Should you emerge victorious or not, the Battle Royal Results play out, which seems to invoke various themes found in Akala Island.

Now that yet another unsuspecting mandatory task has been cleared, we make our way for Kiawe's trial up on Wela Volcano Park. Kiawe’s Trial involves a relatively simple game of memorisation, though you can choose to anger the Alolan Marowak should you need the experience anyway, and befitting of a fire dancer, the theme to his trial is a short jingle with vocals to a tribal sound. (The trial itself is kind-of a photobomb situation.) In contrast, Mallow’s Trial is a bit... suggestive once you complete the collection quest. Pretty much everything, from the prospect of using the items gathered to attract the Totem Pokémon, the subsequent reactions of the other Akala Trial Captains to tasting the final product and the music, are all silly. Of course, then the Totem Pokémon theme cuts in once it arrives, but hey - we've already covered it!

A couple of signs and NPCs will implore you to check it out, but if you were like me and switched your button layout around in your menu, you would have noticed after Kiawe's Trial that your buttons reset - but wait! That only happens when new things are added to it! The more perceptive players would check out the new option gained after unlocking Charizard, and that's the ability to fly to Poké Pelago - a set of islands owned by Mohn which he wants to develop into the best resort for the Pokémon you've sent to the PC! Nice, they're no longer hanging as pixels and data for all eternity! Befitting of an island isolated from all others, the tropical beat comes through in Poké Pelago (Day), with its light instrumentation and guitars kicking in at 0:40. It's pretty relaxing! Similarly, Poké Pelago (Night) infuses the same melody with the nightlife with a keyboard as the accompanying melody. Hopefully at this point you can get some Poké Pelago Renovations Complete! It's worth getting the entire thing complete if I do say so myself.

Shortly before an encounter with the Island Kahuna, Olivia, we drop by the lab of the wife of Professor Kukui - and it's... Professor Burnet!? Hello, obscure-character-from-an-app-not-many-purchased! Burnet’s Lab infuses a couple of chiptune elements alongside the low-pass piano, warped trumpet, synth and keyboard, fitting of the Dimensional Research Lab researching places beyond our human comprehension and reminding me of the sound of the Poké Transfer Lab from the same Generation as this character's debut.

The soundtrack's starting to pick up the pace with its battle themes and stuff for the Trials! My personal highlights of this disc are the Team Skull themes, Island Kahuna themes, Gladion's themes and the music of Royal Avenue. So do I believe the soundtrack is any less or more fantastic than others in the past? Well, I've always enjoyed Pokémon music, but the variety and the choice of main instruments so far in this soundtrack are fantastic to me, even if it did come at a cost of variety in other aspects - and that's a trend that I think we'll continue to see right up to the end of Disc 4.
Other Parts: Disc 1: Yellow - Disc 2: Pink - Disc 3: Red - Disc 4: Purple - Extra: Postgame, Trivia & Personal Highlights
 
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Man, I'm sad to see this thread like this. I still have more analyses to post with my soundtrack opinions, so I figure it's appropriate to reply at least this once - but probably not for a third time unless someone else posts!
I kinda don't want to be left hanging with Disc 4... lol

Moonlight, Morning Sun, and Dimensions Beyond:
An Exploration of the Game Through An Analysis of the Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection
by TouyaShiro​
Disc 3: Red - Art in Abundance!

This disc starts putting some more multicultural spins into the town and city themes, perhaps best exemplified with the first two songs on this disc! Konikoni City is an Eastern Asia-influenced city with an oriental sound, and is basically the Pokémon world's equivalent to Chinatown. Lots of shops and restaurants are seen on the outside. Perhaps it may be a nod to the new Chinese languages included in this game? Konikoni City (Day) reflects this inspiration throughout, and Konikoni City (Night) puts an air of night life on the same melody - with the occasional erhu in the background. I will admit, the night version of this theme is not the greatest out there and I greatly prefer the day variation.

Next up on your journey, you encounter Team Skull's Plumeria! Said to be a big sister to all the grunts of the team, Battle! (Team Skull Admin) [feat. KYOtaro] is an alternative take on Battle! (Team Skull) which adds a bit of violin to the mix and is generally a little less intense overall. Hopefully you beat her without too much trouble, because next on your list after the Grand Trial from Olivia, your next destination is not the next island - but the Aether Paradise! A serene-sounding piece, this song reflects the vision of the Aether Foundation to take care of Pokémon that are abused or endangered, and is a really soothing beat when listening to it on its own. For some reason, Lillie does not want to come with you, but you and Hau don't mind too much. You may have seen a couple of areas and people with similar aesthetics to this location earlier on Akala Island, those being your hints as to the eventual presence of this foundation - though if you recall the opening cutscene, you'll probably start to recognise some of the stuff you see! Maybe Lillie does have a legitimate reason to not go with you...

Now, the next theme that plays and a couple of others that are introduced on this disc are really interesting because they gets played a lot during the postgame side story. The first one is An Encounter, composed by Tomoaki Oga - whose compositions primarily consist of music for the cutscenes and important story points. This theme first plays when you meet Wicke at the Aether Foundation, and it's a lighthearted theme which puts emphasis on the conversation between the characters. Perhaps it was done intentionally like this, because after you tour the floors and reach 2F to navigate through some employees who force you to walk the long way... You finally meet with the Aether Foundation President herself, Lusamine. Lusamine’s Theme starts off quiet, and with a reversed and slightly distorted drum for a transition, the violins kick in the main melody. Remember when I said it was a central instrument to a certain character a while back? When listening to this theme, I couldn't help but feel like there was more to her than meets the eye, reflected in the counter-melody which becomes more prominent at 0:28 and bounces left and right when you listen to it through your headphones.

A couple of lines of plot later, another full-motion cutscene ensues as The Entrance to Another World appears. Appearing before you is an unknown creature, with a slight air of synth in the music. What are those things? Well, according to the soundtrack and the plot, they are Ultra Beasts...? The instrumentation from the previous cutscene continues in a looped fashion as a bit more of Lusamine's creep nature come through. You're tasked with defeating it to protect the others, and as you approach it, it throws you straight into the battle - without a request to talk to it! Just through proximity! Legit I think that made a couple of hearts jump for a moment, myself included... Battle! (Ultra Beast), also known as Enter the Ultra Beasts in the game itself, is a theme reflecting how otherworldly and alien these creatures are - even amongst other previously established alien Pokémon such as Beheeyem, and has a bit of an air of panic about it, too... Even though this Pokémon just boogies out after 5 turns if you don't defeat it. Personally, I really like this theme because of its otherworldly synth - it was the music I used at the Battle Tree to start off.

After that... gangbuster of sorts, we're taken straight to Ula'ula Island, where we arrive at a city which also has an East Asia influence - this time more explicitly to Japan, as it makes reference to the Johto region! Malie City has a gorgeous flute in both versions of the song, and by far it's my favourite city in the entire game because of its music, aesthetic and Johto inspiration. Malie City (Day) demonstrates this oriental sound once again, though more rooted in Japanese folk music this time around. And then we get to Malie City (Night)... Slowing down the tempo and removing most of the bass to match the night aesthetic, this right here is my absolute favourite town theme in any Pokémon game. At the risk of parroting myself, this theme is gorgeous. Not many themes can make me tear up like this whenever I start listening to it, even though it's relatively easy for me to do so! Perhaps part of this point is influenced by how I only started to seriously play Pokémon when this game came out, but this particular version of Malie City also reminds me of the HGSS version of Ecruteak City, fitting for its Johto aesthetic and how rooted in tradition this particular city is in its own game in pretty much every adaptation.

Once you're ready to move on from the amazing atmosphere of this place (and have another couple of instances where An Encounter plays as you meet a character who becomes important on another island), we move to Route 10 on Ula'ula Island! Another adventurous theme which tells us that our journey's halfway there (and living on a prayer), akin to the song To Bill: Leaving Cerulean City, and once again setting up the route theme for the island. A mountain trial (and a mention of the Pokémon League) later, we return to Malie City because there's some important biz happening. And who else would it be, but your boy, our boy, and mah boi? Guzma’s Theme [feat. KYOtaro] comes out with attitude at full force just like the tough-as-nails boss of Team Skull! If you're prepared to see destruction in human form, your boy Guzma then challenges you to battle! Reflecting his personality and channelling the previously established theme in the overworld, Battle! (Team Skull Boss) [feat. KYOtaro] strangely contains a bridge at 0:51 where a distorted, low-pass filter version of the Aether House theme starts playing before going straight back into the main melody. And speaking of the Aether House... This theme shares its primary motif with the Aether Paradise, though it's a bit more subtly played with a violin this time. This plays in certain areas which are not at the Aether Paradise but are otherwise important to the Aether Foundation, including the location the song is named after and also the van on Route 16 where Zygarde can be reassembled. A bit more benevolent, as it were...

Having picked up a new Ride Pokémon, Mudsdale, and making it over to Tapu Village (and going to the aforementioned Aether House to meet the next Trial Captain), Acerola’s Trial plays instead of the usual trial theme as you explore the abandoned site of the old Thrifty Megamart - a place where a lot of spooky Pokémon (but primarily Ghost-types) make their home. Playing out as you'd imagine from something so spooky, it's got a low-pass filter and a constant static and buzz, with an accordion as its lead instrument in the melody - and to scale the unsettling factor even further, the song periodically stutters and shifts constantly from stereo to only playing on one speaker, then the other, and back again (much more easily heard with headphones, I might add). I like this theme a lot because of all that, and the fact that it plays even after you clear the trial whenever you go back there is a nice bonus!

Next, perhaps a bit of the Middle East this time - Haina Desert makes me really feel like I'm in a heat haze. And it's super hard to navigate. Just like every good desert in a Pokémon title! In any case, your next task after taking the time to explore this optional area (which I completely forgot about until close to the endgame, I will admit, since it opens after Acerola's trial), you need to head to a rather unsettling location. Found on Route 17 and encased entirely in a white wall (bearing a familiar mark if you're paying attention, which I sure didn't), you arrive at the home base of Team Skull - Po Town. The feeling that something that was once there... isn't anymore. That's what this song sounds like to me. It makes me wonder who could have occupied it before Team Skull absolutely ravaged the place... And you have to wonder why officer Nanu is keeping an eye on it. Going through, defeating the Grunts for items and through the Shady House - alongside finding a keyword - you confront Guzma on his makeshift throne after essentially clearing his twisted makeshift trial of his to save a Yungoos. If you took note of the dialogue from the Grunts, you'll know that they Found a Z-Crystal! They found a lot of them, actually, because they wanted to give all the Bugnium Z to Guzma. Very cool that a speciality type of an evil leader happens to be of that type this time around!

Eventually, Lillie gets kidnapped from the Aether House while you're not looking. Hau's distressed at his own lack of strength, and it's your job to head to the Aether Paradise now that the truth is starting to come to light about what Team Skull is really doing. You've probably heard it a few times at this point, but Nanu’s Theme kicks in right before you fight him - as the Kahuna of Ula'ula Island - before setting off to save Lillie. Now, I really like this theme a lot - It's hard-boiled and reflects his personality as basically not giving a damn, and it just fits so well. With another Grand Trial complete, it's time to commence Infiltration! A tense theme with the instrumentation familiar to cutscenes as are many of Tomoaki Oga's compositions, and a small appearance by the Aether Foundation's motif, it marks the time to face off against the true villain!

When we enter, we discover The Secret Side of Aether Paradise. This song once again takes the familiar motif of the Aether Foundation, twisting it in a more unsettling manner - like we're not meant to be here. Not coming as a surprise to many, we finally get to hear Trainers' Eyes Meet (Aether Foundation) - a short and tense theme with a very low key for the piano in D minor, which sets the stage for this trip! Battle! (Aether Foundation) remixes the motif once again, this time for battle, with distorted electric guitars on occasion in the right speaker and the familiar instruments you're used to hearing from Aether Paradise. After clearing the Employees on that floor, we then enter into an area we couldn't access down on the bottom floor before - Aether Paradise Labs. A song with a constant echo of the previous theme playing and a wobbling synth, the sound is a bit unnerving to listen to with headphones, almost like you're having active test tubes pressed against your ear. We're sent to look in the lab for clues - it's here that we see what Cosmog's true purpose was, and why Lillie wanted to stay away from this place...

After battling our way through all the grunts - and Guzma - after it's revealed that Team Skull were in cahoots with Aether Foundation the entire time, an Unsettling Atmosphere ensues. (Or maybe that plays before we get to that point. I really can't remember.) It's certainly a self-explanatory title! Eventually, with a bit of plot involving Lusamine and her two children... She explodes in rage, and There's Trouble! This piece stands out to me for where it first plays, and also where it plays in the postgame - it has an air of the Ultra Beast synth around it, and everything about the song screams that something's gonna happen! And, indeed, it does happen - as A Crisis in Alola ensues! Calling forth the power of Cosmog to open the Ultra Wormholes, and all over Alola, the Ultra Beasts make their appearance - This particular piece really stands out to me for its feeling of crisis and tension, with an electric guitar accompanying the orchestra.

During the cutscene, There's Trouble! plays once more as you see UB-02 descend before Hala, and Tapu Koko comes out to defend their land. This part stands out to me for reasons you see in the postgame! Of course, Lusamine and Guzma are not done - they wants you to stop getting in their way. Gladion kicks off his theme music power up and decides to take on the newly descended Ultra Beast himself, and instructs Hau to take on Guzma. So that leaves just one thing left... Yep, it's time! Battle! (Lusamine), also known as Lusamine, Version 1 in the game itself, kicks off in full force with a feeling of tension and determination. Taking her motif to its natural conclusion with a female vocalist, powerful pianos, trumpets and violins, it's one of my top picks for favourite battle themes in this game, and certainly my top pick above all others in terms of evil team boss battle themes (even above Guzma's theme, and that takes a lot of effort to top). I will admit, the violins in this piece in particular sorta made me think of it being a twisted and evil version of Battle! (Lorekeeper Zinnia), which very similarly stands out amongst all the battle music from its game of origin.

With her defeat, Lusamine and Guzma head for Ultra Space with the Ultra Beast, Nebby has changed into a Pokémon whose name is not found out by you until well into the postgame (or using the internet) which is small but somehow weighs heavier than Primal Groudon, we hear Good Night for that third time I mentioned back in Part 1 - and when you step outside, Lillie’s Resolve plays as she reveals to you her new outfit and new outlook on life. Though short, it's really nice on the ears and assures you that not all hope is lost just yet. Straight after that song is done, Lively Lillie! starts playing, starting a string of songs which - get this - remix Lillie's motif for the first time since the very beginning of the game! Fitting of its name, it's a lively remix in 4/4 time as opposed to 3/4 time matching her newfound resolve, and remains with the piano (though that is now an accompanying instrument) and accordion established in her original theme. Somehow, the soundtrack believes that we can get our Poké Finder Fully Updated! At this point in the game? Most people have probably already forgotten about it! And the journey to get that final upgrade... 1,500,000 thumbs up!? DUDE.

In any case, since we can't do anything for now with Nebby in its current state, we're sent off to Poni Island, the last island of the game! We're close to completion, everyone! The endgame draws nearer. Our first stop here is Seafolk Village, the only visible town on Poni Island - it's the most secluded island of all of Alola, save for Poké Pelago and the player's in-universe exclusive access to it. Seafolk Village (Day) draws to mind a feeling of remoteness on the sea, similar to Sootopolis City in the Hoenn region. Seafolk Village (Night) once again takes that same melody into a more subdued take on the music and removing the bass. Both of these songs are really soothing to listen to. Once you've covered business over there, you can move on to the greater scope of the Island - and this one is slightly different! Ancient Poni Path takes its name from one of the areas you end up passing by on the way to your eventual destination, the Vast Poni Canyon, and as such serves as this island's main Route theme since there's no actual Route to speak of. Upon meeting with a familiar face as you pass by said Ancient Poni Path, you head off to the Poni Breaker Coast and off to the Ruins of Hope (mind you, it's called the Ruins of the Other Side in Japan) to hopefully get Hapu over here turned into the new Island Kahuna by the blessing of The Protector of the Island. A rather sombre theme which sounds more at home in a Metroid game than a Pokémon game, it's got that air of mystery about it. Just what do the Land Spirit Pokémon really think of humanity? Where do the Sparkling Stones come from? The song also brings back the leitmotif previously established by the Island Kahunas, as I mentioned when I wrote up about that theme, coming around full circle and once again strengthening their connection with the island guardians as their chosen ones.

After a moment to head over to Exeggutor Island to pick up a flute (hooray, Key Items! We haven't had one in a while!) and a bout with some bitter Team Skull Grunts followed by their silencing from Plumeria, we are headed to Vast Poni Canyon together with Lillie for the Grand Trial. This song takes on that long-awaited mountain hike that we were spared earlier back on Mount Hokulani, and is an upbeat tune which calls to mind Mt. Chimney. Along the way, Lillie takes on her greatest fear - MURKROW ON A BRIDGE! And we also happen to meet a Trial Captain along the way, who just boogies out after giving us Fairium Z. Perhaps a hint at how to take on what's ahead of us? In either case, the most out-of-the-way sources are the only things that hint at her entire existence in this game, as she's the famed artist Mina. Maybe she'll become important later? In either case, after braving the final Trial, whose area has no music, we finally make the trek To the Altar... You may have heard this theme back on Ula'ula Island if you went to the Lake from Ula'ula Meadow, but in either case, this theme oozes power with a bell and booming drums which accompany a trumpet melody that calls back to a theme heard all the way back in the cutscene music of A Tapu Appears! The final stretch over to the Altar of the Sunne or Altar of the Moone reaches its end, and at last, we call forth the Legendary Pokémon...

After reaching the top, you grab the flute and you and Lillie play together, once again echoing the theme you heard just then... And then Lillie's bag starts flying!? Not even a new bag can stop Nebby's rejection of them! With a heroic air about it as power gathers into the Pokémon, a snippet of Lillie's Theme plays as this process continues... And finally, the Protostar Pokémon evolves once more as the theme escalates in tempo when Solgaleo / Lunala Appears! The song then concludes on a loop that lasts until the next full motion cutscene. This song is powerful and I really, really love it amongst all the other Legendary Pokémon cutscene songs, like The Dragon Awakes from BW. The motif appears one final time on this disc, because on a whim, we decide - Hey, Let's Go to Ultra Space!

Go figure that this disc includes both my favourite and least favourite town/city themes from this game. Personal highlights on this disc include pretty much all of the Guzma stuff, Acerola's Trial, all of the Aether Foundation portion but Battle! (Lusamine) in particular, and Solgaleo / Lunala Appears!
Other Parts: Disc 1: Yellow - Disc 2: Pink - Disc 3: Red - Disc 4: Purple - Extra: Postgame, Trivia & Personal Highlights
 
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So what's everyone's favourite track?

Mine's definitely Guzma's battle theme, it's just the best theme to use when battling online and in the Battle Tree. Though I'm also really fond of Lillie's theme, it's really pretty and it reminding me of the Professor Layton music probably helps heh.
 
I'd say pretty much anything related to Guzma, all of the Aether Foundation and Lusamine, Malie City's themes, the music of the Solgaleo/Lunala cutscene, all of Lillie's themes and the Elite Four theme are my personal overall highlights of the music of this game. I think I might add an overall summary of my highlights in each disc in my next post in a separate spoiler from the rest of my extras writeup. For now, though, here's my thoughts on Disc 4 and a couple of closing thoughts on the whole album itself!

Moonlight, Morning Sun, and Dimensions Beyond:
An Exploration of the Game Through An Analysis of the Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection
by TouyaShiro​

We're at the final disc! It's been a long journey, but soon, it's gonna come to an end... Join me as we trek into the soundtrack one last time before saying our goodbyes! (Maybe.)
Disc 4: Purple - To all my fans... With hope in our hearts, I'll see you on the other side...

So... We made it to Ultra Space. A slower, more atmospheric take on the previously established Enter the Ultra Beasts/Battle! (Ultra Beast), it's warped, has a constant pulse akin to a heartbeat and is very subtly terrifying in a manner that's just as subtle as the premise of walking through a place crawling with neurotoxic jellyfish with little girl tendencies made out of glass, with an architecture that looks like the whole place was covered in well-cut onyx. And then we finally reach Lusamine at the end of the tunnel, where Lusamine’s Madness twists and warps her motif once again to show you just the lengths she's willing to go to remain with her beloved Ultra Beast. After all of that, her daughter finally snaps as Steely Lillie! plays, showing her theme along with the resolve to stand up to her own mother. And finally, Lusamine’s Revenge plays in the prelude to the climax! Showdown! (Lusamine), also known as Lusamine, Version 2 in the game itself, throws away any pretense that her previous battle theme had, and with an air of tension about it, reflects how twisted and mad Lusamine has become - fusing together with Nihilego to become the so-called "Mother Beast". No holds barred from either you or the opponent, but hopefully you pull through in Victory! (Aether Foundation)

And finally, after the above battle, A World Falls Apart as Lusamine attempts not to battle as herself, but literally just try to kill her own daughter - luckily for us, Nebby steps in to intervene and separate her from the Nihilego she was fused with, right on cue with the motif of the Legendary Pokémon itself. The theme continues on as slow motion falling occurs, and then leads into the next cutscene - Mother and Daughter, with a subtle and heartfelt remix of both Lillie and Lusamine's leitmotifs, symbolic of how they have finally come to terms with each other... Even with the aforementioned mother in a state of peril. Taken away by Guzma and Hapu to a safe place, the only thing left for you to do is to say goodbye... and hello. Nebby offers you a challenge to catch it, its desire to go on its own journey spawning from its adventures throughout the region with you and Lillie. Time for you to prove your worth to the Legendary Pokémon!

Battle! (Solgaleo / Lunala), also known simply as Legendary Pokémon, mixes in thumping drums with an electronic synth and a trumpet playing its own previously established leitmotif from 0:26 onward. This particular mix of instruments is significant for a number of reasons, one of them being the Cosmog evolutionary line's collective origin from Ultra Space, as detailed in the documents in Aether Paradise Labs, and the other being how it graced Alola in the ancient past, as detailed in Malie Library - the instruments used in this song reflect both sides of the story. For how this ranks up against other Legendary themes, I like it quite a lot! Being a bit more subtle in a sense compared to XY's Battle! (Xerneas/Yveltal/Zygarde) and BW's Battle! (Reshiram/Zekrom), it also plays in another battle in the postgame - as you'd come to expect from the Pokémon formula.

After clearing Nebby's trial and having him join your team... Lonely Lillie plays. True to its name, it's a melancholy take on Lillie's leitmotif which starts from the middle instead, and done entirely on piano. This song plays throughout the cutscene now that Nebby is now with the player and no longer with her, and with her own mother in a dangerous situation, there's kinda nobody left to turn to. With the passing of this cutscene, you and Lillie travel your separate ways as your new mascot Legendary joins you to see your journey through to the end - hopefully bringing to it the adventure it seeks that only you can provide. Or put in a box for your collection. Whatever suits you.

The soundtrack now jumps ahead to a place you won't get to until the postgame - The Battle Tree. A familiar tune to battle maniacs like me, it's a slower, tribal take on the familiar Battle Tower theme as heard all the way back in Pokémon Crystal and carried to every battle facility introduced in each successive Generation, with a bit of violin and a hint of the Pokémon main theme added to the mix as well. Though if you're an impatient explorer, this theme would quickly be interrupted by Blue’s Theme as the legendary trainer himself arrives to greet you with Red. A new spin on a theme heard in the minds of many players from 20 years back, it makes a triumphant return from the last time we heard it back in FRLG! Aside from oozing with nostalgia - and perhaps repressed rage from the players who thought he was quite the jerk back in the day - it uses synths, electric guitar and violins to bring it home together that this trainer is something fierce! As is natural with the final obstacle in a battle facility, they come with their own theme! Battle! (Battle Tree Boss) is fast paced but subtle compared to past themes, and it invokes elements of Red's theme from Johto - coming full circle with the theme that started off the series, the Title Screen to the original Game Boy Pokémon titles. The instrumentation of this song includes a prominent accordion.

After that brief interlude in the soundtrack, we track back to the main journey, where we are now ascending Mount Lanakila, where the Pokémon League is now complete and awaiting all challengers - of which we are the first to ascend. The Path to the League is the equivalent to Victory Road, and though only two trainers await you at the beginning and the end of this path, there's still a lot to overcome and a lot to find. The song itself interlaces a trumpet and violin fanfare along with an air of winter, fitting for the final destination of our journey and resembling Victory Road themes in more recent titles. The mountain itself calls back to various icy paths, though none of them actually have ice physics, as well as Mt. Coronet and Victory Roads of old... But more than anything, perhaps it could be likened to Mt. Silver in the Johto titles. The same instrumentation, now slowed down, graces The Summit of Mount Lanakila, where a portion of Alola Region Theme plays... After defeating both of your so-called rivals - Gladion at the base of the mountain, and Hau at the summit - You greet Professor Kukui in front of the entrance to his own creation. Should you have your mascot in the party as this happens, he adds a couple of words to talk about how the Pokémon League was built on the highest point in Alola to honour the Legendary Pokémon, being the place closest to both the sun and the moon, and naturally replacing the original tradition of the island that took place there.

If you're primed and ready, it's time to go beyond the doors - and face a familiar sight. Welcome to The Pokémon League! Now in a faster instrumentation than the previous song but keeping to the same key signature, the final stop in your main journey graces you inside the mountain itself. The song is atmospheric, but has a feeling of determination and tension behind it - who's behind those four doors that await you? Once you have decided that for yourself, and greet them in their respective chambers... It's time to face off against the newly created Elite Four! Battle! (Elite Four) is a fast-paced battle theme with a huge buildup of tension, and it's sure to make you feel the pressure! The comparison I make most of all is to that of Battle! (Elite Four) from BW, where I feel like it's a similar tone of panic to this version of the song.

After defeating the Elite Four, whose lineup consists of two Island Kahunas, one Trial Captain and a former Champion who you may have heard of but have yet to meet, you go through the middle teleporter into the Champion's Chamber... And there's nobody there. In it, you're surrounded by a lone battleground, and a summit that's basically made out of glass, so you're able to see the time of day. You decide to sit down on the throne, and... the Professor greets you once again. Standing in for a true Pokémon Champion, since Alola has yet to decide one, here begins The Battle at the Summit! Calling back to the title screen theme of both the original Pokémon games as well as this game's own, it samples the game's title screen theme numerous times! This song is also notable because it begins with an intro, and then quietens down at 0:29 to give you a moment to think about the situation and select your move - right before kicking it back into full gear at 0:42, where perhaps the composers predict that you'll make the first move. At least, that's the way I like to think about the song's progression! Perhaps it's not fitting to call it a battle theme for Professor Kukui, and the title of this song also reflects this - you are the Champion this time, and it's time to prove your worth with wind and string instruments in full orchestral bombing by your side!

A Champion Is Born! Your victory over Professor Kukui cements your status as Alola's first ever official Pokémon Champion, and this fanfare signifies your triumph now that your main journey has come to an end. After a whole bunch of talk with the Professor after the battle is done, your Pokémon are recognised in Alola's history books as a familiar theme greets the player - the Hall of Fame! This version of the theme is full of energy and done in a contemporary fashion, fitting of the beginning of a new tradition in an island which did not previously have it.

Celebrations occur, and the whole cast makes an appearance as The Festival in Iki Town plays once more, but at some point, Lillie wants to pull us over while nobody's watching - specifically, to head to the Mahalo Trail... Back to where Lillie's journey began. How long has it been since you last visited this place? The bridge is finally repaired, so you can head to the Ruins of Conflict... And inside, your Z-Ring suddenly speaks out. And then you're warped into a black void in communication with Tapu Koko. Should your mascot be present, they will be acknowledged, before you engage in battle! As is tradition starting with Generation VI, a post-League battle occurs, but this time, it's with a wild Pokémon - and not just any wild Pokémon! At last, the Land Spirits' motif comes full circle in Battle! (Tapu) - With a tribal feel, but also with distorted vocals and synth, this theme accompanies the Land Spirits as you engage them in battle and attempt to make them one of your own team. The instrumentation reflects their nature as being fickle or otherwise averse with humanity, but also how we're not quite sure what they're thinking. Truly wild, as it were... But no matter the result of the battle, if you caught them or not, the ending sequence continues as normal.

A couple of soundbites are covered by the soundtrack which were present earlier in the story, including Gester’s Lesson, and The Zygarde Cube. With those over, it's back to the ending cutscene, where Someday... starts playing. With a slow tempo and slow melody, it's got a feeling of joy, but also of sadness, as Lillie makes her decision to leave on her own journey to go to Kanto with her mother, and Hau realises something he never said to her before it was too late. Poor dude... Then, as you return back home, it is followed up by Welcome Back, calling back to the Alola Region Theme multiple times, once to signify the end of a journey, and later on in the song to signify the beginning of another.

And so we finally reach the Staff Credits (feat. Hideaki Kuroda)! Calling back once again to Solgaleo and Lunala's motif as well as the Alola Region Theme in its introduction, the main melody of the relatively long credits sequence follows from 0:31 and onward. I will admit, actually, listening to this disc made me realise just how often they used the Alola Region's leitmotif - it's present on Route 10 on Ula'ula Island, several other cutscenes as well as this song, among the stuff I already mentioned. The song itself looping wasn't really an issue to me, since I know a lot of people have said so themselves in other posts.

At 4:21, a music box kicks in as a reprise of Lillie's Theme starts playing... Perhaps it wasn't so long ago that she was with us, but now...

Finally, at 5:11, waves kick in, which is followed by The End (feat. Hideaki Kuroda) - fitting of a credits sequence in Pokémon to always end on a quiet theme should you not skip it over. Quiet, ocean-like strings as the camera looks back on a picture of you and your companions. Now, this is actually rather notable for a number of reasons - unlike in previous Pokémon titles, you only get to see this credits sequence once, so your chance to hear this theme outside of the soundtrack may disappear extremely quickly if you skip through. It's also a reprise of My Home, bringing it back to signal the end of a long journey for a well-earned rest by your player character.

The album continues onward with a couple of jingles - the Special Demo Version Movie, which is an arrangement of the title screen theme, as well as Logo (Pokémon Sun) and Logo (Pokémon Moon), the jingles that play when you hover over the games in the 3DS HOME Menu. And finally, there are 6 bonus songs - Title Screen, Alola Region Theme, The Pokémon Center, Battle! (Wild Pokémon), Battle! (Trainer) and Battle! (Team Skull) [feat. KYOtaro] - which synchronise with the physical toy version of the Z-Ring to play lights and sounds from it as these songs play.

Final thoughts on the soundtrack: Top notch, absolutely fantastic. The battle themes here might be, in my opinion, the best in the series to date, and most certainly has my personal favourite city theme in Malie City. Overall, it's solid, and though it lacks variety in a couple of places in the context of where they play (see: The Route themes), pretty much everything else makes up for it. Overall, it's probably my favourite set of songs in the series compared to other Super Music Collections, and I'll be looking forward to see what the future holds for Pokémon music! pls give more symphonic evolutions
Woo! It's all done! But wait, did you notice I added something extra in my last post? Well, that's because I figure that there's a substantial amount of content that I can talk about related to both the postgame and other pieces of trivia for this game's music.

Other Parts: Disc 1: Yellow - Disc 2: Pink - Disc 3: Red - Disc 4: Purple - Extra: Postgame, Trivia & Personal Highlights
 
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My favorite battle theme is probably either Guzma's theme (in terms of being interesting and unusual on a technical level, and just flat-out good) or the Kahuna battle theme (it's a wild ride, I love it). The tapu battle theme and the Ultra Beast battle theme are both awesome as well.

Favorite location theme would be either Paniola Town (night), Hau'oli City (day), Ten Carat Hill, Vast Poni Canyon, or Aether Paradise. I would also give special mention to the theme that plays in the external Aether facilities (their office in Heahea and the capsules around the region), and the Thrifty Megamart theme.
 
I actually love Hau's battle theme. It fits him well.
Was disappointed it didn't reappear in the title defending battle with him.
The track called "Someday..." is a favourite too.
Most notably played when Lillie departs.
And the Tapu Battle theme, I really like it! It meshes together the overworld theme and has a great amount of hype. And because of the tribal chants and whatnot, I feel it really suits the tapus!
 
Moonlight, Morning Sun, and Dimensions Beyond:
An Exploration of the Game Through An Analysis of the Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection
by TouyaShiro​

Here I am with my final post on my SM SMC analysis. Here I'm covering a bit of music trivia and some postgame uses of music, and finishing off with a collection of my personal highlights!
So, here we are. We've become Champion of the Pokémon League, and defeated a corruption in an otherwise benevolent foundation. What else is there for us to... Oh? A letter? For moi? "Go to the motel in Route 8." Well, looks like the story's not over yet!

So, as you might expect from Pokémon titles these days, there's a postgame story that you may choose to begin in order to do some cool stuff for EXP or experience the lives of a couple of characters. In this case, you're on the case of the Ultra Beasts, trying to save them from themselves to make sure the International Police don't experiment with them in cruel and unusual ways! Throughout this particular postgame story, a bunch of songs from XY as well as returning from earlier in the main story of Sun & Moon play during this series of missions:
  • Nanu's Theme appears when he does, much like his appearances in the main story.
  • Cutscene music such as Unsettling Atmosphere, An Encounter and There's Trouble! appear in an appropriate context. Notably, An Encounter is used a lot more here than it is in the main story.
  • There's Trouble! even gets played once an Ultra Beast's presence is detected in an area during these missions - fading out once all of them are caught - and also playing when Looker says the very quote in various other languages prior to the beginning of said mission.
  • Returning from XY are Another Chapter in Looker's Tale, Looker's Theme and Looker's Sorrowful Theme, and they are present in this game unaltered as the character is involved heavily during these missions. The former kicks off when a mission begins, and the latter plays during some key late moments in the story relating to the truth behind Anabel, a character from Pokémon Emerald who somehow found herself in the Alola Region.
If you're a battle maniac, you'll have probably been experimenting with musical choices in Link Battles and the Battle Tree. After certain points in the story, you will be able to select other battle themes than the ones you started with ("Trainer" and "Wild Pokémon"), giving you more variety to use during battles with your friends or in the Battle Tree. Notably, this is the first time a battle facility allows you to select more than four pieces of music, having practically every piece of battle music available to you except for whatever you haven't unlocked, and the Battle Tree Boss music which I think remains locked even after their defeat - though don't quote me on that, because I haven't actually beaten Super Doubles yet to check. I plan to change that in the next week.

If you're instead farming that FC, perhaps you've reached Rank 40 in the Festival Plaza. Once this happens, you may change the music at any time to various pieces of town and city music, as well as Hau's Theme. For this and the above battle music, check this Serebii page out on the various musical changes you can do! Pokémon Sun & Moon - Music Changes

There's also a few trainers in the Battle Tree who come with their own battle theme if you leave the music as its default setting ("Trainer") when you fight them! These trainers appear in Super battle formats on every multiple of 10, with the exception of Battle #50 since that's the stage for the Battle Legend, and notably, they're all unaltered from their original incarnations:
  • Wally plays Rival's Theme from the Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire: Super Music Collection (AAAA IT'S SO GOOD)
  • Cynthia plays Battle! (Champion) from the Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection (The original and not the BW or B2W2 versions, which is always a plus in my book)
  • Grimsley plays Battle! (Elite Four) from the Pokémon Black & Pokémon White: Super Music Collection (Best E4 theme IMO, and as a side note, also miles better than the E4 theme that preceded it in Sinnoh)
  • Colress plays Battle! (Colress) from the Pokémon Black 2 & Pokémon White 2: Super Music Collection (Five, Four, Three, Two, One)
  • Anabel plays Battle! (Frontier Brain--Hoenn Version) from the Pokémon Black 2 & Pokémon White 2: Super Music Collection, significant for two reasons:
    • It may imply that this character's original home was the continuity of Pokémon Emerald, reflecting her status in the Ultra Beast missions as a Faller with amnesia and calling back to her previous role as the Salon Maiden (Japan: Tower Tycoon) of the Battle Frontier's Battle Tower. On top of that, they didn't use the latest version of the song that exists out there - the Oras SMC's Battle! (Battle Chatelaine) - supporting this theory.
    • The above soundtrack where it came from was the first time exclusive music from Pokémon Emerald and Pokémon Platinum were ever put on an official album, and the bonus disc including these themes was kept intact in the iTunes international release (unlike a couple of instances such as the iTunes Oras SMC which only includes the Oras music and not the bonus reissue of the GBA Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire Music Super Complete as is present in the Japanese Oras Super Music Complete as Discs 5 and 6 - since the RS SMC also exists on iTunes, it's redundant in that case, but not for a long out-of-print album).
A little piece of trivia on the Super Music Collection itself: Originally, the physical Japanese release was going to come with bonus tracks lifted straight from the XY Super Music Collection, for a total of 15 additional tracks. However, they went ahead and released it without these bonus tracks. Most of these bonus tracks are short jingles which return from previous games which went unmodified in Pokémon Sun & Moon itself, which includes Received A Pokémon Egg!, the Pokédex Evaluation jingles, Obtained a Mega Stone! (which plays exactly once in the story as you receive Alakazamite), Move Deleted, Changed into Feminine Clothes (Girl) (which accompanies any change you make to your clothing, lips or eye contacts even if you're a male character), Received Battle Points!, and all of the pieces of music listed above which have to do with Looker.
So, I figure it'd be cool to put a summary of my personal highlights of each disc of the soundtrack, as well as songs that stand out to me for one reason or another. This should be fun!

Important note: They're listed in the same order that they're presented in the Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon: Super Music Collection, so if it seems like I'm omitting a certain theme associated with a character or whatever, then read on and you may just find that I said it in a different bullet!

Disc 1
  • The new Title Theme, An Adventure Is Beginning and the Alola Region Theme all inspire adventure progressively and in different ways, and the way that it all comes back in Disc 4's The Battle at the Summit! is really well executed in my opinion.
  • Escape! establishes the cutscene music formula from the get-go, and with a non-traditional start, really had me excited when I saw the logo appear for the first time. Kinda gave me chills as it slowed down.
  • Iki Town (Day) and especially Iki Town (Night) are just so soothing!
  • Mahalo Trail inspires curiosity. What's up ahead?
  • A Tapu Appears! establishes two particular key leitmotifs in its latter half, which is why it earns a spot in my highlights list.
  • Lillie's Theme. Just... that. It should speak for itself.
  • Battle! (Hau) is bright, colourful and spunky - and pretty catchy!
Disc 2
  • Team Skull Appears! and Battle! (Team Skull) are just so cool. Yeah.
  • A Captain's Trial Begins! is catchy and really cool to hear after 18+ years of hearing the familiar Gym theme be remixed over and over.
  • In that same vein, Battle! (Totem Pokémon) is really neat - reminding one of BW's strong Pokémon battles.
  • Island Kahuna's Theme and Battle! (Island Kahuna) exude power and tradition, and for the latter, being a remix of the above Trial music is awesome in its own right.
  • For a cutscene exclusive theme, On the Ship is really catchy.
  • Paniola Town (Day) and Paniola Town (Night) are both standout for being a western-style song amongst all the other town themes in this game.
  • Gladion's Theme and Battle! (Gladion) both have serious attitude, and though both the encounter and the battle theme have the exact same melody aside from the intro (to the point where the former is even able to be selected as battle music in Pokémon Battle Revolution battles on Twitch Plays Pokémon), the theme itself is cool and distinct from all others, in a much different way than Team Skull (which, while he associates with them in the early parts of the game, eventually serves to separate him from them once it's made clear that he's on your side).
  • Ride Pokémon (Aquatic) is, as I said in the Disc 2 analysis, my favourite surfing theme from any Pokémon game because of how catchy it is!
  • All of the themes associated with Royal Avenue, including itself, Thrifty Megamart, Battle Royal Dome and Battle! (Battle Royale), which bring to mind some of my favourite parts of the music of BW and B2W2.
  • Burnet's Lab stands out to me for its distortions, haha.
Disc 3
  • Konikoni City (Day) is absolutely gorgeous with its oriental sound. Maybe not so much Konikoni City (Night), though - one of the few exceptions in the entire soundtrack where I prefer the night theme over the day theme (and also, as I mentioned in the Disc 3 analysis, my least favourite town/city music in this game).
  • Lusamine's Theme is just hauntingly beautiful, but also slightly twisted.
  • Battle! (Ultra Beast) is one of my favourite battle themes overall because of how different it is compared to what we're used to, truly emphasising their status as extradimensional Pokémon.
  • Malie City (Day) and Malie City (Night) are collectively my favourite town/city themes from any Pokémon soundtrack, a point I made back in the analysis but one that I will repeat time and time again until something comes to usurp it.
  • Guzma's Theme and Battle! (Team Skull Boss) are just... MMM! Those KYOtaro vocals!
  • Acerola's Trial is unsettling, but awesome in concept - I love songs that screw with your sense of rhythm.
  • Nanu's Theme. Hard-boiled, IDGAF attitude. What else is there to say?
  • Battle! (Aether Foundation) has that tension factor - that benevolence is no longer there!
  • Unsettling Atmosphere is, while mostly atmospheric in nature, one of my favourite pieces of cutscene music in the game.
  • Battle! (Lusamine) speaks for itself, frankly.
  • Lillie's Resolve and the subsequent Lively Lillie! also speak for themselves, I think - the latter being the first remix of a theme we heard all the way back in the first 20 minutes of gameplay! Something like that happening really shows you how much she's grown.
  • Seafolk Village (Day) and Seafolk Village (Night) are number three on my personal favourite town/city song list in this game, behind Iki Town and Malie City.
  • The Protector of the Island is just so mysterious... What do the tapu think of humanity?
  • Solgaleo / Lunala Appears! What a way to introduce the mascot! A theme of triumph rather than panic.
Disc 4
  • Ultra Space... Super creepy and unsettling, and with that constant heartbeat, it just rattles you worse than a Bug-type move!
  • Showdown! (Lusamine) is twisted and insane, and with that tension and a hint of the Ultra Beasts behind it, it's just awesome all round.
  • Mother and Daughter - A heartfelt remix of the leitmotifs of both characters.
  • Battle! (Solgaleo / Lunala) stands out for not only being really cool to listen to, but also for reasons I explained in my above analysis - the mix of instruments to bring all of its lore together. An Ultra Beast that came to the Pokémon world in an age long gone, reflected in its use of booming drums and electronic synthesis.
  • Lonely Lillie... I love pianos, I love Lillie's theme, and bringing them together in this way just makes me tear up. Seriously.
  • Battle Tree, Blue's Theme and Battle! (Battle Tree Boss) are all fantastic ways to bring back familiar themes dating back to an age where Link Cables were still a thing!
  • The Path to the League, The Summit of Mount Lanakila and The Pokémon League are all determined and stick out to me amongst all other Victory Road/Pokémon League themes.
  • Battle! (Elite Four) is just sublime, and its resemblance to the BW E4 theme helps.
  • The Battle at the Summit! culminates your journey by bringing back several themes you head at the beginning of the game - and even in the demo!
  • Battle! (Tapu) is just that little bit modern as it is traditional.
  • Welcome Back just really feels like you've made it after all this time. Playing several themes you once again heard at the beginning of the journey, coming back now that you've finished it.
  • Staff Credits and The End are simply beautiful.
Other Parts: Disc 1: Yellow - Disc 2: Pink - Disc 3: Red - Disc 4: Purple - Extra: Postgame, Trivia & Personal Highlights
 
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Soundtracks never capture me in thrilling ways. So I don't have any favorites and I don't remember any themes ever.
 
The soundtrack for this game is just beautiful. I enjoyed nearly every bit of it. A few pieces really stick to me though.

Of course the champion/title defense music. Such a powerful, upbeat song. I love it.

Ever since hearing it in the demo, I've loved Hau'oli city at night. It's very reminiscent of smooth jazz, well at least to me.

The credits theme + Lillie's theme. The credits had a nice nice theme. The middle gets a little boring with the repetition, but it makes up with it with the very powerful beginning and the slowed version of Lillie's theme at the end. That, coupled with the ending text and picture, has me in tears.
 
I frigging love the soundtrack in this game! A step up from X and Y, for sure! My favorites have to be the Akala Island Routes theme, the Kahuna battle theme, Konikoni City at night, Heahea City theme at night, Vast Poni Canyon, the Totem Pokemon battle theme, Victory Road on the icy mountain, Gladion's battle theme, the Lusamine Ultra Space merge battle theme, the Aether member battle theme, the Elite Four and Champion themes, the Tapu battle themes... just wonderful all around.

Granted, I don't really care for the daytime Heahea City theme. That sounds way too loud for my liking. There's also something about Poni's routes music that I don't like. It sounds nice, but there's an instrument in the music that sounds too loud too me. Kind of hard to explain, but I don't care for it too much.

Other than those two, I give the music in this game a solid 9/10. Nice stuff.
 
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