Floating Islands are cool. Magical kingdoms, masses of drifting rock, and man-made fortresses littering the sky are things I've always been fond of in fantasy worlds. Something so unrealistic like that is a recurring theme throughout movies, games, and stories all over the world. It immediately evokes a sense of magic and wonder that seems to connect with something in all of us. This Monday Muzak we're listening to songs that pay tribute to such marvels.
Shevat was an important part of Xenogears' story. The city was essentially a rebel base, filled with people that had escaped the grasp of the Solaris empire, who were enslaving mankind and feeding soylent green to everyone. Early on, you encounter the city while running across a desert, watching as it drifts on by while rumbling the Earth below.
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Zeal is easily one of the most well known floating masses in gaming history. This collection of grass covered rock expels an endless supply of water out from its origin, cascading down through the clouds toward the surface below. Its theme song carries with it a brassy sound, maintaining a light yet mechanical vibe that rings true to Zeal's atmosphere.
Morrowind didn't necessarily have floating islands, but there was a mass of rock that hung out around one of the major cities. Later on, in the plot that follows both Morrowind and Oblivion via "The Infernal City" novel, an even larger mass makes a big impact on the world many people spent hundreds of hours getting familiar with.
Imagine a giant white whale that flies around the world with a giant city on top of its head. In the game you never really get to grasp how awesome that is, but I can appreciate the idea of how awesome that is via this track.
Minecraft allows players to potentially create floating worldspaces, but its procedurally generated worlds may also come packed with them. Throughout the day, this lovely melody casually struts its way into your life, bringing an air of peace and wonder.
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