April 29, 2020 on RateYourMusic.
Release: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Vol. II: The Lost Tracks (Koji Kondo, 1999)
At first glance, The Lost Tracks looks like an ordinary soundtrack selection. Most of it is! The first 20 tracks are straight from Ocarina of Time. So make of that what you will, since, if you're seeing this, I'm sure you already have an opinion on Ocarina of Time's music. But that's not really what I think is worth talking about here.
The last three tracks -- the real lost tracks, hidden away on an exclusive German CD -- are unique. "Hyrule (Princess 'Z' Trigger Mix)" and "Salias Lied (Spooky Groovy Remix)" are playful 90s house remixes, the first evoking the wonder of first venturing out onto Hyrule Field, and the second the curiosity of the Lost Woods. "Waldtempel (X-Dream Trance Version)," meanwhile, taps into the mysteries of the Forest Temple with hazy trance.
Honestly, these tracks are probably too outdated and cheesy for lots of folks. But even if you don't end up liking them, I think their existence is interesting enough to merit a listen. And, if you ask me, they're pretty fun, too, even without that allure.