There has been no shortage of jokes or commentary about Kingdom Hearts’ dynamic between cutesy Disney characters and angsty, dark fantasy lore. These two topics shouldn’t blend together so well, yet here we are with this franchise celebrating over twenty years of life and counting. Between meeting up with colorful Disney pals and original villains, who give their bodies over to literal darkness so they can commit murder, there’s one thing that stands out above all else: the soundtrack.
The composer of the series, Yoko Shimomura, brings talent and beauty to this musical journey as very few others can. The experience would simply not be the same without her passion. Here are some of her more relaxing musical pieces from Kingdom Hearts.
10 Destiny Islands
A decent mix of relaxing and upbeat tones make up this tropical score. You could listen to it on a windy, sunny day, rocking in a hammock. Incidentally, this is similar to how the piece introduced itself in the first Kingdom Hearts. The tune started playing shortly after the main character, Sora, was woken up snoozing on a beach.
The Destiny Islands Theme embodies the world of Destiny Islands. The collection of land masses serves as the home of Sora, Riku, and Kairi - three significant characters in the story. This melody captures that tropical paradise vibe and makes you wonder why the game’s leading trio wanted to leave.
9 Traverse Town
Calm, light, and easygoing would best describe the world theme for Traverse Town. This place is a haven for those who lost their worlds to darkness. Lore even states it can change its appearance to meet the needs of those travelers. Traverse Town lives up to its namesake almost immediately as the first world Sora travels to once his home is destroyed.
Like the world’s lore, the music welcomes you as if nothing is wrong and everything is as it should be. It invites you to move along.
8 Kairi’s Theme
More on the wistful side of relaxing for one of Kingdom Hearts’ leading ladies, Kairi. This track usually only appears in cutscenes with our princess of light expressing genuine emotion or being remembered fondly in a flashback.
The piano is a real standout in the composition and you’ll find plenty of covers by inspiring pianists on Youtube. The beat itself is also dangerously easy to fall asleep to. It’s best to listen to this one while taking a breather, where nodding off isn’t inappropriate.
7 Lazy Afternoons
First making an appearance in Chain of Memories, Lazy Afternoons is the perfect piece to lounge around and watch the world go by. Twilight Town, the world where the music plays, is in a state of perpetual sunset. Not surprising that Roxas, Xion, and Axel would chill out to it atop that clock tower.
There are two main versions of Lazy Afternoons; one features a harmonica and the other a saxophone. Your favorite choice between them will probably depend on which Kingdom Hearts game you played first.
6 Fantasia Alla Marcia
Fantasia Alla Marcia is one of the longer tracks in the Kingdom Hearts series. It has a more resounding feel, with a good chunk of the song featuring an orchestra. While this section may be abrasive, the sound quickly swirls into an uplifting melody of accomplishment or pride.
If you’re wondering where to discover this Italian-named track, have another gander at Kingdom Hearts 2’s end credits. You’ll find Fantasia Alla Marcia playing while a slideshow of characters and worlds scrolls by. Seeing the aftermath of the game’s events will nail the meaning of this song for you.
5 A Walk in Andante
A smooth flow would describe A Walk in Andante best. While this song doesn’t appear routinely in cutscenes throughout the series, it does have a happy-go-lucky feel. You’ll listen to it during happy or playfully confusing moments in Kingdom Hearts, but not nearly as much as you should.
A Walk in Andante is more likely to play when Disney characters are on-screen and not the murdering, time-traveling, body-possessing villains. It’s likely to make a reappearance in Kingdom Hearts 4 since Sora’s predicament is definitely confusing.
4 Isn’t It Lovely
Isn’t It Lovely will be the most obscure of the list and for a good reason. Many Kingdom Hearts fans probably blocked this track out because it is the field theme to Atlantica for the second game. You know, the world with the singing?
Look past what it’s associated with and you’ll discover a colorful and vibrant piece of music. The tempo is on the fast side, but the sounds of xylophones and string instruments mellow the whole piece out. You’ll feel very calm listening to this one.
3 The Afternoon Streets
Lazy Afternoons' closely related cousin, The Afternoon Streets embodies Sora’s side of things regarding Twilight Town. It’s one of the first songs to play once you gain control of the spiky-haired protagonist in Kingdom Hearts 2.
The Afternoon Streets is more upbeat, with strings and a woodwind instrument complemented by a music box. It’s a feeling of discovery and warmth that matches Sora’s curiosity when he wakes up in the sunset world. Expect to hear this again if Twilight Town reappears later in the series.
2 Namine’s Theme
Namine was a mysterious girl first introduced in Chain of Memories. As Kingdom Hearts went on, she became an important side character and a guiding star in some important moments.
The nobody of Kairi has one of the most simple yet beautiful tunes. Namine’s Theme is woven together with piano and harp in Kingdom Hearts 2. That harp is incredibly atmospheric as it comes in over the melancholy piano. This would be a track to put some rain or thunderstorms behind.
1 Dearly Beloved
The most famous (non-Utada Hikaru) song in Kingdom Hearts if the search results and Youtube views are anything to go by. A relaxing, introspective piece, Dearly Beloved primarily acts as the main menu screen theme for every Kingdom Hearts title.
Each iteration has its appeal, small change, or entire genre shift. The arrangement of instruments could be different, sounds brought to the forefront or relegated to the background, a previous version playing behind a new one, and none of them lose their beauty. Dearly Beloved is the perfect representation of Yoko Shimomura’s work on the Kingdom Hearts series and it deserves to stay around as long as these video games do.