To the Beach! /// Music Monday #82

 All right, you know the drill at this point. And if you don't, where in the world have you been for the last 81 of these posts over the course of three years?

Our song for today is . . .

"Summer (Tropicala)" from Stardew Valley

Composed by ConcernedApe

If you don't know anything about the game Stardew Valley, think of it as a mix between a farm simulator and Animal Crossing, but with less anthropomorphic animals. It's such a relaxing, fun experience, whether you're playing by yourself or with a friend. You plant and cultivate different crops based on the season, form relationships with the townsfolk, hunt monsters in the mine, and more.

One thing that makes this game so relaxing is its soundtrack. The original developer of the game, ConcernedApe (whose real name is Eric Barone and who was later joined by game publisher/developer Chucklefish), composed the entire soundtrack himself. The game was inspired by Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing, Rune Factory, Minecraft, and Terraria. You can not only see that inspiration in the game, but you can also hear it.

If you ever need a chill soundtrack to throw in, this is an excellent example, as proven by today's track. It's fun and upbeat, with that beach overtone to it, but it's also super relaxing. I don't know what exact quality of the music causes it to be that way; all I know is that I love, and that I can sleep to it.

Just picture it now: you're at the beach, the warm sun overhead, water splashing against the sand. You're either swimming and enjoying the cool water, or you're laughing with your friends while you play a game of beach volleyball. Or maybe you're more like me and you're tanning on a blanket, reading a book. This song seems to fit that whole scenario. It honestly makes me wanna live this out.

And that's all I've gotta say! What'd you think of the music? Have you played Stardew Valley? Have you gone to the beach at all this year?