Diandra’s 2019 Music Highlights

Best Cover of the Year, Vocal: Angélique Kidjo – Oya Diosa

The audio track is behind a paywall, so you can hear samples on places like Amazon and Apple.

However, an acoustic version is free online.

Standout track from an album devoted to the songs made famous by Celia Cruz.

Godzilla ft. Serj Tankian

Can’t forget this surprising collaboration between Bear McCreary and Serj Tankian (System of a Down) for the latest (US-made) Godzilla movie.

Best Cover of the Year, Instrumental:

Bear McCreary – Mothra’s Song

Also from the score for Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Gorgeous new orchestral arrangement by Bear McCreary for Mothra’s Song, which was originally sung in Japanese/Bahasa Malay by the fairy twins in the older movies. The theme is briefly reprised throughout the film, but the pivotal reappearance is at the moment that is accompanied by the start of the track Queen of the Monsters.

Ramin Djawadi continued to arrange new cover songs for the second season of the television program Westworld. These included Seven Nation Army played on sitar [Youtube, Amazon], as well as “C.R.E.A.M.” played on Japanese traditional instruments.

(note: I didn’t watch the last three seasons of Game of Thrones, and did not listen to Djawadi’s compositions for those seasons either.)

Favorite Original Television Composition: – Hey Mando!

An entrance theme reminiscent of spaghetti westerns. From The Mandalorian, season one.

Best rock song of the year: Jambinai – Onda

Unleashes its full epic potential after the 5:45 mark or so.

Altın Gün – Yolcu

Ladytron – You’ve Changed