Music

There is a wide variety of known musical genres.

#### Soldiers Fighting Entropy

*Soldiers Fighting Entropy* is a band within the Sho'lekstran Confederation. Their debut album would harmonize with many within all nations of the confederation. Their works have complex musical layers previously unknown, especially impressive given comparatively poor recording equipment. Their work is characterized by mixed time signatures, long instrumental sections and albums with consistent themes that commentate on society. It also makes heavy use of electric guitar, unusual for the confederation. Their most famous work would translate to something along the lines of *Sea Guardian*, a psychedelic rock opera album following a veteran of the great war who suffers trauma and ptsd after surviving a battle where an attempted naval invasion on the confederation was warded off. The album discusses many taboo topics and is an instant, if controversial, success.

#### Doctrine

*Doctrine* is a notable Sho'lekstran band said to have created the *Doctrine* genre. The music would be inspired by gamelan music from a certain region of Ngarapiti. They band adopted ideas of mixed and odd time signatures, polyrhythms and polymeters to create rhythm-focused music, with clean electric guitar carefully adjusted to give a sound similar to a gamelan with an extensive backdrop of percussion and prevalent bass. Vocals vary wildly depending on the song, often fitting whatever theme is involved. The style would be adopted by other bands to the point of becoming a recognizable genre.

#### Smiths

*Smiths* is a Sho'lekstran band considered to produce Doctrine-genre music, combined with more traditional, extended compositions like *Soldiers Fighting Entropy*. Among the most well known pieces they would produce would be the 45 minute song and album *100 Days in the Desert Sun*, notable for its album-length piece, long buildup, and atmospheric tones, and the album *Friction*, known for the 7-minute piece *Stone Clouds* and 4 minute piece *Order Undone*.

### Union of Essencian People's Republics

#### Essencian Philharmonic Society

The Essencian Philharmonic Society is an organization within the Union of Essencian People's Republics dedicated to the records keeping, performances, and history of classical instruments and the classical music genre. They are known to have existed since before the Essencian Revolution. With classical music having a bourgeois reputation at the time of the Great War, with classical performances and instruments only available to those of higher wealth and standing, the Essencian Philharmonic Society faced shrinking popularity from Vanguardist inspired policies. Access to their performances became more widespread with the adoption of gramophones, and later radio, which exposed it to the population. Supporters and members of the Philharmonic Society continue to exist in the modern UEPR as the political pressure has long since dissipated. During Imperial times, Essencia possessed a multitude of musical inclinations. The ruling nobility were still inimical towards classical music, with proper orchestras or smaller sized performances of professional, classically trained musicians. Although a Peripheral, the country still produced its own musicians and composers of epic renown to rival any high-brow cultured First-World nation. The Essencian style became defined by the composer Yegorov’s stressful, bounding segments of hurried tension, and melancholic grief which linked to the nation’s cold climate and warlike history. Such a style is still alive today, maintained by the dedicated members of the Essencian Philharmonic Society.

#### Red Army Ensemble

The official military-sponsored band composed of members of the Red Army. The all-male ensemble performs at the highest levels of professionalism and quality, even gaining recognition abroad. Stemming from Revolutionary-era conscript amateurs, and the need for some entertainment during the violent fighting, the 5th Red Guards Division became known for their excellent cast of amateur performers in a few impromptu concerts during the war years. Army commanders saw the positive effect the band had on morale, and as soon as the situation was able to stabilize, arranged for the official creation of the 5th Red Guards Division Military Band, assigned to morale duties. Over the years, the band only grew in popularity and reputation, before separating from the 5th and drawing upon members of the whole Army. A shining example of a proletarian success story, professional and folk musicians keeping the proletarian spirit alive during the Revolution. The Ensemble is trained to perform all kinds of Essencian folk music, and modern revolutionary pieces as well, starring a few talented soloists alongside the choir ensemble, and the instrument orchestra. They frequently go on tour across the country, or record for state radio, being popular with men and women alike. They also frequently cooperate with other Essencian singers, and altogether are probably the most widespread and popular label in Essencia, given their prominent propaganda role.

#### Eaglewave

With the release of the popular alternate history novel Eagle's Grip, and its subsequent adaptations, also spawned a genre of music inspired from those featured in the film of the same name. Eaglewave is the term applied to music that closely follows the musical style and sound of the soundtrack of the Eagle's Grip motion picture, particularly that of the original wave of releases at the contemporary period. It is particularly notable for being the first true amateur, synth, and electronic musical movement in the Union of Essencian People's Republics, during a time when computer appliances became first widely available.

#### Hard Times

\*Hard Times\*, an Essencian amateur band releases "Coping and Seething", an immensely successful pop song which their album states is a comical address about the recent hardships of the liberalized Essencian society, particularly of those who have difficulty adjusting to the new way of life. The lyrics themselves are interpreted by the youth to be quite mean-spirited, and becomes a meme to mock people.

Its position at #1 on Essencian Top Charts coincides with several economic reports and news that the Empire of Masrell has been surpassed economically by several other powers, notably by the UEPR itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8MZBUoQt68

### Sumshar

#### Fear and Loathing

*Fear and Loathing* is a band originating the FRSS. Their music is unique compared to other bands, featuring heavy use of distorted electric guitars, rough sounding melodies that go from quiet to loud and a lack of singing because the songs are purely instrumental focused, unusual for the Sums who are more accustomed to up-beat, vocal heavy folk songs. Their music has been described as 'grimy' by critics, as their songs convey emotions of angst, depression and disassociation most commonly felt by the generation of Sumlings that grew up during the latter days of the Sumish Empire. Their debut album 'Brimstone' would be met with mixed review, as no one but the newer more younger generation, understood the emotions being conveyed in their songs. Nonetheless, FaL would continue to produce music, staying in the underground music scene with a highly loyal cult fanbase.

### Republic of Seas

Music has an important role in the Sea Nomad culture, prominent throughout the Republic of Seas and the Great Basin as a whole. They believe that playing songs is the most effective way of praying to the gods, a belief shared among numerous religious groups. Additionally the 3rd son or 2nd daughter of a family would traditionally become a musician, praying for their health, and remembering a long instrumental melody passed down by the family with a new note added each generation.

#### Noro Rasorin Festival

The **Rasorin Music Festival** (Ngara'omi: *Saganowitini Noro Rasorin*, lit. "Manatee Music Festival") is an annual music festival held in the waters of the Ngarapiti, upon a series of ships, with popular musicians from around the world showing up to perform. The festival was first held in [year], with a main performance by Soldiers Fighting Entropy, as well as many other performers from the Republic of Seas, Qao-la, and Lalamuf, among others.

#### Rinoro Sakindi

*Rinoro Sakindi* is an experimental composer and multi-instrumentalist from the Ngarapiti, highly influenced by the Sho'lekstran band Soldiers Fighting Entropy. He is best-known for his instrumental piece "Uncostly Avian", which became a major hit in the RoS and Piscis.