“Hollow Knight: Silksong” was one of the most highly-anticipated video games of the 2025, and it did not disappoint. IGN gave the game a 9/10, calling it an “unapologetically challenging sequel packed full of sharp platforming, enticing exploration, and nail-biting combat.” Its vibrant gameplay and scenery was equalled by its music.
“Cogwork Dancers” stands out as a masterful example of composer and sound designer Christopher Larkin, who also worked on the original “Hollow Knight.” The piece serves as the soundtrack during the boss fight against its namesake, the Cogwork Dancers. The battle is set inside the Choral Chambers of The Citadel and immediately sets the mood for the epic clash.
Larkin uses light percussion to evoke mechanical precision, matching the boss fight scenery of cogs on the wall and resembling a music box’s innards. Swirling strings further elicit a ballet-like feel. The left-hand accompaniment adds to the dance by playing a bass note followed by three quarter-note chords. This gives a strong downbeat to each measure, which is found in many traditional dance styles.
Aside from setting the feel, Larkin tells an entire story with “Cogwork Dancers.” The battle involves two identical enemies who work in tandem by attacking in a choreographed style. Larkin’s composition begins with a gentle, innocent, almost child-like motif. However, the intensity builds as the battle progresses.
After each phase, the dancers reset and return much faster. Similarly, the music becomes much more urgent with louder dynamics and a faster tempo. That is, until you break up the duo.
“After you’ve dispatched one of the dancers, the remaining dancer performs its moves slowly, meekly,” Matt French of Sputnik Music explains. “The song gets stripped back to a rudimentary music box about to wind down. It’s a resignation, and one of the sadder moments in the game, even if you don’t fully understand the lore behind it. Larkin’s ability to articulate the feelings these spaces and interactions are meant to evoke is nothing short of masterful, and the Silksong OST excels at subtly guiding player emotions like this.”
Get the full scope of the song in context with this play through of the Cogwork Dancers boss fight from “Hollow Knight: Silksong”:
Larkin arranged “Cogwork Dancers” for a full orchestral sound, but it also works wonderfully as a piano cover. Here, YouTuber Svleaf proves just that. They perfectly capture the opening theme by using short, staccato notes that add a dance-y bounce. They also build upon the drama by expanding the arrangement throughout the song. As one commenter pointed out, Svleaf puts the icing on the cake by playing the last theme with just the right hand to mimic the lonesome ending to the battle.
Now it’s your turn! Check out the sheet music for “Cogwork Dancers” from “Hollow Knight: Silksong” and play along:
