Niamos!
| "Niamos!" (Morlana Club Mix Galaxy Mix Coruscant Lounge Mix Brasso Chandrilan Club Mix) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song | |
| from the album Andor (soundtrack) Andor: Season 2 (soundtrack) | |
| Released | October 21, 2022 |
| Genre | Synth-pop |
| Label | Disney |
| Songwriters | Nicholas Britell Brandon Roberts (Brasso and Chandrilan Club Mix) |
Niamos! is a synth-pop song from the soundtrack of the Star Wars television series Andor. The track appears several times across the episodes in different mixes,[1] one alternatively titled Brasso.[2] The track was composed by Nicholas Britell for the first season[1] and remixed by Brandon Roberts for the second.[3] Britell previously soundtracked Succession.[4] Roberts' remix in season 2 for the scene of Mon Mothma dancing wildly to the track went viral.[5]
Appearances
[edit]"Niamos!" first appears in the opening scene of episode one as diagetic music, where the title character Cassian Andor visits a nightclub brothel on the planet Morlana One. The track "Morlana Drop" also plays.[6] The Morlana Club Mix, which appears on volume one of the Andor soundtrack has an industrial sound.[1] It next appears, "slowed down and warped",[7] as background music at the Chandrilan embassy on the Imperial planet Coruscant, where Senator Mon Mothma first involves her childhood friend Tay Kolma in financing the rebellion.[8] It is next heard during an aerial shot introducing Cassian's visit in episode seven, "Announcement", to the resort planet Niamos, the track name's origin and referred to by fans as "Space Miami" and "Venice Beach Planet".[1] This is the "Galaxy Mix".[6]
In the season 2 episode "Harvest", a "party banger"[1] EDM[9] remix with techno beats[10] is again diagetically played, this time by a speaker droid - a hovering "disco ball"[11] - at the wedding on Chandrila of Mothma's daughter. The wedding crowd dances in a loose choreography and periodically chants "Niamos".[12]
This is a pivotal scene where the nascent rebellion against the Empire is moving from an idea to a reality[13] and beginning to have serious personal consequences for Mothma[1]: marrying off her daughter to the son of a disreputable financer and realising that Kolma is about to be assassinated to keep him from revealing Mothma's rebel involvement[1] after he tried to blackmail her.[9][5] Mothma looks behind herself in misery, before drunkenly dancing ferociously to the music,[1] physically showing her internal chaos[9] and impressing or unnerving her husband[1][4] in a "powerfully tragic sequence".[11] Mothma actor Genevieve O'Reilly described the scene as a "crescendo",[14] saying, "Perhaps from the outside it looks like this beautiful Renaissance painting moment, but actually it's a woman trying to exorcize the chaos that's in her brain ... she's dancing to keep herself from screaming."[4] The music is used to tie storylines together:[15] it continues to play as the scene intercuts with Cassian failing to save his friend Brasso from Imperial forces, Mothma's cousin Vel watching her former girlfriend Cinta flying away with Kolma to his death,[4] and Bix fighting off attempted rape by an Imperial officer.[9] The celebratory sounding music is a dark, dramatic irony, with Mothma's dancing also contrasting with the "thousand-yard stares" of the characters fleeing Mina-Rau in Cassian's stolen TIE fighter.[9][15]
It last appears as elevator music in a hospital on Coruscant.[8]
In-universe
[edit]In-universe, "Niamos!" is a Top 40[16] galactic hit,[11][17][6] equivalent to the real-world hit "Macarena",[18] making the Star Wars universe "feel more real and fleshed-out",[12] with the wedding mix the version that fills dance floors.[14][15] Slash Film commented that "Having "Niamos!" be a song that's just as popular on the titular Outer Rim planet as it is on Chandrila in the Core Worlds is a fantastic way of connecting the vastly distant locales of the galaxy far, far away."[19]
Composition
[edit]Show creator Tony Gilroy said the song was initially written by Britell for the episode introducing the planet Niamos, saying "Let's have something Miami". It was then remixed for other episodes, including by Brandon Roberts for the wedding scene.[3] Britell's recollection was first scoring the piece for the Morlana club scene, along with shorter diagetic pieces, to give an "intensity and grittiness", and later choosing it for the "party planet" Niamos flyover.[6] Roberts described Brittell's "lilting melody" as having a wobbling and uncanny theremin-like quality.[5] Roberts took over scoring from Britell for season two[20] after Britell's father died and due to scheduling problems.[21] Because they found it difficult to find music for the show, Britell decided to remix the music in the background for the opening brothel scene.[7] They used its appearances as "little Easter eggs".[6]
Gilroy realised the song was "a big wraparound that sort of ties everything together" and decided to use a "real hardcore Tarzana, California, EDM mix" in the climactic wedding scene.[22] Roberts aimed to "hype it up [with] everything from percussion to synthesized elements to changing the actual balance of things."[5] Gilroy described timing the song and its beats so that it fitted the rhythm of the scene,[22] trying several different edits.[16] The narrative arc it plays over lasts at least 15 minutes and they needed to "field test" that the track could carry the scene.[18][15]
Analysis
[edit]The Bryant Review identified "Niamos!" as a leitmotif of change as each portrayed character is drawn deeper into the Rebellion.[8] Similarly, the British Fantasy Society commented on the song "winding like a snake" through the series.[23] Collider said "Niamos!" is an "anthem to decadence" in its use on its namesake planet, the enjoyment of the resort goers juxtaposed with Imperial oppression;[1] Polygon said of the wedding scene that "'Niamos!' here isn't being used for freewheeling club bacchanalia, at least not for Mon".[24] Both in "Announcement" and "Harvest", "Niamos!" is used to signal a major shift for the characters.[1] Vulture called its use in the wedding scene "the dramatic highlight of the episode".[16] ScreenRant said the wedding music was a "very fun callback" to the use in the first season.[11]
The use of synth-pop and diagetic music was noted in comparison to the usual orchestral music of Star Wars[1] and the "brassy, vaguely spacey faux-jazz" of the Max Rebo Band (canonically known as Jizz),[25] alongside other diagetic music in the series such as the funeral march on Ferrix.[23]
Release and reception
[edit]On the season one soundtrack - released in October 2022 - alongside the "Morlana Club Mix", two more mixes appear: the "Coruscant Lounge Mix" and the "Galaxy Mix".[9] Before the Chandrilan wedding version, the "Morlana Club Mix" was the most popular.[20] Entertainment Weekly rated that mix as the 11th best piece of Star Wars music in 2023, "its first danceable club track".[26] Polygon said its "thumping synths and piercing, discordant melodies" were "the song of the year... a barn-burner".[27] Gizmodo said it has a "hypnotic beat".[25] Vulture called it the "space equivalent of Daft Punk", saying it "instantly entered into the pantheon of my all-time favorite songs to request the DJ play".[28] A lofi version was released by Disney on YouTube in May 2024.[29]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 One Hour of Dancing Mon Mothma | Andor Season 2 | Disney+ presents Mothma dancing to the song as an hour-long loop, YouTube video from Star Wars' channel |
The Chandrilan wedding mix proved popular among fans. The initially released official version was only 1:13 long and a musician called Jeremy Brauns released a four-minute version on YouTube and Spotify in April 2025.[10] Shortly after, Disney released an hour-long loop of Mothma dancing to "Niamos!" on the Star Wars YouTube channel, receiving 200,000 views on the first day.[30] Jason Kottke compared it to a similar loop of Marvel character Zemo dancing and noted fan punning, like "Many Bothans died to bring us this beat" and "Sir, we have located the Rebel bass".[31] Gizmodo called the wedding version "one of the show’s breakout cultural moments."[32] Vanity Fair said it is an "unexpected anthem".[5]
The wedding version is also known as "Brasso", after the character whose death it plays over.[2] The "Brasso" version on the season two soundtrack, released on Spotify and iTunes,[20] includes an orchestral buildup to the main track.[33] Gilroy said in May 2025 that he wanted to release the audio files (stems) to allow fan remixes.[22][34] A full "Chandrilan Club Mix", without the orchestral introduction and including the "Ni-a-mos" shout, was released on YouTube in June 2025.[33][32] Many remixes and memes were shared on social media of other people "spiraling out" to the music and of Mothma dancing to other tracks, which were officially welcomed: "Rather than dispatching a fleet of copyright takedowns, Lucasfilm has embraced the remixes and homages." The crew and actors shared them with each other.[5]
All music is composed by Nicholas Britell.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 3. | "Niamos! (Morlana Club Mix)" | 1:42 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Niamos! (Coruscant Lounge Mix)" | 2:27 |
| 19. | "Niamos! (Galaxy Mix)" | 1:08 |
All music is composed by Brandon Roberts and Nicholas Britell.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 19. | "Brasso" | 2:58 |
| Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|
| "NIAMOS! (Chandrilian Club Mix)" | Nicholas Britell, Brandon Roberts | 4:15 |
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Bardini, Julio (24 April 2025). "That Chandrilan Wedding Banger in 'Andor' Season 2 Has a Deeper Meaning". Collider.
- 1 2 "Musical Montage: Brandon Roberts "Brasso"". EverythingAction. 25 April 2025.
- 1 2 Crossan, Ash; Danoff, Owen (25 April 2025). "Andor Creator & Cast Explain The Show's Themes Of Sacrifice: "We Should Have A Grief Counselor"". Screen Rant.
- 1 2 3 4 Collura, Scott (23 April 2025). "Somehow Andor's Mon Mothma Is Now One of the Greatest Star Wars Characters Ever". IGN.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Breznican, Anthony (9 June 2025). "Mon Mothma's Andor Wedding Death-Dance Is the Song of Summer". Vanity Fair.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Hadadi, Roxana (24 November 2022). "Nicholas Britell Made Andor Sound Nothing Like Star Wars". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2022-11-24.
- 1 2 Tony Gilroy Discusses How The Niamos Theme Got A Tarzana EDM Remix For Andor Season 2. ScreenRant Plus. YouTube. 25 April 2025.
- 1 2 3 Bryant, Gardiner (19 May 2025). "The hidden leitmotif of Andor (and what it means)". The Bryant Review.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Taylor, Chris (22 April 2025). "Mon Mothma dancing in 'Andor' is the meme we need now". Mashable.
- 1 2 Aschenbrenner, Vali (26 April 2025). "Ihr wollt raven wie Mon Mothma? Den besten Song aus Andor gibt's dank einem Fan jetzt auf YouTube". GameStar (in German).
- 1 2 3 4 Erdmann, Kevin (28 April 2025). "Star Wars' Best TV Show Is Back: 10 Times Andor Season 2's First Three Episodes Absolutely Blew My Mind". Screen Rant.
- 1 2 Hein, Michael (24 April 2025). "Andor Season 2 Just Confirmed That the Star Wars Universe Has Its Own Pop-Music Bangers". ComicBook.com.
- ↑ Webb Mitovich, Matt (22 April 2025). "Andor Season 2: 'A Very Brutal Reality' Triggered Mon Mothma's Episode 3 'Chaos' Dance, Says Genevieve O'Reilly". TVLine.
- 1 2 Lenker, Maureen Lee (23 April 2025). "Genevieve O'Reilly explains Mon Mothma's wild Andor dancing: 'She's dancing to stop herself from screaming'". Entertainment Weekly.
- 1 2 3 4 Desowitz, Bill; O'Falt, Chris (25 April 2025). "'Andor' Used Season 1 Techno Hit To Get Mon Mothma Crying in the Club". IndieWire.
- 1 2 3 Motamayor, Rafael (23 June 2025). "The Sound of Andor's Success". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2025-06-23.
- ↑ Mathai, Jeremy (23 April 2025). "Andor Showrunner Tony Gilroy Explains The 'Big Galactic Hit' & The Wedding Scene Disco Droid [Exclusive Interview]". Slash Film.
- 1 2 Bennett, Tara (23 April 2025). "Andor Executive Producers Break Down the First Three Episodes of Season 2". Paste.
- ↑ Motamayor, Rafael (27 April 2025). "Andor Season 2's Catchy Wedding Song Raises Some Serious Questions". Slash Film.
- 1 2 3 Britt, Ryan (23 April 2025). "That Dance Song at the End of 'Andor' Episode 3 Is a New Remix of a Previous 'Star Wars' Banger". Men's Health.
- ↑ Davids, Brian (15 April 2025). "Andor' Creator Tony Gilroy Talks the Challenges of Following Up Season One's Rapturous Acclaim". The Hollywood Reporter.
- 1 2 3 Blevins, Adam; Weintraub, Steven (8 May 2025). ""I'm Trying To Get Permission": 'Andor's Creator Is Trying to Help Fans Remix an Iconic Season 2 Scene [Exclusive]". Collider.
- 1 2 Palmer, Matthew. "Stone and Sky: How Andor Made Star Wars Feel Real". The British Fantasy Society.
- ↑ Millman, Zosha (25 April 2025). "Andor's opulent wedding sequence mints a 'galactic hit' in Star Wars music". Polygon.
- 1 2 Whitbrook, James (21 October 2022). "Andor Just Dropped Its Fantastic Club Beat to Stream". Gizmodo.
- ↑ Coggan, Devan (19 May 2023). "The best Star Wars music, ranked". Entertainment Weekly.
- ↑ Millman, Zosha (21 October 2022). "Andor's absolute banger of a club track is a gift to all of us". Polygon.
- ↑ Salazar, Savannah (21 October 2022). "Nicholas Britell Dropped Andor's Hottest Track". Vulture. Archived from the original on 2022-10-21.
- ↑ Newbold, Mark (18 May 2024). "Star Wars Lofi: Lucky West – Niamos!". Fantha Tracks.
- ↑ Hopley, Alex (28 April 2025). "Disney has released an hour of Mon Mothma dancing from Andor Season 2". Gamereactor.
- ↑ Kottke, Jason (29 April 2025). "One Hour of Mon Mothma Dancing". kottke.org.
- 1 2 Whitbrook, James (9 June 2025). "Tony Gilroy Has Seen Your Mon Mothma Dance Remixes and Wants More". Gizmodo.
- 1 2 Mitchell, Maurice (6 June 2025). "The Complete "Andor" Mon Mothma Club Mix Is At Last Available". The Geek Twins.
- ↑ DeArmitt, Grant (5 June 2025). "Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy wants Disney to release the Star Wars Mon Mothma music just as badly as you do". Popverse.
External links
[edit]- Mixes of "Niamos!" from composer Nicholas Britell on YouTube: