The reason "a town with an ocean view midi" has transcended its original purpose is that it creates a world that doesn't exist. The MIDI format strips away reality. You don't hear a violinist's rosin; you hear a digital simulation of a violinist. You don't hear a real accordion; you hear a math equation playing a wave cycle.
These genres often heavily sample or manipulate nostalgic MIDI sounds, including coastal themes, to evoke a sense of digital haunting or longing.
Joe Hisaishi’s music relies on rubato —the subtle speeding up and slowing down of a phrase. Manually draw a slight tempo dip at the end of musical phrases to create a breathing, emotional effect.