Firstly, make music last longer, and add more songs! Especially revamped versions of legacy music. ESPECIALLY RESTING.MID!
Secondly, for a while, I've had an idea that various things should effect hidden "atmosphere" counters, which would make certain songs play.
For example, meet an unknown person with a bearcape and a weapon? The "fear" atmosphere counter ticks up, giving more chance for spooky songs to play.
Return to your own claim, or see someone you know? The "comfy" atmosphere ticks up, and appropriate songs play.
Atmospheres I've thought of so far:
Mystery - Raised by being in a forest, seeing a dryad, seeing an unknown person without "intimidating" gear, or finding unclaimed buildings and ruins. More buildings make the counter go higher, so finding a random kiln by a clay spot isn't that mysterious to the character.
Comfy - Entering a claim owned by you or a friend, being with friends, being near a campfire, eating (feasting gives more), fishing.
Fear - Meeting an unknown person with intimidating gear, being aggroed by anything, less than a quarter health.
Adventure - Entering a new biome, Walking (walking longer makes it tick higher), maybe something else?
Desolate - Being in a mountain, or in an area with very few objects, or somewhere else lonely.
Music types I've thought of so far:
Mystery - Like that one harp (?) song that's already in the game. Quiet flowy music, or plucky curious strings.
Comfy - Like chr.mid, cmb.mid and fishing.mid.
Fear - Bangy drums, shrill violins, what you'd expect from scary music. Maybe screaming.
Adventure - Sometimes like that tin whistle song that's already in the game, and sometimes a mixture between Mystery and Comfy.
Desolate - Wind. Hollow, lonely sounds. Only one or two tracks at a time.
Of course, there would be more conditions to raise atmospheres than I've listed, I can't think of every possibility.
Whatcha think?