[VGMC] Day 5! feat. Recollection, Remembrance, Recalling, and RAM

b10
Somnia Memorias
Tower of Memories

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Softbank

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Softbank

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group - Wow, vocals I actually LIKE? Amazing. This is so cheesy but I actually really enjoy it. The melody is so fun, the instrumentation is banger, and the vocals are actually on point (rare for vgm). It sounds like a very old anime show opening. Pretty cool! Special thanks to dowolf for providing the translations.

b10 - This has a relaxing yet intense vibe to it. Sounds like it would make for a cool addition to a futuristic soundscape.

Memories of Memories - My general thoughts on this are mostly the same as my thoughts on b10 except for the fact that this is a bit less intense. Very cool piece.

Somnia Memorias - Aw, man. I usually like Shimomura's music, but this just isn't cutting it for me. The vocals make me squirm; I just really can't stand them.

I will say, though, ironically enough, this song reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of vgm ever: Suna Gin from Aka. This is not only because it has vocals but because the instrumentation at 2:00 in particular sounds very similar to the aforementioned song's instrumental section. So that's cool at least.

Tower of Memories - Hmm, not exactly my thing but it's interesting I suppose.

Softbank - Wow, the instrumentation here and the use of synths is phenomenal! The percussion is pretty great too. The song is a little all over the place, however, and I wish it had a clearer melody. Still a fascinating piece though.

Declaration > Softbank >= Memories of Memories > b10 >>>> Tower of Memories >>>Somnia Memorias

VOTES:
Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Memories of Memories
Softbank

b10
Memories of Memories
Softbank

Flipping in the tiebreaker because I like both songs close enough and would be happy with either winning. Declaration!s choral and spoken-word vocals, and the romantic interlude from 1:05-1:18, are so overdramatic they make marching off to war sound like fun.

Hydlide 3: The Space Memories (Sharp X1) - The Skyscraper. A song that would sound right at home piped through the speakers of an elevator chugging up past floor after floor.

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Softbank

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Memories of Memories
Softbank

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Softbank

Oh Somnia Memorias is very cool. Love the vocals in this one. Memories of Memories is a great ambient track that I'd have voted in plenty of other matches.

I have no idea what this instrument is supposed to be in Softbank but I like it a lot. (I mean I assume it's a synth of some sort but it sounds like a xylophone or something? idk) Very cool composition--exactly the right mix of melody and hectic-ness. Tower of Memories has some cool ideas, but parts of it just sound off to me in a way I don't really like. Like the dynamic balance is weird or something and causes your ear to focus on the wrong part of the song.

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Tower of Memories

RINNE - b10
Parasite Eve - Somnia Memorias
Aurora Memoria - Philosophical Data Session: 2093 - Softbank

MATCH 1

Memories of Memories is pretty nice! There's a section of my music tastes that really appreciates slow, chill songs like this. Though, I wouldn't say that Memories of Memories totally fits in the songs I like in that style. This song doesn't feel as engaging melodically as I'd like it to be. That said, it's still a good song!

Somnia Memorias is in this same camp. I like the vocals and acoustic guitar here! This match felt a bit closer when I was filling out the favorites bracket, but I'm more solidly feeling Somnia Memorias today.

MATCH 2

Tower of Memories is an interesting song. Most of it's not really my thing, to be honest, but that looping melody at 0:00 is very cool and definitely my favorite part of the song. I think I'd be inclined to take this song here if I liked the rest of the song as much, but unfortunately, I don't.

Softbank is pretty cool. Decent melody with some extra stuff in the background to spice things up. Definitely the more consistent song for me.

b10 > Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group > Softbank > Somnia Memorias > Memories of Memories > Tower of Memories

Edit: Huh, I'll Remember You has never been in a contest before. Maybe I should nominate it next year...

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Tower of Memories

Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Somnia Memorias
Softbank

From TunnelScene:

b10
Somnia Memorias (Parasite Eve)
Tower of Memories (Heaven Burns Red)

although i love the fez-adjacent style i never actually listened to this soundtrack in full or found time to play the game yet, but its clearly my sort of thing. very cool organic pads.

angklung time

I don't know how it took me so long to realize how profoundly entangled with my taste these slow pitch bends permeating the space are one of the most keystone elements of my taste, but they are. and this track integrates that beautifully. one of my very favorite discoveries of this year.

dv-i really is always on par with yack, though usually even more shiny and crystalline. that shines through hard here. great job. I wish i could vote for both of these.

b10
Memories of Memories
Softbank

Even more chill synths with Memories of Memories here! I like the echoey piano that's shown off here as well as the overall dreamy soundscape this has - there's been lots of that already so far, and it's only day 5! I've not heard (or played) much of this game's soundtrack just yet, though I think the only song I would prefer so far to this would be Redwood Colonnade in terms of vibes; still, I'd say this might be a close second for my preferences.

MAN, do I need to play Parasite Eve too? This is straight up an 2000's Latin pop song that would've blown up in certain niche groups overseas and you'd be VERY pleasantly surprised to hear it on an Latin-American station. The sound effects here are so cool and definitely have that "indie" feel to it in my head, they make for a good pause from the vocals. Speaking of, I do wish the vocalist sounded clearer to me; even if her pronunciation isn't the best, I still want to hear her try to speak the native tongue I grew up with. Any effort is good effort!

Tower of Memories is kinda cool, I like the softer synths and the weird, harsh industrial rhythm this is going for. I think this might've been what I was looking for with the concept of Burning, Churning Power Plant?

DV-i time! God, I really like it when she pops up, I've fallen in love with her "fun futuristic synth" style. Said synths are somehow crystalline and bubbly in this song with a nice breakbeat rhythm in the background, how could I not love this?

Tiebreaker:
Y'know, maybe b10 is more akin to Zelda mixed with Home Sweet Home from Beyond Good and Evil, I know this is some mixture of two really good songs with ethereal synths combined together. And I like it that way.

Sakura Wars - Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Parasite Eve - Somnia Memorias
Aurora Memoria - Philosophical Data Session: 2093 - Softbank

Sakura Wars - Declaration! Imperial Floral Assault Group
Parasite Eve - Somnia Memorias
Heaven Burns Red - Tower of Memories

This is the opposite of how I would expect me to vote if I were not me.