Lurker > rwlh

-hotdogturtle-- posted...

Did you notice how one of the instruments is a backwards piano sound?

Ooh, I did not notice that. That's really neat!

ELIMINATION 29/59: DeviDoesNothing
Average rating: 7.7
Average ranking: 2103
Your lucky song: Stonefly - Leaking Light
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyLoD3egO-I

42/1183
@-hotdogturtle--
We Love Katamari - Beautiful Star
Yu Miyake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UABf1vJGTs8

A really lovely piece that evokes the feeling of being young and in love. Beautiful Star has hella accordion and knows how to use it. The song ambles along in bursts and spurts, ebbs and flows. The whole thing is just marvelous to listen to. Its the highest 8 and not any higher because I dont ever really want to listen to it? As with several of the lower rankings, I can really respect what a song does while still not retaining the urge to feature it in on my regular rotation. But when I do listen to it, its so evocative

hotdogturtle started a Katamari song ranking topic, so if you like this (presumably it will be on their list), check out the rest:
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80733000

8.5/10

41/1172
@Waveshine_2001
Donkey Kong Country 2 - Forest Interlude
David Wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5EgRk0mQM8

Our only retiree nomination is the first 8.5 out. An SNES classic, Forest Interlude has a stellar melody, excellent bass and drumming, and those blissful environmental effects. Its funny featuring this right after Beautiful Star, because I feel like those two songs are cut from similar cloth, but I very clearly favor Forest Interlude. Its not quite at the level of Stickerbush Symphony or Donkey Kong Rescued, quite possibly my favorite DKC2 track, but its still really, really damn satisfying to listen to. This is Donkey Kong Country at its mellowest and simultaneously most engaging.

40/1134
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - Wrapped in Black
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/MlCK5RWO54E

My favorite of the Sonic Rush nominations, and I guess my favorite from the game, since I think Ive now heard most if not all of it. Naganumas sampling combined with funk is at its zenith here, creating a whole world unto itself; here we see a master at the peak of his powers. Theres a reason this is the Sonic Rush song that keeps making the rounds (at least that I can see). DeviDoesNothing tried to metagame with my criteria. However, Naganuma alone isnt enough to win the list.

right?

39/1130
@Snake5555555555
Who's Lila? - Steam Melody
Garage Heathen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPT5aLLHPqg

This song is like the bizarro counterpart of the jazz club as seen in The Red Strings Club (#271). Where this song succeeds for me and that song didnt is the overall atmosphere. Steam Melody isnt content to exist in a jazz club. Its like a hell dimension jazz club, where everything feels off. The sax is off, the keyboard is off, the floaty, ethereal melody is off. Real uncanny valley stuff, yet this is the kind of music AI could truly never hope to replicate. What does a machine know of existential despair?

Koji Kondon't forget to vote in this!

1. Closer
2. Heresy
3. Mr. Self Destruct
4. March of the Pigs
5. Ruiner
6. I Do Not Want This
7. Reptile
8. Big Man With a Gun
9. Hurt
10. The Becoming
11. Eraser
12. Piggy
13. The Downward Spiral
14. A Warm Place

This seems right.

An interesting album. It took a second listen for it to click. Hurt is a curious song. I didn't enjoy it (not because of the challenging subject matter, it just didn't click with me as a song), but it was still compelling.

ELIMINATION 31/59: UF8
Average rating: 7.4
Average ranking: 2431
Your lucky song: Thousand Memories - Lord of the Returners
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1T4nEadUE

ELIMINATION 30/59: Bane_Of_Despair
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 3172
Your lucky song: Chicory: A Colorful Tale - Wielder Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrBvPtVHxmU

Thank you both for nominating!

46/1263
@azuarc
Turbo Outrun (C64) - Intro Main Theme
Jeroen Tel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hi0LJ_cVQs

Clocking in at over eight minutes, this is partially an arrangement of the classic Magical Sound Shower from the original Outrun for arcades. Jeroen Tels version goes to magical places (no pun intended...maybe), using the original as a springboard for other musical ideas. 1:55 gives us a totally new melody, with C64-style wave and screeching tire sound effects and Tels Yeah! that also shows up in some of his other work. Theres some record scratching and then it shifts into this heavenly melody that evokes some of Martin Galways work. The whole thing feels very ahead of its time, at least by vgm standards.

45/1245
@UF8
Azur Lane - Inochi
Osamu Sena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VQx0MtsvSQ

This song has a nice, soothing voice juxtaposed with a rock background. The singer is sweet but experienced; she knows secrets about life and she wants to communicate them. Maybe to you? If youll listen, sure. If not, no problem. I like the rock elements. Normally I can take or leave rock, especially in an animesque song like this, but here it works really well.

44/1215
@Bane_Of_Despair
Undertale - Core
Toby Fox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDuEWw648jo

One of the things I like about songs (vgm specifically) is when a song has force behind it, when you can feel the energy of the song pushing you in a direction. In Core, I get the sense that this is a story of climax and finality. I love how the second half of the song is basically the first half with more layers, which echoes the idea that youre growing and coming to a journey thats as much about personal growth as it is external growth.

43/1204
@Collen
The Jackbox Party Pack 10 - Fixytext: Menu
Kelly Shuda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuFlSrHPW7w

For a nine-minute-long ambient song, I dont really have a lot to say about this one. Some of the long stretches dont hold my interest as much, but then there are parts that are achingly beautiful; those are the parts stick out to me and justify the songs high placement. The song is pretty minimalist, with glitchy bits like stuttering and overly held notes. As with Torvus Bog, this is a great song to put on in the background and let your mind wander.

Nice job finishing this! Ranking topics can be a slog to run/write, especially in the middle section, but it seems like you really had fun with it.

Paratroopa1 posted...

My hot take is that the three most iconic pieces of vgm are the Overworld theme from SMB, the Underground theme from SMB, and the Underwater theme from SMB

Assuming they count, I would put the death theme and the game over theme over the underwater theme.

ELIMINATION 34/59: Revolver
Average rating: 6.8
Average ranking: 3155
Your lucky song: Contact - Free Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4swxdYb5u0

ELIMINATION 33/59: TunnelScene
Average rating: 7.5
Average ranking: 2420
Your lucky song: REFLEC BEAT groovin'!! - Avalon no oka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrPoROVMuzE

ELIMINATION 32/59: andylt
Average rating: 6.7
Average ranking: 3568
Your lucky song: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Alicorn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZbWHIPMjqM

Thank you all for nominating!

Welcome back! Much fewer writeups per day from here on out. Enjoy~

-

50/1383
Revolver
Mary Skelter 2 - Rave of Nightmare
Toshimichi Isoe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBkbmFqYSZ4

Apparently this is some sort of meme song? I had no idea, but I also didnt pick up on the loli bait song either. Rave of Nightmare gets this high exclusively on these fucking disgusting bursts of glitch throughout the song. I swear one has to last at least ten seconds. Every time I listen Im just blown away by how they long and unpleasant they are. Im thrust into an immediate state of disarray as a result. I love that. The rest of the song iswell, who cares about the rest of the song when I have delicious evil, awful glitch to sink my teeth into

49/1295
@TunnelScene
Super Producers - Protocol
Hidenobu Otsuki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7_iTlcNk4w

Ah yes, the legendary combination of factory noises and telephone noises. Both audio effects are put to good use in this song, which heavily uses industrial percussion and nifty drum work and pairs it along with some kind of dial-up modem sound. The piston sounds are especially effective. Instead of building to the loop point (actually Im not even sure if it loops, I think it does), its actually very consistent throughout. A nice collection of things I said I liked in music, very tailored to my taste.

48/1289
@skulltrumpets
Napple Tale - The Snow Queen
Yoko Kanno
https://youtu.be/l0WS1vR_K2w?si=ApZKpyK2kTcdBvYQ

And now for something completely different! With violins and castanets, Yoko Kanno makes her grand appearance on the stage. This feels like abolero? I guess? For a song called The Snow Queen, theres a lot of heat and warmth lush, open strings, a frisky guitar, and those pesky dancing castanets. I placed this one high partially on principle because its a song I just think is great even if Im less inclined to come back to it, but listening to it now it just feels good to listen to, which is what I mean by heat and warmth.

47/1286
@andylt
Final Fantasy VII - The Chase
Nobuo Uematsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FYsl5sQj4I

Only andy took me up on the bait I laid out in the OP regarding Final Fantasy VII (fewer spreadsheet entries than Friday Night Funkin, and I got five of those!). The Chase is a song Id never heard before. I really like the FF7 sound; those warbly samples all throughout The Chase are a surefire crowd pleaser. The bells featured in other FF7 songs like Jenova Absolute (a 10!) also blend well with the tense atmosphere. Good stuff!

I wonder who voted for Sweden.

FL81 posted...

#1 is Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme
#2 is Legend of Zelda - Overworld

so #3 probably has to be Tetris - Type A

But Zelda Overworld is in the poll...!

koji kondo with the 1-2 punch

foolm0r0n posted...

Tetris A

That's number 2!

I love AI[UE]OON! It's nestled between 65th and 66th place in this ranking. I'll listen to the other song at some point (as usual bug me if I don't).

Writeups will resume sometime in the next days. I will probably be posting fewer writeups per day from here on, so if you were put off from following along by the rapid pace, you may be in luck!

Rugrats
SpongeBob SquarePants
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Loud House

Oh cool. I don't know anything about Guilty Gear lore.

Off I go, play nice while I'm gone!

Not_an_Owl posted...

Daisuke included a musical throwback between these two - the guitar riff that appears at 1:36 and 3:15 in Roar of the Spark comes directly from Holy Orders (first appearing at 0:16). To the best of my knowledge none of rest of the Strive soundtrack includes this sort of thematic link; it's just a fun little nod to the series's history.

Neat! It sounds more like Awe of She to me, but I can hear it if I listen carefully.

One more bump before I leave.

We have reached the top 50! Big congrats to everyone who made it this far!

First off: apologies if you think Ive been moving too fast in the topic. The whole reason for my speed is that Im going away for the rest of the week, and I wanted to leave off on a big, important number. The top 50 sounds better than the top 65. I wont be back until Sunday, so you all have plenty of time to catch up on the songs (playlist got buried but its here if you want it: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9FyX-bNcVjNDqgefrKF0BsrsFvAIzVp1). Feel free also to discuss, predict, commiserate, or hold out hope, in whatever order you see fit.

These are the top 50 songs from my 2024 VGM ranking topic:
The Disappearing of Gensokyo - Far Oriental Resonance
Alwa's Legacy - Rose Garden
Azur Lane - Inochi
Billie Bust Up! - A Million Gruesome Ways To Die
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - GET ENUF
Bully - Art Class
Caves of Qud - Golgotha
Cyberpunk 2077 - You Shall Never Have To Forgive Me Again
Donk! The Samurai Duck - Main Title
Donkey Kong Country 2 - Forest Interlude
Feeble Light - Black Holes
Final Fantasy VII - The Chase
Friday Night Funkin' Tricky Mod - Expurgation
Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Amiga) - Title Theme
Guwange - Underworld Cherry Blossoms
Hardcore Pinball - Retro Table
Heaven Burns Red - Tower of Memories
ICO - Castle in the Mist
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Factory Inspection
Kirby's Dream Land 3 - Pop Star
Last Command - Judgement.exe
Left 4 Dead 2 - Swamp Fever Horde Theme
Lobotomy Corporation - Neutral03
Mad Rat Dead - MAD RAT, DIE
maimai DX BUDDiES - raputa
Mary Skelter 2 - Rave of Nightmare
Minecraft - The End
Napple Tale - The Snow Queen
Path of the Abyss - Lightning Strike - -
Path of the Abyss - Warcry - -
Phantasy Star Online 2 - BATALLURA
Pokemon Platinum - Battle Factory
Pork - Boss
Sakura no Uta - Tenkyuu no Shita no Kiseki
Shadows of Cairn - The Thief
Silent Hill 2 - Blank Fairy
Sonic Rush - Wrapped in Black
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Splattack! (Octo)
Super Producers - Protocol
Tarot Mystery - What is Your Birthday
The Jackbox Party Pack 10 - Fixytext: Menu
The Medium - The Ruins
Tribal Hunter - Dance of Wind
Turbo Outrun (C64) - Intro Main Theme
Undertale - Core
Void Stranger - Voided
Wario Land 4 - Tomorrow's Blood Pressure
We Love Katamari - Beautiful Star
Who's Lila? - Steam Melody
Yoshi's New Island - Title Screen

This is everyone who still has skin in the game. If you want more specifics, check the spreadsheet.

3 songs:
azuarc
Collen
FL81
skulltrumpets

2 songs:
-hotdogturtle--
dowolf
Isquen
KecleonFan352
Prince46
Snake5555555555
Waveshine_2001
Xtlm

1 song:
-Chaos-Zero-
andylt
Bane_Of_Despair
bea
cakophon
DanKirby
DeadTaffer
DeviDoesNothing
Disillusion
failgirlema
Haste_2
JONA
loweffortmemes
MaxGalactica
Not_an_Owl
Paratroopa1
Prody_Parrot
Revolver
sergiocornaga
Tked
TunnelScene
UF8

-

Thanks for following along so far. See you in a few days!

ELIMINATION 36/59: handsomeboy2012
Average rating: 6.5
Average ranking: 3653
Your lucky song: Pinball Dreams - Light of Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dErnfo6eyew

ELIMINATION 35/59: xx521xx
Average rating: 7
Average ranking: 2969
Your lucky song: Ragnarok Online - Not So Far Away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDkdyEWQY3U

Thank you both for nominating!

Last five for the night - sorry for all the writeups, I'll explain why after this!

-

55/1613
@Disillusion
Rose Guns Days - Seedy Prayer
xaki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7TjJb8ci8A

EVIL JAZZ lets go. That horn is cutting a wide swath of terror across the whole song, buffeted along by the drumwork. This doesnt quite feel like a live recording, yet everything works together to create a dense, oppressive sense of sound. I didnt realize this was xaki at first but I can hear some of his compositional hallmarks on closer notice.

54/1608
@Tked
ESPKetsuda - Stage 4
trap15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfOixtwcW2M

This is another qualifier for weirdest song in the ranking. My understanding is this is a mixture of the soundtracks for ESPGaluda and Ketsuibut that doesnt account for how off-key everything sounds. I honestly thought this was corrupted audio at first, and I still sort of think that. My initial note for this was turn off the alarm Mom, youre drunk, which I stand by. This song is an assault. I love that.

53/1582
@UF8
Karaoke JOYSOUND - Watashi Ronri
Kanzakiiori arr. HIdeki Ataka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6wEJLnNxMs

I love this vtubers voice. Its very smoky. She sounds like shes just run up a flight of stairs! It melds perfectly with the rest of the song, which is another lonely/wistful vtuber experience (its even in the title). I enjoy the little bits of English she peppers (dont stop, lets go, baby youre number one). I think I genuinely enjoy the little genre of songs that sound like walking down a city street at night, alone, thinking about how Id rather be anywhere else, and nowhere else, at the same time.

52/1425
@handsomeboy2012
Old School Runescape - The Militia
Adam Bond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxdCXJxGwJ8

These Runescape songs were a nice surprise, particularly this one, which goes beyond the standard tinny MIDI sound (not that theres anything wrong with that) and coalesces into something a bit more epic sounding. A grand, sweeping melody, with flourishes like big timpani samples and string samples. The whole thing really comes together, particularly the end, with an extended outro. Really cool, thanks for sharing!

51/1395
@xx521xx
Bomberman Tournament - Dungeon
Koichi Seiyama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMqmG6tr_c

Pretty simple melody, and a very effective use of the Game Boy Advance soundchip. Ive said before that GBA samples can be hit-or-miss for me, but this track nails it. Theres even gasp a key change that I didnt dislike (maybe because it comes in the middle of the loop and not at the end?). I always like discovering new Bomberman music, so this was a nice find.

ELIMINATION 37/59: Kopazzynth
Average rating: 6.4
Average ranking: 3464
Your lucky song: Yume Nikki - Haunted Forest World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNR4F5qyEFI

Thank you for nominating!

60/1720
@Xtlm
Doom II - Running From Evil
Bobby Prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuHay9AIhPU

Eyyyyy a classic. Ive heard this before a bunch but never added it to my sheet. I love the build from the ominous bassline with the drums on the eighth note, to a bare-bones melody with some chords and a few twists and turns, then back to the bassline again, then to a big ol guitar solo. What a journey. I like this considerably more than At Dooms Gate.

59/1685
Revolver
Scarlet Nexus - Ensemble Curtain Call
Hayata Takeda, Masato Nakamura
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luaJe1K5Ma0

Its been a while since weve had a good evil laugh song. I am happy to provide you with this, which prominently features an evil laugh in the actual beat of the song. The song is very bouncy, very new jack swing. I do believe Rev found the perfect intersection of our taste, so good job to them for that . Side note: this is a song I had to relisten to all the way through during the writeup, thats how much I was enjoying it.

58/1677
@GameBopAdv
Die in the Dungeon - Be Queen
AFRODISIAQO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sskQo_LY824

The main melody feels pretty minimalist theres other stuff happening around it, such as what sounds like Velcro opening and closing, but the main sequence of slow, repeated notes is pretty minimalist. The song evokes very tactile sensations. Then it totally changes to something more fast-paced before turning back to the original pace. Fun song, would go on this journey again.

57/1676
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - Metal Scratchin'
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/oo9pylkO42w

Its been a while since weve had a good evil laugh song. I am happy to provide you with this, which prominently features an evil laugh in the actual beat of the song (2). This reminds me of the Naganuma classic Grace & Glory from Jet Set Radio: both are big, climactic songs, darker in presentation than his standard fare. Metal Scratchin also has a cute gerbil sound effect (or whatever that is), so thats a plus.

56/1666
@Not_an_Owl
Guilty Gear -Strive- - The Roar of the Spark
Daisuke Ishiwatari feat. NAOKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLu9KQ5rWvs

This one went up from 6 to 8! Pretty impressive. The Roar of the Spark is a typically hot-blooded number by NAOKI, working his incomprehensible singing magic. The guitar solo in this is really neat. Not much to really say about this one except that hard rock songs like this can be very take-or-leave for me, so Im glad I meshed with this one!

ELIMINATION 39/59: tgs2
Average rating: 5.9
Average ranking: 3832
Your lucky song: Lunistice - Forest (Melancholy)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ9XoO6G2Uk

ELIMINATION 38/59: Place
Average rating: 7.5
Average ranking: 2471
Your lucky song: Castlevania - Wicked Child
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byRbiPxNuA8

Thank you both for nominating!

edited in lucky songs

65/1859
@tgs2
Friday Night Funkin' Vs. Ace - Noreaster
Kamex
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WAkEqKhO3A

A super chill FNF song, way chiller than the other FNF noms for sure. I like the Ace songs Ive heard; Ace has nice vocals that mesh well with Boyfriends. The backing is also nicely downtempo. Unlike other fast-paced FNF songs, this feels less like a battle and more like a conversation. Why cant we just talk it out, everybody?

64/1840
@Isquen
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - Torvus Bog
Kenji Yamamoto
https://youtu.be/Eo_09MsIVno

Torvus Bog uses some of the niftier Metroid Prime sounds I can hear Tallon Overworld mixed in a few places. The song is mostly nice ambience combined with a few parts that legit give me chills. 2:15 is especially great with how it switches to a slightly different melody. More than most other nominations this is what Id call background music, but theres nothing wrong with that at all. Ive put this on a few times already as Ive done other things and its always enhanced the experience.

63/1815
@Snake5555555555
Resident Evil 4 - Regenerador
Shusaku Uchiyama, Misao Senbongi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x36KdrjIio4

Now we get into some spooky/evil horror ambience. I tend to like this stuff significantly more than the average person here! This is a super short song, just under a minute, but its very effective at conveying a mood. The dull clangs and panning create a sense of claustrophobia. There isnt any melody to speak of; the effect is dizzying, like something unknown and horrible could happen to you at any moment. Thats good horror ambience!

62/1795
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - Bomber Barbara
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/L4KIxqTYGGI

This is the only Sonic Rush nomination I didnt know before, and its quite the treat! Naganumas sample mastery is on full display; I dont know what any of the vocal clips are saying but they add an energy to the mix thats just off enough to make the rest of the song uneasy. This feels like the theme for a final stage of some sort.

61/1774
@Place
Gunmetal - Nataflbrqzka
Keith Gillard, Craig Joseph Huxtable
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAxqE0Xp9Ok

This is in contention for weirdest song of the ranking. I said that before, sort of, but its true here too (more than one song can be in contention!). It starts out relatively conventional, with a funky groove, but there are these long stutters and a huge burst of feedback starting at 2:05. Then at 2:30 it completely changes! Now its like being played backwards or some shit. Then at 2:55 its totally different again. Now it fully embraces its weirdness. Theres overt glitchiness and high-pitched beeping and all sorts of things that the average listener might find unpleasant. All throughout Im kept on my toes, wondering whats going to happen next. Its an experience only a few songs have managed to simulate for me in this ranking, so even though its just shy of the top 60, I have to salute it.

Pleasantly surprised that the rap song was my highest nomination. Glad some of what I nominated resonated with you!

Faade

The Rushmore is just the two people from Faade arguing with each other. That's my vote

ELIMINATION 40/59: Anagram
Average rating: 6.4
Average ranking: 3375
Your lucky song: Suikoden II - La Mia Tristezza
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnm7jfD8BHo

Thank you for nominating!

Hey, five is better than zero, right?

-

70/1949
@MaxGalactica
inMomentum - Kinetica
Gareth Coker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyDngP0bJwU

A very uplifting song. Coker is really light on his feet here, dancing around with this joyous melody. This is one of the happiest songs in the ranking, and like all happy things, it comes tinged with sadness, or at least melancholy. Its another song that exists for me at the boundary of two seemingly competing emotions. Very impressive effort.

69/1937
@Disillusion
Kirby Air Ride - Sky Sands
Shogo Sakai, Tadashi Ikegami, Jun Ishikawa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TL6CqvvEAM

Speaking of weirdly sad songs, Sky Sands (woo alliteration) is both sad and haunting. Nothing happy here! I dont know what the context is in the actual game, but Im picturing traveling through an abandoned city, or even an abandoned civilization. Kirby games often have these pieces that are super melancholy and achingly beautiful at the same time.

68/1930
MaxGalactica
ESC - Machbeats
Lena Raine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVmL3-jfmYk

Sorry for double drop This is Lena Raine as Ive never heard her before, in full glitch mode. Many listeners would probably find this repellent, with all the crackling and glitching. It feels like the electronic version of mouth noises on a vocal track, very up close and unpleasant. But I really like it! The whole song sounds intimate, despite its electronic origins.

67/1914
@Anagram
Your Turn to Die - Kaisou
Nankidai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXFxUglf7Ck

This is my favorite of the YTTD songs, or at least its the one that wound up ranked the highest I feel like these songs are a little interchangeable and dependent on my mood when I listen to them. But theyre all pretty great! This one has percussion that sounds like a clock, so naturally Id put it in first~

66/1902
@Haste_2
Theresa - that goat only respects one man
I uh think this is zan-zan-zawa-veia
https://youtu.be/DREhTriwdI8?si=WdWcgPLJDJg-VAnb

I really like everything about this one. The off-kilter melody, the off-putting synths, the squeaking, the factory-esque background shuffling, and especially the cut up vocal samples. This is a song with immense character. I feel like this could fit right in on the GiFTPiA soundtrack, which is a huge compliment! I think this game, whatever it might be, got into a BOST some years back and I didnt pay it much mind. Now I kind of regret that

Can it be, a day without writeups?!

sergiocornaga posted...

Can I request in advance that I also get the song directly above my highest ranking song (my 'unlucky' song)?

Sure!

Arti posted...

funny that my lucky song is actually my own upload

That's why I added LOL, yeah.

ELIMINATION 42/59: GavsEvans123
Average rating: 5.4
Average ranking: 4415
Your lucky song: Etrian Odyssey IV - Labyrinth V - Forgotten Capital
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZzU1Z2y5A0

ELIMINATION 41/59: Arti
Average rating: 6
Average ranking: 4033
Your lucky song: Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland - Dark Domain (LOL)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X21ig41AFe4

Thank you both for nominating!

75/1998
@JONA
REFLEC BEAT limelight - Last Hometown
Naoyuki Sato
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQJ8N8DZjQ4

Top 2000!!!!!!!

You know, I dont think I stipulated that I loved Nekomata Master, yet I was given at least three songs by him. Do you all just know me that well? Last Hometown is quintessential Nekomata: world music vibes, feels like its being performed by a bunch of people dancing in a circle, etc. Ive said this before about his music but an average Nekomata song is like a 7.5; this doesnt break any new ground but its very enjoyable.

74/1994
@Prody_Parrot
Taiko no Tatsujin: Nijiiro Version - Ka
LeaF
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOU0V2kpUI

This song exemplifies the trait of I have no idea whats going to happen next. Ka is glitchy. Not just glitchy it cycles through glitch and more standard fare, though even the more standard stuff is still amelodic and weird. The repeated breathing noises are terrific. I know I said I dont watch the videos when I listen to music on YouTube, but check out this video: it perfectly goes with the song. I think I understand the songs intent after watching it in a truly profound way.

73/1990
@GavsEvans123
Crash Team Racing Nitro Fuelled - Megamix Mania
Ashif Hakik arr. Nicolas Tremblay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT3l3g1Tj58

Of all the nominations, Megamix Mania was probably the biggest surprise. I really didnt like this song on the first loop I thought it was your standard cutesy platformer washed out guitar song, whatever that even means. Then it looped at a faster pace (final lap!), and I just absolutely fell in love. Maybe its that the song is best when at a fast tempo? But then I relisten to the standard tempo and it also sounds good. I guess it just took a few listens for it to click. But yeah, great stuff, glad I could look past my initial negative impressions.

72/1954
bea
Xenosaga II - Subconcious Domain (Summer)
Shinji Hosoe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgdqBv-KTrQ

In previous rankings Ive used the term crystally a lot to refer to music with a very specific type of note run. I havent trotted out the term much yet, but it absolutely applies here, a song that feels more winter than summer. One thing a lot of these high-ranking songs did (which again I dont think I said I even wanted! You just knew) is background wind noises. For this song, the background wind enhances the spooky, desolate main instruments. Its a piece thats light on melody and high on ambience, and those songs can often be a big hit.

71/1951
@Arti
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Cornered ~ Spell Breaker
Yasumasa Kitagawa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8gKrIeW1dM

As befitting a crossover, this song sounds like it takes solid elements from both its originator series. Weve got the intense Cornered vibe from Ace Attorney, but weve also got the slower, more ominous vibe from Professor Layton. Yasumasa Kitagawa combines both styles in a very aurally pleasing way. Those big orchestral hits are so delicious you could serve them with a nice pot roast.

ELIMINATION: kamakazilika
Average rating: 6
Average ranking: 3664
Your lucky song: Genetos - Price of Prosperity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2nRIyjMowg

ELIMINATION 44/59: bebr117
Average rating: 6.9
Average ranking: 3263
Your lucky song: Ar tonelico: Melody of Elemia - EXEC_CHRONICLE_KEY/.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob7Y3r5JqA8

ELIMINATION 43/59: Mihark
Average rating: 6
Average ranking: 3965
Your lucky song: 7th Dragon 2020-II - Shutoko - Spiral Maze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu9wS4WcBQw

Thank you all for nominating!

80/2026
kamakazikila
Hyper Duel - Cosmo Babylon
Hyakytaro Tsukumo
https://youtu.be/1r3iBxKXBTI

So I dont love the opening to this song, but then it gets real good. The melody is great, and the arcade soundchip is put to great use. Really just an all-around terrific piece of music. The specific sounds this chip is able to produce lend the song a lot of gravitas; this is a song a VGM composer would write for a king.

79/2025
@bebr117
Galerians - Cain Battle Theme
Masahiko Hagio
https://youtu.be/G4ZwUdXTggs?si=v5sbhgL4-cWVVDx3

Can I just say that I was actually disappointed in how after the first few seconds of mostly static, this turned into, like, an actual song? I was really into the static. Ah well. For an actual song (lol) this is really cool. Lots of crinkly crackly sounds that enhance the song bursts of static, nails on a chalkboard. The pacing is slow but deliberate; its not in a rush to go anywhere. Like the dude in the video, it has you right where it wants you.

-

8/10

-

78/2013
@Prody_Parrot
SOUND VOLTEX EXCEED GEAR - TOKAKU=ALMiRAJ
MYUKKE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm2PBlJNLbA

Were now in the elite tier of music 8s and higher! These are, more than anything else so far, the songs I keep coming back to. This one is particular is what I call rhythm game sugar rush music. Not sure if this would be classified as denpa. Its got a little bit of everything: chopped up vocals, notes that sound like rainbows, glitchy effects. What more do you need?

77/2009
@Mihark
League of Legends - Quinn And Valor
Michael 1NST1TUT10N Barry, Christian Praeco Linke, Sebastien Chemicalseb Najand, Dan marignak Negovan, Alexander Scherzophrenia Temple
https://youtu.be/nmgH1ZSBv3w

There was discussion on Discord the other day about the role of orchestral music in VGM, particularly when it comes to AAA titles. I dont know if this song would fit that bill, but I would offer it to anyone looking for solid orchestral VGM. Its very theatrical, with plenty of flourishes (like the dip at 1:35) that surge and flow around a very compelling melody. I was very pleasantly surprised by this one, as normally I can take or leave such pieces. You also can tell I really liked it because there was an annoying key change near the end and I still gave it an 8!

76/2008
@failgirlema
Abnormal Check - Fake-Bangla
Akihiko Ishikawa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4XQBjid09I

Okay, finally we get to a song that Ive actively listened to a bunch since my initial listen. The only other song I can say that about was Silent Dragon Last Stage (all the way down at #155), which was a recent hit for me. Fake-Bangla is just so catchy. I love songs with middle Eastern/South Asian vibes (sorry, not sure what culture this is meant to be evoking guessing Indian from the Bangla title), and its got a nice crunchy arcade sound chip to boot. The unexpected vocals were a real treat. Given that this game is essentially a quiz show, I have to wonder where this song even plays

UF8 posted...

shimomura has done basically the whole aster tatariqus soundtrack*

*allegedly (if there was anyone else they were uncredited besides the other guest vocal songs), it's probably the biggest soundtrack she's ever done if so (there's a solid 200+ songs before counting jingles) but frankly there's a lot of stuff in there i didn't think she would've done

in any case, i have to admit i actually can't tell if it's meant to be an arrangement of an existing song on the soundtrack or whatever tbh but i don't recognise it, skimming the gamerip. as far as i can tell, it was the only unique song in the crossover event with her and it wasn't even in the gameplay (they just had the music video accessible from the hub screen at the time) so the source cut was probably just not public

it would actively not surprise me if the original sounds absolutely nothing like the music video, i think there's a reason it has separate arrangement and mixing credits

Interesting! I didn't know anything about the game. The song doesn't sound much like "stereotypical Shimomura" imo.

85/2128
@azuarc
Genshin Impact - Gilded Runner
Yu-Peng Chen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIclOmL1LGg

When I first heard Gilded Runner, I giggled at how mischievous it sounds. It feels like a great song for sneaking around, much like azus previous drop. I sense a theme! This song famously uses a timesig based on the Fibonacci sequence, but it still feels less like odd time than other, less complicated songs. I dont know why that is! Its cool, but I wouldnt put that as a principal reason for why I like the song. Its so evocative, particularly the part around 2:35.

84/2125
@UF8
Aster Tatariqus - XION
Yoko Shimomura arr. Shota Horie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liCsjACEeJA

NOW IT IS TIME TO MAKE A CHOICE

This is a great guitar-piano combo, particularly the guitar solo at 1:25. The singer is wistful but authoritative (see the above quote). The whole thing has an overall good energy, like an epic rock song but more low-key, if that makes sense? I was surprised to see Yoko Shimomura on composer credit here should I be familiar with the original version of this?

83/2082
@TunnelScene
Digimon World 2 - Kernel Zone
Koji Yamada, Satoshi Ishikawa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAw46GqJcKA

Bells again. Not just bells evil bells. This is Afternoon in Crossbells wicked cousin, who hatches potions out of pigs blood and sings off-key nursery rhymes to impressionable children. This feels like a very short loop but I dont mind that like the Your Time to Die songs, Kernel Zone is very effective at accomplishing what it sets out to do. Those off-key bells are really something else. Maybe for the next ranking I should stipulate how much I love bells

82/2053
DeviDoesNothing
Sonic Rush - What U Need
Hideki Naganuma
https://youtu.be/neN6N5tKTTU

I was given five Sonic Rush nominations, four of them by the same person, plus a song from Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. Until now, only one of those songs has dropped. I told you I liked Naganuma! Anyway among the other Rush songs this ones a bit lackluster for me, but Naganuma is like Nekomata, and lackluster for him is probably still a keeper. Not much to really say about this one; if you like Naganuma, youll probably like it.

81/2036
@skulltrumpets
Kaze no Notam - Tranquility
Ryuji Nishida
https://youtu.be/6sf8KI6xEf8?si=byAj104Xd_shL1Gb

Kaze no Notam is a very top-heavy soundtrack from my experience. I adore Phantom and Solitude (both 9s), and while I find other songs vaguely pleasurable, nothing seems able to cross the 7.5 threshold. Nevertheless, Tranquility is a really great song. The word immaculate comes to mind. Its such asensuous song? I derive great tactile pleasure from listening to it. Not quite a 9, but no slouch either.

ELIMINATION 45/59: MacArrowny
Average rating: 5.5
Average ranking: 4276
Your lucky song: Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 5 - Lightning Dance(GameVersion)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9jQCrrU1JI

Thank you for nominating!

90/2214
@Isquen
Samurai Shodown 3 - 3 Destinies of Lamentation / The Charon's Sorrow (Basara)
Shin Sekai Gakkyoku Zatsugidan
https://youtu.be/1Ivl1a5fngU

This is a pretty messed up song. The long, drawn out notes and atonal melody and off-key(?) piano runs all add to a feeling of menace and unease. Its an example of a song thats overwhelming not by throwing a bunch of competing or loud sounds at the listener, but rather in the sense of its tone. This is a song that gets played not when youre stressed out/at your breaking point, but when the serial killer has decided they want to play around with you a little more

89/2211
@MacArrowny
Arcaea - Last Moment
onoken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_fXX3Y0Pis

anime -300 vgm ranking 2024

Last Moment has super anime energy, with vocals and production straight out of a moody anime show. Thats not necessarily a bad thing though. Its got clapping (and I like some clapping). The overall presentation is slick enough that its a delight to listen to. It even manages to do a key change for like half of the time and I still liked it! Thats saying a lot.

88/2174
@Paratroopa1
Kirby's Dream Land 3 Iceberg
Jun Ishikawa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV_7X_znB9E

I love the many cool breakdowns and shifts! Theres a random bass solo at one point. Around the loop point the meter gets all weird, which is cool. I dont have a lot of specific things to say here beyond this song is super cool and weird and charming and frenetic and intense and everybody needs to listen to it right now

87/2154
@Anagram
Your Turn to Die - Majority Rules B
Nankidai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx2LreJtjPc

This is slightly more complicated than the first Majority Rules song in that there are more parts to it, theres percussion and strings and a sense of being overwhelmed. Like the other YTTD noms, it does a lot in establishing a mood with such a short loop. The link is 5 minutes long but the actual song is under a minute; despite this, I find myself listening to the full extended version every time.

86/2132
@FL81
Pinky Ponky - In the Elevator of the Department Store
Ohshima
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf6G1XGkNBk

Good lord, the bass in this song goes whole ham. Its a relatively normal chiptune but then theres this bass that is just OUT OF CONTROL. Its loud and takes over the song at parts. I think its hilarious. The melody is also catchy in that classic retro obscure gaming system way (PC-98, PC-88, etc. this is from the Sharp X68000). Very fun to listen to!

When You Wish Upon a Star
Under the Sea
A Whole New World
Let It Go

Not too confident in these!

ELIMINATION 46/59: OrangeCrush980
Average rating: 5.4
Average ranking: 4251
Your lucky song: Famicom Tantei Club 2 - Confession of a Murderer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL4hR-Hj2O8

Thank you for nominating!

95/2494
@TunnelScene
The Magic School Bus Explores the Solar System - Music of the Spheres (Custom Mix)
unknown composer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D46P1maMTNE

TunnelScene was kind enough to make a seamless mix of various snippets from this game, turning what could have been a mishmash of musical ideas into something cohesive and coherent. Their upload description says:

Music of the Spheres is a minigame with an interactive soundtrack, featuring short loops that can turn into fuller layered music with your actions. This is an attempt to showcase all possible segments in a way that feels like a single cohesive piece of music, while still simulating the clunky jittery experience of scrolling through the options occasionally. Ironically, despite containing easily the longest amount of music in the game (~40% of this game's music data is for this), this minigame is somewhat hidden and often missed by people playing this game.

I really like the deep bass throughout, and the bright electric squirrely noises at 1:30 are welcome. Later on there are breathing noises, a sprightly percussive melody, and some nice volume mixing throughout (I wonder if that was added by TunnelScene or was already present?).

94/2408
@Haste_2
Occultic;Nine - THE MUTUAL FORCE
Takeshi Abo
https://youtu.be/d6aX_FuVRWM?si=s_9DTs3xyaUqgHLN

This is some nice electronic ambience that reminds me of Danganronpa, despite not being composed by Takada this time! The layering of different musical elements is handled very nicely here; it feels like theres always something new to latch onto. Ive commented in many writeups about my love of spacey stuff and while THE MUTUAL FORCE doesnt lean into that aesthetic as hard as some of the other nominations, it still conjures up a feeling of looking up at the sky and reflecting on the future.

93/2394
@bebr117
Cytus - The Ricochet
Sta
https://youtu.be/xq41yQAisaM?si=IrJGXuoiBFQt1dJM

If The Ricochet played more with the melody at 0:20, it might have been as high as a 9. That brief melody is so strong that it bypasses some of the other musical elements in the song that I find less interesting: the wubs, choppy textures, etc. Its not like I dislike The Ricochet, but that melody is very clearly the selling point for me, and if it were more present Id like it a lot more. Alas, we must take what were given!

92/2359
@OrangeCrush980
Yakuza Kiwami - Virtical Point
Hidenori Shoji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc0Q9sfbhwg

Virtical Point is the highest ranked of the four Yakuza nominations. Its nothing like the others maybe this is why it ranked so high? Its a menacingly paced EDM juggernaut that feels more akin to a nightclub brawl than a late night karaoke fest. Virtical Point has the distinction of probably climbing the highest in rating from the initial listen originally it was like a 3? I know Hidenori Shoji primarily from his work on F-Zero GX, and this feels like a different application of that compositional skill.

91/2298
@Place
Humanity - Intersect
Jemapur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOd4LDvkz-s

This feels like a song that started as an experiment: lets do a song on keyboards, but the melody will be slightly off, and then well see where it goes from there. Intersect has a loose, improvisational feel, between the keyboards and the other strange, almost bird call-like instruments. Its truly unique. I found this song difficult to conceptualize at first; it took another listen for me to find my footing with it, and Im happy to have experienced it.

100/2588
@xx521xx
Cybersphere - Level Music 3
Clay Hellman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1hxE7ApMfg

As FM synth as they come, folks. If you dont like FM synth, you wont like this. But if you appreciate a good brassy chippy song, check this one out. The melody is sort of lackluster but that surge of power the song does all throughout is more than enough to make up for it.

99/2545
@Disillusion
Thunder Force IV - Sand Hell
Toshiharu Yamanishi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOzgUtumOo0

A strangely moving and heroic Genesis song. Really terrific bass here, and the melody is top notch. This is a soundtrack Ive always meant to dive into, so I appreciated this little glimpse into a track I wasnt familiar with. Sand Hell is both soothing and catastrophic at the same time, straddling itself on the precipice of emotion (theres a phrase).

98/2543
@JONA
Tekken Tag Tournament - Yoshimitsu Theme
Nobuyoshi Sano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsvB0s_bI9U

no eye no ear no nose no hand no body no mind no shape no shape I love how futuristic this sounds, with spacey effects in the background and that robotic chanting of the mystic-sounding body parts. Its a very unique song, yet its one I could only really see coming from the Tekken franchise, the same series that gave us Yodeling in Meadow Hill and Highschool Love alongside classics like this.

97/2536
@-Chaos-Zero-
Risk of Rain Returns - Surface Tension Returns
Chris Christodoulou arr. Damjan Mravunac
https://youtu.be/3YCBbw8LaOI?si=sMHYiOw5uhtYED56

Very cool song. The 5/4 time keeps me on my toes the whole time. I love the interesting percussion and compelling other instruments; they utilize rock elements mixed with electronic and keyboards. Im unfamiliar with the original version but this seems like it would be a fun spin no matter what the original sounds like.

96/2515
@Bane_Of_Despair
Pyre - Thrash Pack
Darren Korb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LMZYnOml54

This distinctly feels like non-VGM to me (which makes sense, given that I associate you more with that category). The drumwork is really terrific here, as is the main guitar riff. I kept expecting vocals to kick in at some point, but Im okay that they dont this is a song that can easily stand on its own. The meter briefly changes up around 2:35, which was a nice surprise.

ELIMINATION 47/59: banshiryuu
Average rating: 6.8
Average ranking: 3478
Your lucky song: Megido 72 - Crafty Reverse Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7D7pRrD4cM

lol

Thank you for nominating!