Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 38!

(+) Yeah! (+)

Beyond the Bounds
Theme of D4
Take Control

bbb
dddd
roiitgotwys

8
9
8.5
8
8.5
8

Beyond the Bounds
Theme of D4
Yoru ~ Sailing

blub blub im somehow sicker than yesterday but im not going to allow myself to think i've voted when i havent again lol. also ranks tomorrow again cause yeah im like basically perpetually semi-conscious when im actually awake rn

also yesterdays results and todays results will go up early tomorrow morning prob

From Toxtricity:

Shadoubt Shaps (Lightfield)
Theme of D4 (Dark Dreams Don't Die)
Yoru ~ Sailing (Ragnarok Online II)

It startled me when shadoubt shaps started because i have listened to this song so many times outside of vgmc(because of ranking topic) and i thought my playlist got messed up or something because i forgot this got into vgmc. Anyway it won my ranking topic and i nommmed it, obviously i like it. Thank you for showing it to me place

Beyond the bounds is cool because the voices are so rhythmic

Polymeter is one way to win over my heart...i dont even really remember that being here, but whenever i notice it in a song it makes me like it like 20x more . it might sound like some arbitraryi noticed a number so now i like it more but its much more than that to me. Something about this feeling of offset--more than one thing to concentrate at once and one of them being with a different loop length, that just feels extremely c ool and stimulating to me and it always opens up the mood of a track to me PROFOUNDLY , like now i am in two places at once and omniscient in a way you can only experience in a dream, instead of looking at a painting that is a still image, now i am in 8 peoples consciousnesses at once and unraveling the mystery from all these perspectives simultaneously and learning the truth behind every corner of the experts. This sounds so much like KURT BESTOR and SAM CARDON and ROB ROWBERRY of GROVELAND ROAD PRODUCTIONS

The funny dance

i was telling my dad about how i watch macross plus at kaonashi1s recommendation and how cool i think yoko kanno is; that marimba moment in this song is so powerful

This match is so funny; i am so glad that my own jokes make myself laugh

From Haste_Deux:

Shadoubt Shaps
Theme of D4
Take Control

From hbthebattle:

Beyond the Bounds
Theme of D4 :((((((((((((
Yoru ~ Sailing

Beyond the Bounds
Partners - The game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!!
Yoru ~ Sailing

Beyond the Bounds
Theme of D4
Yoru ~ Sailing

--
Shadoubt Shaps [6.5]
Beyond the Bounds [7.5]

Shadoubt takes a while to get into a sound that I can say I like. The rest sounds like noise, which isn't all that off-putting but doesn't excite me or please my ears in any way; it's just there for the most part.

I'm always confused (in a good way) at Beyond the Bounds' decision to incorporate Indian-like chanting into this, I mainly remember this song for the chanting and the parts with the slower vocals. The rest of the song seems alright with me, it all sounds good and nothing really above that.

Theme of D4 [9.7]
Partner, the game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!! [8.7]

Special shoutout to LkProd for using Theme of D4 in a Jeopardy game he ran once, because who knows how long it would've taken me to find this absolute gem?

I've discovered that for songs I've personally rated 9.5 and above, I feel rather emotional and start imagining little stories/scenarios that fit whatever sound I'm currently listening to; every time I've listened to Theme of D4, it's always been some kind of bittersweet vision that comes from it, and the way that the song is laid out helps cement the idea properly. The start of it all, with the guitar and light percussion, leading into a synth that sets up the chorus for the song, along with the piano and electric guitar carrying the melody at certain parts - the way that the instruments take their place to keep the melancholy yet upbeat energy that persists throughout the entire performance is something that has constantly fascinated me ever since I've heard this for the first time. The climax at 2:04-2:07 is something I ALWAYS look forward to every time I replay this. It feels like an understatement to say I simply love this song; even though there are a good number of songs that I feel strongly about in this division (including a fair amount of supports and other 9+ songs as well), I can easily call this my favorite song of Bracket D.

Man, I thought the original Partner, the game is afoot! was good enough as is, but the tap dancing in this easily makes it the better performance for me. I originally complained that the original was giving a little too much attention to its strings which led to me not being able to appreciate the other instruments, but thankfully I don't feel that at all here! The balance between the sound feels much better to me, and I can easily see myself wanting more from this.

Yoru ~ Sailing [8.8]
Take Control [7.4]

Sailing is pretty good on its own, but Yoru is easily that missing half that makes the entire song just magical. The vocals are easily the best part from Yoru for me with how dreamy and light they sound, but I'd argue that the rest could be said with how Yoru sounds as a whole. The transition between Yoru and Sailing is incredibly smooth, further proving that perhaps it was meant to be enjoyed this way rather than hearing one without the other. Very solid song overall, I really like the fantasy vibe this brings altogether.

Take Control is probably my least favorite Poets of the Fall song at this point, even with how good the vocals sound as well as the ballad that happens later on in the song. It still sounds nice, but it just doesn't hit me in the same way that Balance Slays the Demon or Poet and the Muse just fills me with satisfaction.

Beyond the Bounds
Theme of D4
Yoru ~ Sailing

Beyond the Bounds does a lot I like a lot but also I really hate the talking/rapping/whatever vocal lines. This could honestly get a huge range of ratings from me on any given day depending on what part of the song I'm fixated on. Today I think it's solid. Shadoubt Shaps has cool sounds and atmosphere for sure, but something about the rhythmic construction makes it a bit hard for me to grab on to.

I've always liked the pleasant sax melody in Theme of D4. The Ace Attorney song has a lot of personality and is generally good, but it feels like it's missing an extra melodic line to support the main melody or something, I don't know.

I've been a bit down on her other pieces in the contest so far, but this one is peak Yoko Kanno. Yoru has the pretty vocals and very expressive flute, and the combination of guitar and violin/viola(?) in Sailing gets across the vibe of fantasy and adventure really well. I like Poets of the Fall, but this isn't my favorite song of there's, and even their best probably wouldn't be enough in this match anyway. Still an enjoyable song for sure though.

Yoru ~ Sailing > Theme of D4 > Game is Afoot > Beyond the Bounds > Take Control > Shadoubt Slaps

Good day.

Shadoubt Shaps
Theme of D4
Yoru ~ Sailing

re: Yoru (~ Sailing)
b0 (~ b2)
(Yoru only) nominated VGMC2, VGMC4, VGMC6, VGMC7, VGMC8 (failed to make field); nominated for VGMC12 auto-include side bracket (lost round 1)

That's some history. The closest Yoru came to making it into the bracket prior to this year was in VGMC2, where I gave it a double, and 2/1 was enough to make it into the second phase of nominations, where it didn't clear the bubble.

I spent a lot of time on this, the third thing I ran into that I eventually added to 'b0' (before this weird tiering system was even a thing). Every track in that set makes me feel a certain way; Yoru makes me feel really calm, at ease, but also a little sad. It's (appropriately) a good night song.

The track revolves entirely around the piano and Ilaria Graziano's vocals, and I think both of them are stunning here. The percussion starting from the second verse is subtle but lovely, adding just enough texture. But this is also one of those tracks that has a 'moment' that I always look forward to. It's not the marimba section (though I like that a lot too)! It's actually the major piano chords at 2:20 and 2:34-- these are the most 'Yoko Kanno' composition moments in the piece for me, a very brief summation of what I love in Kanno music, a single choice that makes the whole piece more emotionally resonant, more wistful, a bit sadder. I wait for those chords every time I listen to this, unreservedly one of my favourite vgm tracks.

And Sailing's here too! It's a nice track.

Shadoubt Shaps
Partners - The game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!!
Take Control

Beyond the Bounds
Partners - The game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!!
Take Control

Beyond the Bounds
Theme of D4
Yoru ~ Sailing

Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner - Beyond the Bounds
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles - Partners - The game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!!
Control - Take Control

Beyond the Bounds ~ Main Theme
Partners ~ The game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!!
Yoru ~ Sailing

Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner - Beyond the Bounds
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die - Theme of D4
Control - Take Control

MATCH 1

Not a fan of Shadoubt Shaps. It's just pretty opposite of what I usually like in music.

I still haven't warmed up at all towards Beyond the Bounds. It's a song that feels like it should be something I like a lot, but I find it a bit underwhelming. I'm probably rehashing what I said about this last year, but parts like 1:45 are nice, but I don't care a whole lot for the chanting-like vocals. And 0:39 just sounds a bit silly to me. But even so, it's a good song and it's the clear choice in this match. Not only that, but I'd take it over half the songs up today as well.

MATCH 2

Theme of D4 has that nice ending theme kind of sound where the credits roll after a happy and/or triumphant conclusion. Pretty nice song!

The Game is Afoot is decent, but nothing special to me. I feel like I've had a similar reaction to other Great Ace Attorney Chronicles songs as well.

MATCH 3

The vocals are a really nice part of the Yoru part of The Gate of the World. Sailing feels more empty without the vocals in Yoru, unfortunately.

Take Control is a really cool song! Not a whole lot to say about it, it's just good metal. I probably wouldn't be able to send this to retirement in any other part of the bracket, so it's cool that I get the opportunity to send it to retirement in my favorites bracket here.

Beyond the Bounds
Partners - The game is afoot! Let's dance, my dear fellow!!
The Gate of the World - Yoru ~ Sailing