Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 7! GuardRecall/CandleHill, LostFrst/Back2Back, Kimigatame/RagnaBreakr

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to Video Game Music Contest 17, an annual celebration of the best of the best video game music according to the voters!

Important Links:
Bracket: https://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=477304
Contest info sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SAJKYJmYhccLvbf_H-5uSA7-eMwXfW8k1q74Qho1bLU
Contest discussion thread: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80433657
Main bracket playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT3m7iohpL0wlcxj-kHQRU1yHo-kpMxGe
Last years spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_IU5iCFTM_4WEx8ZWKwznMz5v2tarCKh1Ag0mxIgAes
VGMC total stats sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
Discord: https://discord.gg/WDvMS4a

Rules:
- Listen to both songs in a given match, at least through the loop time provided (to make sure you don't skip before you've heard the whole thing!)
- Please consider the loop point listed when judging the song; if a video loops one minute 5 times, don't treat it as if it's a repetitive 5 minute song
- If it's a match between your favorite song ever and a song you despise, still LISTEN TO BOTH! Votes can and will be disqualified if there is suspicion songs are not being listened to, and you may be discounted for the rest of the contest for repeat offenses.
- No alt accounts, no rallying or begging, etc., etc.... You only get one vote! Swapping votes is alright, just make clear that you've already made a vote and are swapping.
- Make clear what your voting options are! Please keep votes separate from any comments, and use the titles given in the topic post.
- Voting in all matches is not mandatory, feel free to skip matches you do not wish to vote in.
- Vote based on the links provided, and not other sources of audio. Links are specifically chosen for best quality and the like.
- Don't discuss vote tallies in this thread, or in other threads, as they may influence votes. Likewise, please refrain from looking at the running tally before voting.

Voting Period:
- Today's matches will last 24 hours from the time of posting, or 24 hours from 10pm Eastern, whichever is the later time.
- Please note this may mean that two topics will be active at the same time!
- If you anticipate being unable to vote in a given day, please send an absentee vote to @banshiryuu, or post your absentee vote in the discussion thread!

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Match 1

Guardian Recall - Main Theme
Composer: Itou Kenichi
Loop Point: 1:04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUp46yEPlMQ

WaveTale - Journey To Candle Hill
Composer: Joel Bille
Loop

Guardian Recall - Main Theme
Legaia 2: Duel Saga - Lost Forest
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth - Kimigatame 2016

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Journey To Candle Hill
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Guardian Recall - Main Theme
Legaia 2: Duel Saga - Lost Forest
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth - Kimigatame 2016

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Kimigatame

Match 2 has the two best songs today.

1. ???
2. ???
3. ???
4. ???
5. ???
6. ???
7. ???
8. Mortal Kombat (Sega CD) - Techno Syndrome
9. ???
10. Spark the Electric Jester 3 - Utopia Shelter ~ In the Depths
11. ???
12. ???
13. Deus Ex - The Synapse - Ambient
14. ???
15. ???
16. ???
17. Legaia 2: Duel Saga - Lost Forest
18. ???
19. Chrono Trigger - Yearnings of the Wind
20. ???
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. ???
26. ???
27. ???
28. ???
29. Galactic Pinball - MOONMAN'S Fandango
30. ???

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Back 2 Back
Kimigatame 2016

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
abstain

Candle Hill might be one of my favorite discoveries so far.

Back 2 Back reminds me of an 80s pop song for some reason but I'm not sure which one. I ended up going with the [not] Zelda song though.

match 3 is too close to call. Both are great in their own ways.

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

< P0's Top 16 >
9.3 (1 left):
9.1 (1 left):
8.9 (1 left):
8.8 (1 left):
8.7 (0 left): Purna
8.4 (1 left): Journey To Candle Hill
8.3 (4 left):
8.2 (4 left):
8.1 (1 left):

This was my favourite nom discovery that made the bracket! (rip Interstice of Time) I had to check out the soundtrack right away, and quite liked Oceans (the David Wise seal of approval https://twitter.com/David_Wise/status/1629086749598052352)

Joel Bille in an interview with GoNintendo:
"When I wrote Journey to Candle Hill back in 2020, I wanted to convey a sense of freedom. To be a part of nature, in this case the ocean, surf its waves and be an intertwined part of it."

Journey
Lost
Breakers

Guardian Recall - Main Theme
Legaia 2: Duel Saga - Lost Forest
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth - Kimigatame 2016

MATCH 1

Guardian Recall - Main Theme is a pretty decent PC-98 theme. Compelling enough with its dramatic sound. Its a good thing we have Pablo Smith here to carry the weight of PC-98 eroge music enthusiasts on his shoulders.

Journey to Candle Hill does, in a way, make me feel like Im diving under the waves. Might be the way the percussion feels. Unfortunately, Main Themes more of a compelling song here, so I have to go for that.

MATCH 2

Lost Forest sounds like something Id like a lot on paper, but in actuality, I dont find myself getting a lot out of this song. Its nice, but thats pretty much it.

I like Naganuma stuff generally, but while I dont dislike Back 2 Back, I didnt like it as much as I thought I did when I listened to this for the contest.

MATCH 3

I think now that Ive had time to let Kimi ga Tame settle into my mind since VGMC15 when it previously was in the contest, I might have a softened on it a little, but its still a great song and a clear standout for today. Though, I think the Re:boot version was in that time, and I like the 2016 version just a little more. I think the strings at 0:29 compliment the vocals really nicely and vice-versa. Everything here is just nice and heartfelt, and I really enjoy it.

Ragna Breakers is very cool as well. Does jazzy/progressive stuff in a way that sounds really catchy to me. I wouldve liked to vote for this at least once, but alas, it got a rough draw round 1.

Kimigatame 2016 > Ragna Breakers > Main Theme > Journey To Candle Hill > Lost Forest > Back 2 Back

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

I was about to abstain Match 2, but I think I can get along with the Sakimotors. Nice day, all my votes are songs I'd like to see in top 16.

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

I need to chill today, things aren't great IRL. These three help.

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

Candle Hill
Back to Back
For Thee (kimi ga tame)

Mixing is kinda weird at points in this. Rhythm overpowers the melody, stuff like that.

look if you're gonna parody Billy Joel you gotta put some real effort into it. Like call yourself Jilly Boel. Now that's a name. Also your music should probably sound at least remotely similar to Billy's. Reminds me of Alto's, but doesn't quite hit the same highs. Gets damn close though, I like it. That said, it absolutely did not need to be almost six minutes.

i don't like being lost. i am lost. someone please find me. if you're crying 'cause you're lost in a forest and there's nobody around to hear it, does it make a sound?

yeah i am just in a naganuma mood today. not much else to it than that. I don't think this song represents his best work, but it's got groove.

kodomo no koro no yume wa -- oops wrong song. I am a sucker for big old ballads, and this is a good one. I think there's better songs from the franchise, but I'm not upset it got in or anything. The lyrics, though, are wonderful. you know what i am in fact crazy enough to do my own translation of it. Bit tricky, because it's written a bit archaically and also is very metaphorical but here it goes:

What color am I, in your eyes?
If it is a deep red you behold, then I give to you the sun's rays

Sorrow overflows; eyes shut
A tear falls, the heart pangs

The passing waves faintly mix
They bring a cradle, urging sleep

In the dream, I search for that familiar visage
I reach out, yearning to hold you tight

What color am I, in your eyes?
If it is a deep indigo you behold, then I give to you the lofty sky

Joy overflows, spreads through us all
A smile falls, a farewell concealed

Though man must one day turn to dust,
In song he can be sung forevermore

What color am I, in your eyes?
If it is a deep green you behold, then I give to you the vast earth

Oh you so fragile and ephemeral, oh you so powerful and beautiful, be as you are

What color am I, in your eyes?
If it is peace you experience, then there I am

What color am I, in your eyes?
If it is what lies deep within that you behold, then I give to you my heart
I give to you everything

Ragna Breaker feels lifeless to me. i don't know why.

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

match 1 is an interesting match of two songs that are simpler than they feel like they should be, but find an interesting niche they deliver on fairly well regardless. candle hill manages to give off both alto and celeste vibes, without falling into areas of either i'm not as into. guardian recall is very 90s and therefore is not too surprisingly one of those kinds of tracks that goes all in on a very short looping sample to carry the track, and one's opinion of it definitely influences one's opinion overall. fortunately it works for me.

lost forest could legitimately almost fit in lostcolors funnily enough. from 50 secs in onward prob not but still. still one of sakimoto's finer songs for sure. still won't stand for the continued erasure of michiru oshima's contributions to the legaia games in this community though. having not come from a conventional pipeline in joining these contests, i can't say sonic rush is part of my childhood, and most games that share its kind of sound are no longer my jam. back 2 back is iconic, but it has never been anywhere near the levels of peak naganuma for me

i kinda don't like most remastered versions of existing utaware songs, they kind of feel like they're trying too hard to be "safe" and in line with conventional utaware (nonvocal) stuff, which also places it distressingly close to another type of distinct vocal song (namely, LieN stuff in cyberconnect2 games) for me. granted, i still like the songs more than enough, it's just like a 2% difference in how i'd rate them, just a note that it's unlikely i'd ever share this song when the original (which, btw, while in the anime, was probably eligible anyway since it was also in the ps2 version released at basically the same time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BswUjdOxeOo) still exists. anyway oh heck ragna breakers is really an evil song to throw in against this. brutal match thanks to the circumstances here but... okay, i think it's a bit too unfair to just auto ragna here since while it came super close to my support cut too, i probably would've auto-supported og kimi ga tame (also og towa ni...) too... it's super hard, but i think i'll go with utaware. pretty rough draw really, of the songs today i think it was the only one i wouldn't have taken ragna breakers over ultimately

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

also write-in vote for concept of love concept of passion mix

Journey To Candle Hill
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
uhhhhhhh Lost Forest, yeah the mozell flutes will me over
Kimigatame 2016

From TunnelScene:

Journey to Candle Hill (WaveTale)
Lost Forest (Legaia 2)
Ragna Breakers (Destiny Child)

hearing stuff that manages to sound really full with fm is always a treat, for that reason I love the feeling of that pad in the bg at :59, super powerful way to send it off

happy minimalism adjacent fun ^^

I LOVE YOU HITOSHI SAKIMTO. the passage from 1:29 to1:56 ?@(@ makes me ESPLODE *DIES* (is dead. a bunch of pieces of glass on the floor). this reminds me of botw2 which is the best soundtrack of 2023 for my ears to have put in it

yo was up. it's me Sonic holes(name of Sonic golf game). in the game sonic holes you play as espio and roughe and shadow and amy and chao and dark chao and blase and metal Sonic and tails and Sonic and blue Sonic and have to put the balls in the holes. good luck

SAD GIRL

TUNE FUSION

From NFUN:

Candle
Lost Forest
Ragna

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

banshiryuu posted...

Legaia 2: Duel Saga - Lost Forest
Composer: Hitoshi Sakimoto
Loop Point: 2:21
https://youtu.be/5sI1Yuwf-qk

Video is gone. Does anyone have a replacement link?

Fluttershy_Pony posted...

Video is gone. Does anyone have a replacement link?

https://youtu.be/xFASCUhmdQE

abstain
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

Slightly regret listening to the Uta song since I'm playing Mask of Truth now, but it's still good.

WaveTale - Journey To Candle Hill
Legaia 2: Duel Saga - Lost Forest
Destiny Child - Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Kimigatame

Thank you, MaxGalactica.

abstain
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

I want to vote for every option in the poll. Naganuma is the best!

Journey To Candle Hill
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

Main Theme
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Back 2 Back
Kimigatame 2016

Last match is very good. I'd take Ragna Breakers over the other four today.

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme sounds old and therefore bad. Really not a fan of that instrument. Journey to Candle Hill doesn't have the best instruments either, but they're not bad, and the melody's reasonably enjoyable.

Lost Forest is nice. Kinda like a prototype for a Dragon Quarter song, though not as good as those. Back 2 Back is pretty fun for the first minute but it gets repetitive.

Slow VN songs don't usually do it for me, and Kimigatame's no exception. I feel like we long ago exhausted the potential of Utawarerumono songs. Ragna Breakers is fun and bombastic, but nothing special IMO.

Journey To Candle Hill > Lost Forest = Ragna Breakers > Back 2 Back > Kimigatame 2016 > Main Theme

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

all new to me other than back 2 back, so this is a very interesting lineup
i ADORED the guardian recall main theme, so so good
journey to candle hill is really really good too and i feel bad not voting for it but i preferred the main theme sorryyy
back 2 back is like my least favourite sonic rush song sadly, pretty fine but like, yeah it loses this matchup i think. the rest of sonic rush is amazing but also i feel like only some would get that to win anyway, lost forest is one of the best tracks so far
kimigatame is AMAZING i love it wow, i do also really like ragna breakers and it has some cool funky guitar and brass stuff going on which makes this a BIT hard but ill go with kimigatame i think, very difficult decision and they're both going in my playlists

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016

Super strong day for me! In the first match Candle Hill has more going on that I like, but I really enjoy :37-:52 in Main Theme.
Match 2 is incredibly cruel, B2B is my nom and I'm of course a fan but Lost Forest was one of my favourite discoveries of noms. The song continually gets better as it goes, if any Forest goes on a tear again it should be this one. Once again Sonic tracks get rigged bracket placements smh!!
Kimi is a solid song. It's not doing anything out of the ordinary but it's very well made and pleasant to listen to. Ragna has a nice brass section but I'm not bothered on the rest, and that's not enough to compare on this stacked day.

Main Theme
Back 2 Back
Kimigatame 2016

idk how i missed main theme during the noms period, this is extremely My Thing and i barely had to think about voting for it even against a very solid opponent
good naganuma
similar songs overall but i prefer kimigatame's instrumentation and the vocals really help this type of song for me

Main Theme
Back 2 Back
Ragna Breakers

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

Main Theme
Lost Forest
Ragna Breakers

match 3 is very good

Journey To Candle Hill
Lost Forest
Kimigatame 2016