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Runaway's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Correlation to theme | #18 | 4.150 | 4.150 |
| Creativity | #22 | 4.100 | 4.100 |
| Quality | #31 | 4.050 | 4.050 |
| Overall | #37 | 3.930 | 3.930 |
| Composition | #69 | 3.750 | 3.750 |
| Impression | #75 | 3.600 | 3.600 |
Ranked from 20 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Description
I composed Runaway using a mix of orchestral melodies blended with synthesizers and heavy processing to make it as organic as possible. The EP also sports elements of ambient sound design, using recorded bird verbs merged together with noise generation techniques and distortion.
Runaway is an imaginary soundtrack for a stealth adventure RPG, hence it tries to convey the mystery of running away from a secure place to embrace an unknown, mostly unexplored primeval forest, filled with eldritch creatures, mysterious bird-things and strange formless predators.
The album structure mirrors that of a quest. The first track follows the main protagonist as she stands still, stunned by the forest’s majesty. She is then followed by a veiled presence and engages in a hide and seek sequence through ancient derelict structures in track two… something’s not right ! Alas ! She can no longer run from the strange formless sentinels and has to engage in combat in track three. Hopefully she manages to wound one of the silouhettes with her blade gun, and they scatter through the woods emitting anoying clicking sounds. At last, she takes refuge in old city ruins and can take care of the small child she’s been carrying around all along. As she glazes over the cyclopean city scape before her eyes, she wonders what horrors or good surprises lay ahead.
I work with Ableton Live 10 and overuse the inevitable Cypher2 and STROBE soft synths bundle by FxPansion and the Novation Circuit Tracks Hardware Groovebox/Synthesizer. As for the creative process, honestly, the picture sparkled it all: I wanted to conjure the ambient atmospheres that you hear in Flashback’s (you know ? That old cinematic platformer on the Genesis ?) first level as this game really nailed the feeling of being lost in the woods. And once I had a story/game structure written in my head, the music more or less came out of its own.
Theme:
How does it fit the theme?
The picture is both peaceful and gloomy, which is kinda reflected in the writing as all of the tracks build from a calm atmosphere to a strong, intense crescendo, then back again. I also like to reflect the environment depicted with sound design.
As for the theme of running away, I hope the four different tracks convey the sense of adventure I mentioned previously.
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://soundcloud.com/pete-wojtek/sets/runaway-ost-composing-jam-4
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Comments
Super cool take, I love the bass pulse pattern you made the entire album changing a bit everytime, nice use of reverb, the mix is really great I have nothing to say (because I did on many submission). Well done !
Kudos on changing the style up completely from your last jam entry. I love the battle theme and the intensity!
This is great??? Cyberpunky, feels like a good biological/cybernetic mix of sounds and settings. Nice!
Great immersive effect with the nature sounds. I especially liked the Safe Haven track.
Absolutely amazing OST! Soundscape where I can get lost for weeks ^_^.
And bonus points for Flashback reference :D
Good to see I'm not the only one who thought of Flashback. :D I played Flashback on my old Dingoo A320 (It died. :( )
Track 1: I really love the stepping bass, that sounds like a synthwave bass. Oh, yeah I love the drum loop. It gives a really good vibe, I never thought this drums will fit a vibe like this. Well done. It's fun, this drums sounds like the old Linkin Park's Matrix track: session. I love that track so much!
Track 2: The flute sounds good, I really love you handle how to play on an instrument like this. The drums give a really good running feel. Well done. This track really sounds like a Sound Track, well produced!
Track 3: pitching down birds' voice, amazing good idea! My guess that drum, wub-wub, psy sound comes from Novation Circuit. Cool! I love the synth that came from the background.
So that sound that comes from 1:25, that is amazing, well sounds designed, hell yeah. It fits very well. After that higher pitched one is amazing too! I love this battle theme. It gives the right tension.
Track 4: I really love the orchestra sound. It sounds so professional! Well done!
I never heard about Cypher2 before. Is it better the phaseplant then other modular thing? I didn't use it before (phaseplan), but I really would like to use more complex modular FX tool. And how do you use your Circuit? I mean, do you use it as a synth or more like a rythm machine?
Anyway good job. :)
Nope, Cypher2 is a software FM synth, but with an absolutely crazy modulation matrix. I mainly bought it as a knee jerk reaction to everyone using Serum lol, though it never, ever, disapointed me, whether I'd be making my own patches, or reworking some of the factory presets (and believe me, some of them are huuuuge). The only caveat is that tutorials are scarce and it can take some time getting used to the UI (the flip side of being an overwhelmingly complete and versatile instrument). Otherwise, outside of live jamming, when composing I use the Novation Circuit Tracks like a classic synthesizer and effect processor. It kinda sucks at pads and leads but is very, very efficient in creating deep bass sounds (case in point, this track I did, from the 1:19 mark https://peterwojtek.bandcamp.com/track/n-y-m-p-h-e-s-gliding-vox-version ). Anyway, thanks for the feedback, I hope you had some fun during the jam !
Haha :D my reaction is the same for everybody using Serum. :D Maybe I'll give it a chance for Cypher2.
I really loved the jam. This is the first time when I participate as a composer only. It was super fun, but that week was super sucks when I had to participate. I had lots of things to do. Anyway, It was fun, and was pretty amazing how many producers were around on itch and how talented they are.
Novation Circuit always looked fun, but I chose another device. That bass sounds sick. Hope you enjoyed the jam as well as me. :)
Very nice atmospheres that all convey "forest", even for the more intense tracks. Love the glockenspiel use, always a perfect choice for that feel!
Very cool atmosphere and sound choices, the use of forest ambience really helps set the tracks in the story. You did a good job of combining orchestral instruments with heavy electronic synths. The clicky percussive elements you used reminded me of Hyper Light Drifter. Overall this submission is rock solid, great job!
great work! I love dreamy/atmospheric vibe you have in the first track. The drums bring it all together and create a pretty unique sound that works really well with the scene. Nice submission!
I really like the sound samples you use throughout. The birds and the “hush” effect the Green Cathedral sound amazing with the processing you did on them. As a whole, I appreciate the unique way you use rhythm in percussion and synths to both drive the tracks forward while also diving home the “runaway” theme. Great work and thanks for sharing!
I enjoyed the first track so much. It's just a great dynamic mix. The second track brought a great sense of tension. Could definitely hear this fit into a video game. Great work!
Wow. I *really* like the sound design on this. It's really incredible.
I jotted down some first impressions as I was listening to the soundtrack:
Opening - Oh man, this is brilliant. Lovely bass synth. It's so rich and full of texture. Great textures all around actually. What more could I ask for? I love how progressive this one is, slowly introducing elements one by one. And then wow. That shift. I feel like I've just gotten on someone's wild ride. Really cool gliding synth sound. Very ominous. Listening to this one with my eyes closed, it really draws me in.
Pursuing presence - Very spooky. I really like that almost pocket-watch type sound in the first part (around 1 min). And man, those jungle drums sound great. This track feels really oppressive in the *best possible way*. I feel like I'm being hurried along to keep moving somewhere, but not told where this path actually leads and it feels very concerning.
Now that the rhythm calms down, I feel like I've reached some sort of clearing in the woods and I'm given some time to breathe. First thought: good, we're not dead. But ... the world around me has gotten so strange. What is this place? Where did the path we came from go? Those vibes, the transformed bird sounds and the creepy chattering are really selling that otherworldly vibe. Just amazing and really a highlight in this compo for me personally.
Battle theme - I'm slightly scared going into this because I can read the title and the last track left me a little shaken. Oh damn, that synth with the band-pass is lovely. Oh and then that lovely synth on top. The high frequency patter. So much movement in the sound. There's so much to listen to.
Wow. Those drums are incredible. I really want to know where this goes. Really cool effect with that breathy vocal (?) sample too.
The lost ruins - Another cool track. I really like how you have these micro-interruptions. Like for example that little spooky interlude (the one at the 1 minute mark). Those and the bass make me think that even though we are kind of safe now, we're still pretty shaken up by the whole ordeal and eventually we might have to leave the safe haven again and go back into those scary woods.
It's an incredible soundtrack and I feel sad I can't play the game that you envisioned for this because I totally would. It seems like it'd be right up my alley. My favorite was Pursuing presence. Well, I definitely feel inspired now.
This one is more on the BGM side and I loved how you blended the music and ambient sounds together. Some of the sounds are incredible and I think it'd be a good backdrop to whatever would happen on the screen :)
Although I must say that the pulsing bass in the last track was kinda in conflict with the overall peaceful atmosphere of the rest. Maybe that was the intent?
Love how all the sounds integrate with each other, especially the battle theme, with the diferent sounds development!
Track 1: I'm really pleased by the various effects you used to add interest to the music. The birdsong, the oscillating beat delay in either ear... it's a cool sound that gives you that sense of something beyond.
Switching up the track halfway through was a much-needed shift that you nailed!
Track 2: my criteria for a horror track: if I can get through the whole thing, it isn't creepy enough. This one definitely made me want to close out the track... very eerie, and the clicking noise definitely added to that sensation. I love it! The ending portion especially was super eerie. Loved the detuned bells. Amazing job... I did actually have to click away I was getting creeped out ;)
Track 3: it took a little while to get there, but the track did eventually feel like battle music-- and it was a banger. Awesome job.
Track 4: this was a shift in tone that was much needed, and again you nailed it. It sounds hollow and echoey, but still with plenty of energy.
In all, this is an awesome soundtrack, and you've clearly found your voice as a composer, as each instrument and effect seemed to be chosen with intention. that is a pretty key sign of a good writer: my only advice is, don't get too locked in to a chord progression in a song. It's better to have a shorter, less repetitive track than a longer one with a consistently repeating progression. You are doing great stuff with your music!
The first chord of the first track puts us in an incredible atmosphere, and the following progression is very impressive. All the atmospheres are really well made. There something steam-punky that i really like. It's like we can feel clockworks in the music. But even with that, you keep a great JRPG style that I find beautiful. congrats