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Through Candescent Woods's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Quality | #8 | 4.500 | 4.500 |
| Impression | #9 | 4.222 | 4.222 |
| Composition | #9 | 4.389 | 4.389 |
| Overall | #13 | 4.156 | 4.156 |
| Creativity | #47 | 3.889 | 3.889 |
| Correlation to theme | #53 | 3.778 | 3.778 |
Ranked from 18 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Description
Intended to function as a video game soundtrack - the main character is fleeing her homeland with a newborn child. The first track would be the main theme and play during the opening sequence + menu. The second serves as an "explore" track that would be background during gameplay where no conflict arises. The third is intended to be during a "chase" or "danger" scene. And the final track is the endgame - our protagonist has found her destination safely.
I've tried to create an atmosphere of equal parts adventure and mystique. The woods she travels through are mysterious and exotic, but I didn't want to lose that "earthy" feel. To do this I've chosen to use a collection of sample libraries that might evoke a mix of both an ethereal sound and a comforting familiarity:
Spitfire Audio:
Hans Zimmer Strings, Stratus pianos, Albion Solstice
East West Instruments:
Ra pan flute and Shakuhachi, Symphonic Orchestra
Orchestral Tools: Arkhis
I compose using Logic Pro X and recorded these tracks with sample libraries. It felt right to make the main theme sung by a female chorus with a breathy, atmospheric texture, and I filled in the rest with some exotic instruments and supportive percussion. This was an absolute joy to work on!
Theme:
How does it fit the theme?
The music supports an adventure story-driven game set in an other-worldly atmosphere, using a guitar to create a rhythmic driving feel to symbolize the journey our protagonist is taking.
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KraH1wctQY
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Comments
Very pretty, and loved the ambient ending. Really felt like I was in a forest haha.
Runaway: The combination of instruments works very well together to create a very lush sound. The underlying pulsing bass added momentum to the otherwise beautiful guitar and flute. I love the choral voices you have at the end. This is an incredibly pretty and well-crafted track and one of my favorite that I have heard from this jam.
Candescent Woods: The echoey voices and bells sound magical and I think they fit the theme image really well. Exploring to this track would bring about feelings of serenity, curiosity, and whimsy. This does a really good job setting the mood that works well for this theme.
Tracked: The multiple layers of varying rhythms gives an unsettling feeling that, alongside the dissonance of the harmony, conveys a strong but subtle sense of urgency and danger.
Haven: This track makes me feel safe. The choral and bass swells feel like warm waves washing over the ethereal forest ambience. I love that swell into the abrupt cutoff.
Overall: This is some masterful sound quality and is one of my favorite ambient soundtracks in this jam. You absolutely nailed the imagery associated with the theme and the overall musicality is so cinematic and extremely professional sounding. Fantastic work and thank you for sharing!
This is strikingly beautiful.
I really love how Tracked opens, and it just instantly moves at a breakneck pace, without really relying on being loud or having very hard hitting sounds. I feel like I'm being chased, despite the actual sounds being surprisingly subtle. Masterful. The Forest vibe is also very effectively conveyed with the flutes.
Runaway is just beautiful. I really love the guitar in this. It's just drop dead gorgeous. The melody, the way it sounds, the way its mixed and punctuated by the other elements (also that shakuhachi-like sound woahhh).
Oh yes, Haven brings back those beautiful choirs. Lovely. Great little flute melodies too. This seems like a very effective ambience for a Haven.
Stellar soundtrack man! I'm really impressed. My favourite was probably Tracked with Runaway a very close second.
Lovely track! The guitar lines around 1:05 are compelling and beautiful. The instrumentation is very tasteful and fitting of the theme and description.
A lot of development in such a short track! I would have loved to hear this fleshed out into a few tracks so I could imagine myself playing the game rather than just getting a glimpse.
thanks for the feedback! There should be 4 tracks altogether that you can download off the submission page. There is also a SoundCloud playlist here:
Soundcloud.com/jimmybenecasa
Ah okay, the streaming link (Youtube) was only the first track. The additional tracks really do fill out the soundtrack well. Candescent Woods seemed to me a mellow environmental theme build out from themes found in the first track, which was welcoming. Tracked brought the much needed tension while staying close to the musical themes of the other pieces. It had a steady tension that I could see being looped, or fading in/out as the player encounters/escapes danger. Haven introduced a clear optimism that was strategically absent in the other tracks.
Thanks for following up, I enjoyed the additional tracks. ("Runaway" remains my favorite—that guitar line really got me!) I updated my rating too.
Thanks for checking them out. I appreciate your thorough review!
Really enjoyed the synthwork you did for Eternal Sanctuary! It sounds like a game I would enjoy :)
This is insane. It sounds so professional, very good job. It sounds like it could fit perfectly into a piece of film or game.
thank you so much!
Excellent composition, pacing and choice of instruments! Great job! 👏
This sounds so amazing! It feels so atmospheric!
Very energetic and cinematic throughout. I loved that epic intro and then the wilderness vibe with the flute, percussion, and that female voice. Paints a vivid picture.
Thanks for sharing which orchestral tools you used. They sound awesome! But I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the price tags. Not anytime soon. *sigh*
thanks for listening! As far as the sample libraries go - I only ever buy when there is a decent sale at least 30 or 40 percent off. Spitfire does a pretty good job with educational discounts for students/teachers, and East West does an affordable subscription service. Check those options out if you are interested!