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A Journey toward Origins's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Correlation to theme | #17 | 4.292 | 4.292 |
| Impression | #34 | 4.104 | 4.104 |
| Overall | #35 | 4.081 | 4.081 |
| Composition | #36 | 4.188 | 4.188 |
| Quality | #55 | 4.135 | 4.135 |
| Creativity | #188 | 3.688 | 3.688 |
Ranked from 96 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
Judge feedback
Judge feedback is anonymous.
- There is a lot of great material here-- a consistent theme that I noticed was a careful attention to expressive performance that isn't overly snapped to a tyrannical grid. Really lovely writing throughout and consistently great instrumental and compositional choices that kept me interested the whole way through. Good work on keeping the music itself varied too-- I was a bit concerned that the style wasn't going to quite vary enough, but then "Origins" begins with that beautiful cello solo and pizz. strings just bounding along and I found myself smiling. The opening track too is notable for its quiet, restrained beauty-- the piano avoids over-quantization and a wonderfully rubato human performance, which I think is key for what you are going for. The music in "In the Middle of Bubbles" made me smile because of its beauty. I see that you are intending for this to be implemented by cutting up these tracks into loops, which is a great thing to have in mind from the very beginning. In this case there is a lot of material that can be used to do that, and I think the result would work very well. I do, however, feel like there should still probably be a bit more material in each track, and each track should be shaped a little more to tell its own individual story, as these aspects tend to really help out the implementation process by presenting a "one true canonical version" of each tracks' story that is just a bit more extended than what is presented here. Still, that's a great bit of feedback to get-- I loved it so much that I'd like to hear even more!
Description
Hi everyone ! Here is my submission for OST Composing Jam #7. If you're interested, I made a little story below that image the moods of the tracks. Enjoy!
The type of the Game:
It is a 2D atmospheric platformer (inspiration: GRIS).
Compositional aspects:
In game, each track would be divided into a few loops that would change accordingly to zones, situations or cinematics happening.
Synopsis:
An amnesic little girl, wanting to discover more about her and her origins, begins a journey through a colorful world full of bubbles.
Tracks:
1. "In the Middle of Bubbles"
This is the beginning of the journey through this strange world filled with floating and illuminated bubbles . They sound like carillons and seem to lead the little girl through her progression.
2. "Where no Bubble dares to dwell"
The little girl lost herself in this damp and dark place where neither light nor bubble are allowed. She encounters a strange man that shows her the way out.
3. "Interlude"
4. "Origins"
The little girl feels that the end of the journey is near and that she will soon find answers to all her questions. The bubbles are all around her, guiding her toward a human shape in the horizon.
Artwork by @kawaakar._ (https://www.instagram.com/kawaakar._/)
Message from the artist
Thank you for this opportunity, I loved to compose this during this week! :D
Theme
Link(s) of the submission on streaming services
https://soundcloud.com/kagegona/sets/a-journey-toward-origins
Number of tracks4
Genre
Soundtrack use permission
Any non-commercial project
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Comments
i love the mysteriousness of these pieces! in "In the Middle of Bubbles," the bell-like sounds representing the bubbles are a very nice touch and add a lot of soul to the song. i especially like your piano sound, though, very pleasant! "origins" is by far my favorite, there's a lot going on but it doesn't subtract from the piece, it's very bouncy and adds to your bubble theme, and is a very nice credits theme. the ending returns to that mysterious feel of your first track while maintaining the feel of a journey now ended.
this was a great listen! i love your musical decisions within each song to represent the scene you were building. nice work!
Thank you for those kind words! :D
I think your pieces were of super high quality. Gris is one of my favorite indie games and also one of the inspirations for my soundtrack!
1. I liked the sparseness of this piece starting only with a few instruments and gradually growing to a climax. The oddly time rhythm and panning effects made the song feel expressive and mysterious but not dark.
2. In contrast to the first piece this one felt very eerie. The use of the high and low registers in the piano made the first portion feel a little like a Ghibli piece. The introduction of the cello is where I guess the old man comes in. It has an air of danger and mystery to it at first but drowns out the eerie drone and leads to an solemn piano solo that feels reliving because of the lack of the drone. I really liked how this piece tells a whole story.
3. A nice floaty piano interlude. Always love it.
4. I liked the layering of bells and pittz, and the their little "tumbling" motion in 0:32. The strings sound really expressive and emotional. The first half seems to convey the excitement of reaching the end of a journey, while changing to an introspective mood for the 2nd half of the piece gives the soundtrack a fitting end.
Incredibly done!
Thank you for all those returns! I didn't know if what I had thought in term of narration and development in my tracks would be understandable and it is really heart-warming to know that it is! Haven't yet listened to your submission, I'll go do it right away!
I love how dynamic and expressive you've made everything, love it!
Always a pleasure to know that my music was appreciated :D
Your work breathes like it's alive, for real, but also it's very delicate. I'm understanding what's in my song that makes you uneasy.
I always begin by improvising and singing so I know I can feel what I am doing and not just putting notes on a grid (although a lot of genra need to do that and will look their expressivity through other means!
I love the minimalism - it really lets the emotions of the pieces shine through. Love how the pieces are contrasting in emotion but still are part of a coherent whole.
Beautiful beautiful music - well done!
Thank you !! :D
OMG your music sounds delightful! It has such a magical feeling, I can totally imagine this in the Gris soundtrack :) Also the piano parts are so pretty. Amazing work!
Thank you :D
I like how it starts and ends with the distant bell sounds, it give the soundtrack a connectedness. Good use of dynamic range in Where No Bubbles Dares To Dwel, the contrast between the soft and loud parts along with the drawn out dissonant chords make add a lot of distress to the track. Overall a very expressive and emotional soundtrack, excellently composed.
By the way, the piano is gorgeous, what library did you use?
That was what I looked for in this second track which was a bit more dark!
I used "Noire" by Native Instrument, I really love this piano!!
A very well done submission that captures the listener with its simple yet beautiful composition, nice! For me, I personally really like the ominous atmosphere from "Where No Bubble Dares To Dwell" which also does a good job explaining the story through music, but all the songs are really good as well!
Overall just some simplistic yet well thought out and beautiful tracks! You also did a good job telling the different themes each song represents in the story.
That's all I have to say really, have a great day!
Thank you for this return! Have a nice day too!
Awesome work. It was a very sweet entry. I liked the last track quite a bit.
Thank you!!
The piano work is amazing on this. Everything reflects the story really well, and the more minimalistic approach works really well here.
Glad you liked it!
Solid work on the strings and piano on all tracks, especially on Where No Bubbles Dares to Dwell! My favorite track was Origins, it's so enchanting and bright. Nice job!
The celesta high speed pattern was the first thing I did when beginning to work on this jam and I found it was relevant as the conclusion of a journey!
Super solid submission! I can really appreciate the more minimalistic approach, which absolutely plays into the GRiS inspiration. Arrangements are never overtly busy and instead err on the side of less-is-more both in choice of active instruments and leaving space between elements to really let them breathe and evolve.
The piano throughout is lovely and tender. Great articulation in the playing, dipping into harder velocities only where necessary and then weaving beautiful softer lines throughout. String work was great too - flows wonderfully when it comes to the forefront.
I think my favorite piece of the bunch, and this is by no means an easy task to pick just the one, is In The Middle of Bubbles. The slow crescendo of various elements into the gorgeous swelling of the entire mix at around the 1:06 mark is so beautifully done. Delightful listen, great job! Great execution of the theme.
Thanks a lot for your kind words :D
The piano work throughout this entry is phenomenal, and I love your chord choices! Certain parts of Where No Bubble Dares to Dwell really made me feel like I was playing Hollow Knight again lol. Overall, your composition and the cohesiveness of your sound is fantastic.
Great work!
Being compared to Christopher Larkin is an honor even if i'm only the hundredth of his genius!! Really glad you liked my compositions <3
Dude's amazing, so I feel you! lol
Maybe one day... In a century x)
Absolutely brilliant work! The first song is so anime/ghibli-core haha, and I think Origins is by far the closest song to the picture theme that I've heard. It really captures that joyful, playful and also wondrous, disney vibe. I think it sounds exactly like how it feels to be a child, experiencing the energy and liveliness of an imagined ocean world. I really hope you make it to top 20!
It's so kind of you!! Thank you for those warm returns, I'm glad my music pleased you :D
I like the chords and instruments. Especially in the second composition. So cool.
Thank you :D
Minimalistic but absolutely heart-wrenching. I was wowed by the opening track and how much space it was able to convey. The volume needs to be mastered a little better, as there are areas in which it is too quiet and then too loud. But excellent work!
Ty! Yes, I listened again to my tracks yesterday and was thinking that my volumes were en bit too extreme, principally the loud extremes! I'll correct that, thank you for telling me!
I love how you’ve used different instruments to represent the game, most notably the plucks of strings in the first song to represent the popping bubbles. I feel like you’ve also captured the joy and whimsy of the picture theme while also building onto it and imagining a full story. Overall, amazing job, this sounds incredible!
Thank you! The instrument that represent the bubbles is a celesta, I found out that it was the instrument that made me most think of popping bubbles!
Amazing stuff! The atmospheric elements were great. Loved the harmony and chord progressions as well. Super unique and interesting. And the strings sound incredible.
Thank you!!
In the mind of bubbles - I love this track because it actually made me feel like I am on a path where the bubbles are popping right in front of me and sounds like a perfect beginning to this game. Kinda wish it went for longer :)
Where no bubbles dare to dwell - took away the little bit of innocence which the last track established and the "negative space" @technocrepe mentioned really shines a lot here. I was listening to this track with the winds rustling the trees in the background and really made me feel a little bit sad. Just a little. Lovely track.
Interlude - was a great track would have loved for it to go on a little longer :) Guess it was a good interlude !
Origins - I love the little bit of oriental feeling in this song initially because I am definitely thinking of the picture theme here :) Feels like the journey has come to end for sure and the origins song give me a bit of a reminiscing feeling more than anything else and in a good way as the journey has ended.
Really like this submission ! The second song was a big favorite ! Could definitely see this being used in a game about the little girl in the picture theme, a story about innocence and coming to age. Great job !
Thank you for this detailed and kind review!
Loved the dynamics and use of the glockenspiel throughout this body of work. My favorite track is Interlude. It has such a calm vibe. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, I'll keep working hard :D