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.