Love the very subtle ambiance found throughout the tracks, such as the beginning of Where no Bubble dares to dwell. Despite being so hidden, it adds so much. The piano arrangements feel so thought out and emotional. The strings hardly sound synthesized. Your intended vibe has been achieved phenomenally!
This is a beautiful track! The real instrumentation and vocals really tie everything together. My only criticism is that, at later parts of the song, it feels like the vocals should be more powerful - but I have no idea really, I’ve never worked with vocal elements. I believe this fits the theme perfectly, having imagined the picture theme before I even saw it in the description. Lovely submission!
I agree with others here - that real recordings would do this soundtrack wonders! The composition is totally there; I can imagine the game that this would have gone along with, but unfortunately orchestral instrumentation is so difficult to synthesize. Great job!
I can totally hear THE EARTH CAN’T HOLD ME in the context of a Celeste map. It never feels boring and consistently builds upon itself with something new and engaging. I also sense the feeling of anxiety and tension, which I love. It works great as a massive loop, too, managing to lead into itself, while never feeling monotonous. I’m able to visualize the story described through this piece.
STUCK IN TIME is giving me UNDERTALE vibes, while also sounding entirely unique. I love the guitar arrangement, which fits perfectly with the synth melody. Beautiful.
I really can’t say anything. This is truly perfect. I wouldn’t recognize that this was synthesized if heard elsewhere. I echo the thoughts of everyone else here. Genuinely professional, breathtaking, and beautiful. Amazing job!
I don’t have much to say other than I love it! As an enjoyer of Farewell, I can definitely see the Celeste inspirations for the story. I also totally hear the Radiohead influence, both in ASCENSION and some of the other tracks. Great work!
This submission nails the folk JRPG vibe perfectly. It reminded me of Pokemon at points, Final Fantasy at others, while also sounding like something entirely new. I’d love to hear these arrangements with recorded instruments!
I’m a big fan of this soundtrack’s variety! There’s something new in every track, while managing to stay cohesive and flow nicely. Some sections or instruments get a bit loud, such as the worbling effect in TRAILER, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a bit of easy mixing. Each track is beautifully composed and never feels old. As somebody who enjoys darker stories for some reason, I really like how unique the theoretical ending is. Great job!
I love how ambient, yet dynamic Look Around is. I’m able to get lost in its world, while experiencing something new at every second. Save Me From Myself is beautifully composed and strikes a balance between the higher intensity of combat themes, yet still manages to stand amongst the calmer ambient tracks. I see I’ll Miss You as a darker track, almost as if coping with loss. I’m not sure if this is just me enjoying darker stories. Overall, amazing job!
I’m honored! As someone who has yet to own a drum kit, and as such cannot think as a drummer, while also loving percussion, it means a lot to hear this from someone who can think like a drummer. I put a ton of time into refining the pattern and its mix to really try and make it convincing.
I love how well every track leads into each other. Whether it be through familiar sounds or general vibe, I can imagine the game’s progression. A very dark and glitchy submission with a great mix!
Beautiful orchestration. Mixed with various electronic sounds, there’s so much texture and depth to this track. My only critique is that it might be clipping in some areas, but that’s just super easy mastering stuff. The composition is great!
thanks! It’s good to know that, despite the drawn-out nature of the track, I still managed to keep it entertaining and ever-changing. my progressive influences must’ve impacted me in ways I didn’t realize!
Thank you :) I was considering expanding on the track, targeting at least twenty minutes of song, but decided that it said all it had to say! I’m glad you enjoy the percussion, since I put a ton of effort into its “big finish” vibe, while not standing out too much.
From the squares of a Gameboy, to the soundfonts of a SNES, meshed together with modern instrumentation, this is an epic mashup of sounds from my childhood. Meteor Shower fits with the described battle theme or fast-paced space travel. The One Who Swims in the Stars features beautiful, emotional instrumentation. Moonlight takes you through an ethereal end to the album. Overall, you did great!
As stated before, this is a very unique submission! I haven’t heard the use of water and water-adjacent samples from others. My only critique is that I’d like to hear more!
I can see this game getting extremely dark with the ability to make the player feel terrible. This is a good thing. The soundtrack, with its heavy use of editing and dark instrumentation fits the vibe perfectly. I can imagine the game and what might be going on while listening to each track. I’d love to see this theoretical game become reality!
The vibes are strong. I can definitely see this soundtrack playing with the theoretical game that’s been described. Love the Wikipedia styled project page too :)
thank you! I considered splitting the track in two, in fear that the length would be daunting, but decided that it’d be detrimental towards what the song is trying to say. I’m so happy to hear that I made the right decision :)
world of memory is absolutely beautiful. Its progression would sell me on the game/soundtrack immediately. Everything has its own place in the mix. I love the strings and the wind instrumentation. I can imagine the first minute being part of the intro cutscene, with the player given control at the drop at 1:13. This is a track that’d end up on my daily playlist after playing the game!
colorsplash beach, while not as beautiful as the main theme, still stands out as amazing. The mix, the instruments, how they interact with each other, is something I strive to achieve. It fits the theoretical theme perfectly, giving off immense “beach” vibes.
fight to remember opens with a tense melody that fights with itself in a beautiful way. The orchestral hints that appear soonafter add so much. The mix is absolutely amazing, allowing the intensity of every instrument to stand out without overpowering each other. My only criticism is that it’s too short! I’d love to hear more of this track.
This is the type of soundtrack where, even if I dislike the game, I’d still listen to its soundtrack often. This would end up in my Bandcamp library sooner or later!
This definitely sounds like the soundtrack to a dream. I really like Boat’s progression. To really emphasize that “dream” feel, the percussion could use a bit of reverb.
Anemone gives me OneShot vibes, though I couldn’t explain why. The “dreamly exploration” vibe is totally there.
To end the story, Janus does it great. After the dreamy nature of the previous tracks, this one feels focused and “awake”. It’s still chaotic, so that it fits with the theme laid out by the tracks prior, yet goes in a new direction.
Great job! This fits with the described game very well.
I love Ironshank Rampage‘s busy, yet calm and focused, intro. The following guitar-like instrument and its composition stands beautifully amongst the mix. And to follow it, comes a wicked guitar solo. As an enjoyer of progressive metal and Chris Christodoulou’s works, I’d love the drum kit to hit heavier to really tie things together.
Misbeegotten Goods: definitely a funky track, which would fit a funky scene very well. I feel like this track is too dynamic to be looping in the background of gameplay, which is why it’s a great theoretical shop theme. I listened to most of the track before reading its description, and still thought “yeah, shop theme”. The second half of the track gives me big Hotline Miami vibes!
I absolutely love Herald of the Maelstrom‘s composition. It reminds me of The Binding of Isaac with a hint of Celeste. Its mixing can be a bit harsh at points, and can do with some more high-end, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. As with Ironshank Rampage, I’d love to hear a more present percussion. The haunting synth combined with the heavy guitar goes hard. This is my favorite track of the bunch! (also descending chromatic scale ftw)
Inside My World is beautiful. It would work so well as a “climax” type track. Final phase of the final boss battle, escape sequence, exit music for a game, it would bring me to tears.
The feeling of “stiffness” is typically caused by notes being aligned to the grid, triggering perfectly on the beat, every time. Humanizing, or moving the notes slightly off the grid in various ways, makes the instrumentation feel more organic, as if a human is playing the instrument. It’s a massive balancing game, especially with stringed/wind instruments. I struggle with it to this day!
These tracks feel very organic. As described, I can definitely hear how detached from the grid everything is, and its execution was great! It’s difficult to detach from the grid without everything sounding like a mess.
My only critical feedback is that, at times, notably during In The Kelp, the mixing felt a bit harsh and would likely stick out during gameplay. It’s a difficult balance!
I loved the vibes going on in Salty Premonition! My favorite track out of the bunch would probably be Wild Waters due to its beautiful progression and overall composition.
At times, it felt as though instruments were fighting over each other, sometimes even over themselves. However, this does not mean these tracks don’t sound great! I definitely felt the SNES-era inspiration. Each track, despite theoretically being limited to the soundfont’s instruments, sounded unique amongst the rest and kept me interested. Mystical Power would likely be my favorite track due to its powerful ambiance and emotional composition.
I love how dynamic these tracks are. Listening through each track, it always felt like there was something new to keep me interested. Some instrumentation felt a bit stiff, which in this genre, might benefit from being loosened up a bit. Overall, I believe these tracks have been composed wonderfully!
It’s difficult to be creative with such little going on, yet these tracks have managed to stand out amongst themselves. I can definitely see this playing in a dark, mental-health centered game!
