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Got my rating in for this just before the deadline closed, said I'd hold off on commenting until I had a little more time.
Great work with this, honestly. There's a lot of really cool ideas here and the production is really well done. I love the vibe that each of these tracks have, and they're all perfect for exploring different liminal spaces. Fantastic use of drones, ambiences and synth patches throughout. Percussion was never at the forefront of any mix but did exactly the job it needed to when present; ground the other elements, provide a steady rhythm and add some flavour.
The bass-work throughout this is genuinely phenomenal. Gritty, hard hitting patches that have just the right amount of movement to feel organic. They're huge and ominous when they want and need to be, and simultaneously steady and drone-like when the track calls for it.
The Cinematic Trailer having such a different vibe to it is a nice touch; more upbeat, higher-end of the spectrum much more fleshed out and more of a typical arrangement for setting expectations and providing some ear candy. My favorites of the bunch are probably Waking Up or Combat - two very different tracks but arranged and produced to perfection.
Really solid work here - genuinely enjoyed this. Half-hoped for a drum-and-bass or breakbeat oriented track at some point! All in all great work, diverse and great execution of the theme.
Did I ever tell you about the aquarium inside the hospital? jam comments · Posted in Did I ever tell you about the aquarium inside the hospital? jam comments
This is gorgeous from start to finish. The artwork, story-telling through the titles and the music and the write-up - stellar. I'm going to just refer to 'you' as both of you in this to keep it from getting too wordy.
Sunday Funday captures some really fun and dreamy vibes - I love how thoughtfully arranged this. Solid choice of instrumentation and progression. Minimal percussion but it does exactly what it needs to do. The mixture of both piano and rhodes is really good - something I never think to combine myself, despite loving both of those individually!
A World of My Own continues on with that dream-like quality. Great voicings, memorable melodies and the pop SFX sounds are a lovely bit of ear candy. This track, for me, is a great example of a less-is-more approach - the arrangement does not need to be crowded; a thoughtful instrument or two with some complementary melodies will tell a far deeper story than a mix packed to the brim.
The Nurse Told Me to be Good and Come Back Tomorrow is a wonderfully intriguing title, and the arrangement does it justice. It has this kind of cherubic curiosity and reservation to it. I can't quite describe what it is about this track that appeals to me so much but you've captured a really unique kind of vibe with it. Nice touch having the lower-end of the spectrum fill out toward the ending section.
Mommy's a Liar has a strange kind of whimsy to it. It's ambling along at its own pace, striking a kind of ambiguity that is not easy to pin-point. Abruptly ending and transitioning to a more defined forward-moving arrangement was a surprise, but it works well given the title. In comparison to the other tracks, this is very bass-heavy and I think that really works well here. Percussion growing gradually more complicated as the pace picks up is great, feels like that curiosity from before has been quashed and replaced with a kind of sombre, unwanted realization. The use of the EKG beeping toward the end of this piece puts an entirely different spin on it; turning it on its head. Really nice use of subversion there.
Finally, I love you, Mom caps out this soundtrack on a still sombre but more resolved note. A short, evocative piece driven solely by piano to round it all out. It doesn't lessen the blow but makes it easier to process.
This is a special piece, I think. As others have commented - this feels complete as a submission, and its one of the more thematically adept entries I've come across. I love your choice of instruments and way of going about writing them in tune with the story you want to tell. This is wonderful and evocative - fantastic work. I can't wait to see what else you'll do in the future!
Fantastic and unique choice of voicings and elements here. Jeronimo's World has a kind of whimsical, eccentric vibe to it; sounding haphazard at the beginning but then the rhythms started to click into place and really become the sum of the individual parts as it progressed. I can imagine this in a couple of different games myself - is it weird to say the clock motif and the choice of percussive sounds reminds me of something I might hear as a theme for N. Entropy?
Buried in Work picks right up where the last track let off, though this one has a slightly more ominous feel to it. Really dig the ringing used throughout, panning from side to side and being used as a junction between sections. The modulated tempo during the final section is a great touch - adds some urgency and mystique to the track as a whole, never quite knowing what it is building up to, only knowing that it is coming sooner than expected.
Word Processing is somewhat a departure from expectation - I really love how ethereal and ambiguous the introduction is. The sound-design driven and atmospheric interlude does a nice job of bridging into a quieter and more sparse section, of which I can only describe as pensive.
All in all this is really solid and genuinely one of the more unique submissions I've heard. You've got a really cool approach to rhythm and how to build around it without things just simply getting louder and faster. There is some wonderful arranging at play here and I could see myself coming back to this to try and pick it apart for myself to understand and learn from it. Great work! :)
Mist and Nails and has some really gorgeous textures and touches throughout. The subtle reversal of the piano chords toward the end of their tail is really nice, and the almost sitar-sounding lead is great. The background SFX growing in volume as the track progresses is clever; adds a nice texture bed beneath the arrangement itself.
One Friendly Intruder opts for more standard approach to arranging - I love the use of arpeggios in the beginning. Feels like there's so much happening; different melody lines weaving in and out and around one another, but the mix isn't crowded by it. The bell-like chord tones do a great job of emphasizing the rhythm in an otherwise percussion-less track. Once again the background ambience starts to bubble up as the track progresses, accompanied by some gorgeous sounding deep drones and pads.
This was fun to listen to - very unique style. I'd love to hear more truth be told - feels like these were very thoughtfully arranged and tap into a kind of sound that is pretty rare. Great work! :)
Piano-centric pieces are always going to have my heart and this is no different. I like how you've explored a bunch of different styles throughout this, while still keeping the keys as the primary driving force in most, even if they're a little further back in the mix to accommodate some other instruments based on the given track.
The playing throughout is gorgeous; well articulated, explorative and befitting of the various moods present. I also like how the keys are a little more on the harder-side and that the softer dynamic isn't explored as much - I think this is an 'easy' go-to for making something more evocative and emotional but you've managed to keep the harder timbre present and still evoke those kinds of feelings.
Accompaniment-wise, there are some gems here. I really loved the string work in The Beach, and the weaving melodies in An Almost Answered Prayer are absolutely gorgeous. Nice variety of orchestral elements (and various articulations, at that) present throughout - big fan of the woodwinds in particular. Nice use of percussion when appropriate, too.
The ending track is genuinely something ethereal. Was not expecting a vocal theme, but the shift to guitar here was a major surprise and also a great palate cleanser to set a different tone immediately. Vocals are nice (I'd love to see some lyrics!) and the guitar-work itself is really well done. Drums coming in around the half-way point is a great way of adding some additional drive to the track ahead of the distorted guitars. Kudos for subverting expectations here - I would've been fully on-board with a pianissimo epilogue to round out this soundtrack, but having it end on a rock song makes it so much more memorable.
Super solid work here, you've got chops and it shows. Really nice arrangements, well produced as a whole and just a delight to listen to in general. Very unique submission.
I love the concept of "Nevermind Kingdom", and I'm also going take a moment to shout out the display picture. 😄
The opening track, Nevermind Castle, is really nice. Great introduction to the soundtrack, solid orchestration with some nice articulations and a memorable, ambling melody. Glissandos on the harp were a really nice touch toward the end to lead into the supported leading melodies.
Plains in my Dreams captures the overworld feel really well. Loving the percussion in this; it's not overly busy, but it is getting the job done and letting the rest of the accompaniment set the tone. Really nice melodies here as well, with some having a pseudo-call-and-response feel to them. Stripping back the mix toward the end to emphasize these melodies was clever.
Wild Doubts is great; a more upbeat change of pace. There's a triumphant flair to this, but not like that of a guaranteed victory - more akin to being in the flow of battle, in control. Horns do a great job of emphasizing these kinds of feelings, so solid choice on having them take lead at points during this one.
Solace is gorgeous - it loosely reminds me of a Resident Evil save room theme. Nice, dreamy melodies without percussion to ground them. I love the subtle pads in the background; they do a great job of bolstering the theme as a whole without drawing too much attention themselves.
The Boss theme, Rejected Memory, has me feeling a couple of different ways. In one sense, it is perfectly befitting of the title as it has this kind of dramatic flair to it. Unlike Wild Doubts, there's no outright triumphant flair in this, no guaranteed victory. It's a struggle to the end; a battle of skill. On the other hand, the choice of voicings in this and the progression itself reminds me of something I might hear in something like Sonic 3 - which is really cool. Kind of scratches 2 itches at once for me in that regard.
I love the washy synth in Conflict of Ideas - it has this kind of shimmer to it that makes it stick out. The melodies above it do a great job of leaving space to breathe and allowing the accompaniment below to come to the forefront every now and again. Solid percussion work here again - not too busy, just enough to provide a heartbeat to the track.
Deepest Thought is dark and meandering in some senses. Has a kind of ambiguous mood to it - not quite sure how I'm supposed to feel, but striking that balance of ambiguity is no easy feat so kudos in that regard. If I had to pick a word to sum this kind of theme up, I think I'd go with pensive.
Wi-Fi Settings, both as a title and the track, was completely unexpected but wholly welcome. I love how this feels more akin to something I might hear on a very early 16-bit title. It's got a subtle groove to it and a memorable melody - I'd even go so far as to say this is a bit of an ear-worm. I'd have actually loved to hear a little more in this style!
All in all, great work. Nice varied selection of tracks, each of which explores a different mood. Great arrangements, well produced. This was a fun listen and has me wanting some more. Best of luck! :)
Oh this is really cool - the beginnings of the Title theme almost fringe a little bit on menacing (particularly the horns before the track strips itself down) but then feels whimsical and curious. This tropical-like melody and progression works really well as a title theme - I can imagine hearing this in so many games. At points it actually reminds me a little of Croc!
Deep Feelings is beautiful - it nails the water vibe. The choice of voicings in this track has it feeling almost 'blurry' at points which fits really well with the bubble motif, and I absolutely adore the lead synth patch that comes in toward the end. Having the accompaniment strip back a little here and almost drag behind is genius.
Water Temple is really well done, and it makes me ponder on the kinds of things that make a Water Temple a Water Temple, if that makes sense? Really solid choice of instrumentation here, it really is befitting of the title. The first third being more spaced out with soft tones and simple melodies works really well. I was not expecting the transition into a more rhythm oriented middle section - kudos on the percussion here, it does a great job of keeping the beat whilst not being obtrusive about it. The bass prevalence here is really nice too - great to hear it rear its head properly and groove a little. Solid use of motifs throughout this track as a whole.
Wave's Theme is really nice - a great example of less-is-more. The mix isn't crowded, there's rarely a lot happening at once, and there's ample time to breathe between sections. Great example of underscoring here - the mix does not need to be packed to the brim with movement or sound; choice melodies, chords and accompaniment can say a lot more by doing a lot less. I think that's what makes the last section of this track stand so tall - it was in no rush to get to this point, and as a result it sounds beautiful when it finally does crescendo into this flow-state.
Corporate Inc is a departure from expectations, in a good way. A palate cleanser - it's dark, ambles along at its own pace and doesn't quite make the intended mood clear. Strikes this ambiguity that has me feeling curious but also a little tense. Really nice choice of voicings here - very down-tempo and mysterious.
And, at last, the Final Boss. This is an interesting track - some really nice orchestration present here and it makes no attempt to hide the drama. Great use of articulations here with the strings to really set the stage, and I love how the mallets take control of guiding the lead tones.
Great work - this is super solid and a tight execution of the theme. Some really nice arrangements here and they're produced well to boot, too.
As others have noted - some fantastic orchestration at play here. Arranged and layered really nicely. The melodies in Spindly Spire are packed to the brim with whimsy, and I love how often you're trading melodies off to other sections. Great use of articulations throughout across all instruments; feels like there's no stone left unturned and unexplored here.
Great work - this was a delight to listen to and, honestly, a solid point of reference to come back to if I want to study some orchestration properly. Fantastic job, I wish you the best with it! :)
Living In Somnus (Preview Edition) jam comments · Posted in Living In Somnus (Preview Edition) jam comments
Really nice mix of instruments throughout this, and produced so well too. Great job exploring different styles and really pushing each of them - Home Theme explores some gorgeous orchestration. The 8-bit first section kicking into the sax was completely unexpected but works so well. I think this track is my favorite of the bunch, personally.
RAM-Eater comes in as a close second - this reminds me of some of the more experimental kind of tracks you'd find in the 16-bit era days, particularly Yuzo Koshiro. Reminds me a little bit of the arcade theme - solid melodies, great accompaniment but a menacing tone and some interesting choice of voicings (the bells do a great job of adding this tense flair to the track).
Great work, this was a delight to listen to and produced really well. Varied selection of tracks that explore a couple of different styles and some really nice ear candy in general. Loving the FL theme too, dark all the way!
Off the bat - kudos on producing 14 tracks!
This has some really cool ideas in it, and I adore the choice of synth voicings present. When I started listening to Legend of Xara I had it pegged as a standard chiptune track but the way it evolves and the use of really textural and expansive pads had me locked in.
The Title Theme explores a lot of really nice bits of sound design and ambience. This one is absolutely laden in moodiness and has an ominous kind of edge to it that is solely unique to this track. Big fan of how blown out and gritty that core synth beneath is as it continually flairs to life and then dies back again. Percussion in this is also a great example of less-is-more; does just enough to keep the rhythm, blends nicely into the background and fits the overall tone of the track.
My favorite of the bit-focused arrangements is probably The Director - it's menacing but also really catchy. A huge ominous introduction before kicking into the core melody (which I imagine playing over some dialogue) before finally getting into the gameplay around the half-way mark or so. Loving the choice of chords here and the accompaniment in the background doing a great job of bolstering those melodies.
Solid work all around - there's a lot to love here! Some really cool chiptunes mixed with some more modern sounds, all arranged and produced well. Great work! :)
Some really gorgeous textures and ambiences in here, honestly. In Between reminded me of something Akira Yamaoka would do. As others have noted, there's a rather unique mix of tracks in here and they're all realized to their full potential - no half measures in approach or arrangement. I love the more piano driven ones (such as the beginning of Plain Meander Erupt and Funny Business) but all of them have a lot to love.
Production throughout is really solid and I love the varied use of instrumentation throughout. Sand Tower has a lot of interesting components in it, in particular I'm a big fan of the vocal lines in it - they fit so seamlessly. Really nice use of folk instruments and writing to their strengths.
Solid work all in all - this was fun to listen to and explore all the different styles. Great work. :)
Downside-Up: Marnie's Bizarre Adventure jam comments · Posted in Downside-Up: Marnie's Bizarre Adventure jam comments
Kudos on managing 9 tracks in the time-frame, that's impressive! And the cat videos are a great way of showing off the soundtrack, too. 😄
Really nice selection of tracks all in all, well orchestrated throughout and with a nice use of various articulations as well. Enjoyed the guitar work where present - mixed well and does a good job of bolstering the mix as a whole. I have to say that the percussion throughout was on point - varied and befitting of each track with a lot of different styles and cool grooves. The mix of more standard electronic beats and the rock/metal rhythms was really nice - I'm particularly partial to the latter so Whispers in the Dark and Marnie's Bizarre Adventure were right up my alley.
That being said, I think my overall favorite is probably Under the Bed - I love the vibes you've captured in this one, and it really reminds me of a particular game I can't quite place the moment. Great use of orchestration and electronic drums to set the tone - the little flairs of delayed elements do a great job of spacing out the arrangement as a whole. Choice of synths and voicings is nice too, and the piano in it is really clean - nice and moody with a touch of reverb.
Great work, this was solid! Made for a fun and varied listen - a lot of different styles happening here, but it works well as a whole.
Nailed the SNES vibe - the chosen patches and voicings really brought me back immediately.
Tower of Illusion feels multifunctional - I could imagine in it in an intro, as a title theme or a track that kicks off right as the player gains control before setting out on an adventure. Great choice of voicings here - it has a triumphant kind of tone to it but not a distinct fanfare, if that makes sense?
Living in Paradise is a great follow-up; feels exactly like what I'd expect to follow the previous track. Ambles along at its own pace with some nice melodies and progression. I love the occasional cheeky trills and arpeggio bursts here in particular - a little bit of extra ear candy!
Journey Towards Reality is gorgeous - the change in voicings here hits hard. Really nice choice of patches and layering here. The wind melody feels comfortably lost amidst the accompaniment and slowly comes to the top before dropping out in favour of the piano. I think this may be my favorite of the bunch, honestly.
Mystical Power does a great job of striking a balance between awe & wonder and a slight sense of tension or perhaps trepidation is better. Befitting of the title as it feels as though the player has discovered something massive and there's this equal sense of curiosity and wariness that comes with approaching it and learning more about it. Really nice arrangement here - I love how the various melodies weave around one another without the mix sounding crowded.
Conspiracy, by contrast, abandons that balance and is up front about how it wants you to feel. Great orchestration here to really set the tone and make no allusions about the thick tension present here. I think you killed it with this one as 16-bit era games had a very specific way of going about ambient, dark kind of tracks that I can't quite put to words but you've managed to emulate perfectly. It's a weird mix of light sound design, drones and some use of chromatics to subvert expectations of where the mood is going.
Finally, Encounter is gorgeous! This has a fanfare kind of flair to it; the big battle has finally come and the player must now put their skills to the test. Again, really nice orchestration here and I love the piano work that comes in and out in this. Great use of dynamics in this as well - the arrangement swells and backs off multiple times, emulating the flow of a final encounter.
All in all, great work - this is super solid. Brought me back and makes me nostalgic for a game that doesn't exist! Nicely arranged, well produced and with some fantastic choice of patches and voicings.
The choice of instruments and arrangement in Ritual Dance is really cool - feels very faithful. Nice progression and cool evolution throughout.
Yume No Umi is gorgeous; the layering at the beginning is fantastic and the piano playing does a great job of bolstering the other instrumentation. Nice use of the bells taking the lead tones and the rest of the accompaniment below carrying the melody and chords. I think the (primarily) piano outro for this one is really clever; it grounds the track and and gives some breathing room before kicking into the next track.
You're Not Her is ominous out of the gate; nice choice use of instruments here, very much opting for the less-is-more approach and it works really well. Having some low droning notes accompanied by SFX does a great job of setting the stage for something much darker than what we've heard thus far. String-work is great and this track does a fantastic job of evolving over time. Resetting once again to a quieter and more peaceful prolonged outro section does wonders for cleansing the palate of the tension beforehand.
And last but no least, The Flow of Life Carries On - I love how stripped down this is in comparison to the other tracks. Nice simple melodies, ambling along at its own pace. Great articulations at play here and a really nice way to round out the soundtrack as a whole.
Great work - this made for a fun listen and explores some lesser explored themes. Produced well with no mixing issues from myself personally, and some genuinely really cool arrangements in general. Best of luck! :)
Artwork is stellar - kudos to the artist!
I think you did a great job taking those pieces and writing a suitable accompaniment to them. The prevalence of multiple stringed instruments is really neat throughout this - they're great for delivering a different flavour to each track. The guitar in A Mourning Sun and his Father's Field paints a very different picture to what you might find in Here Lies a Village Not Saved - of which there are some real Gustavo Santaolalla vibes, I think you've really tapped into a cool style in general here.
Orchestration throughout is really well done, and choice of lead instruments and voicings is super tight. Each track is arranged well and manages to be unique but still cohesive in the soundtrack as a whole. All in all this is a really solid submission, I could see this in a variety of games and would love to hear more of what you're capable of in the future!
A Final Reflection has a lot of interesting things going on. There's quite a few different melody lines weaving around each other off the bat. It is very busy but I didn't find that it clashed at all which is good. Really enjoyed the change of pace and stripped back accompaniment around the 2/3 mark - really nice piano playing and a good opportunity to breathe a little before getting back into it for one more send-off. Kudos on the gradual layer reintroduction here also.
Meanwhile, Welcome Home is a great example of a motif done well and it is played beautifully. Nice articulation, soft left-hand melodies and some really nice orchestral work building in the background and bolstering the piano. Loving the subtleties of this one - as the track progresses there are more and more bits of ear candy that float to the top.
Solid submission, both really enjoyable tracks that are produced and arranged really well.
Knight Light // OST Composing Jam#7 jam comments · Posted in Knight Light // OST Composing Jam#7 jam comments
Baking your thoughts into the video is genius - I wanted to do a retrospective of my own but this idea is way better.
These are faithful chiptunes - I dig the choice of waves and patches used. Composition and melody-wise it is on point - I can easily imagine these being used in a variety of games from the NES-era. I'm particularly fond of the main progression in Castle.
Kicking off Transition with the standard sound we've grown used to up until this point and then taking it literally by changing over to a more FM-based, modern sound was really clever. Seamless enough as well - not a jarring change, but a welcome one. Having this methodology stick for the remainder of the soundtrack is a great idea and does wonders for varying the soundscape.
All in all, great work - solid pieces here! Enjoyed them a lot, and that bonus track was pretty great too; intro progression reminded me somewhat of the early Silent Hill melodic tracks.
Absolutely frantic in the best way possible - so much happening but it works so well. Love the piano playing throughout - feels like it is running away with itself, weaving in and out of orchestral swells and synth lines. Speaking of - the choice of synth voicings and patches here is really cool, and the orchestration is absolutely massive. Arranged to perfection. The live violin is really sick - having the accompaniment drop to the minimum to emphasize the lead line was genius here.
Probably one of, if not the most, professional mixes I've heard. Produced obscenely well, great selection of instruments and a full mix. I know your write-up addresses this as an ARPG, but I could easily see this being used in various fighting games as well as a climactic final stage - Tekken came to mind in particular for me personally, and I absolutely adore their soundtracks so I mean that as high praise! Stellar work.
Gorgeous arrangements here. I love how each of the melodies in Memory Bubbles weave in and about one another and there's some genuinely fantastic orchestration. Great use of articulation and locking into this kind of ebb-and-flow state of progression - it feels effortless, emulating what it would be like to be floating or perhaps suspended underwater.
Bubble Games has some really nice woodwinds in it and I appreciate the motifs at play here. Once again the orchestration and accompaniment is on point, and I also want to say kudos on the piano playing throughout - super evocative, and it knows when to play the role of support and when to drift off and become more of a leading instrument in the mix. I wish this was longer in all honesty, haha.
Great work all in all - really solid submission. I'd love to hear more in general, but both of these tracks would have no issues fitting in a variety of games, and those games would be lucky to have them! Produced well, arranged beautifully and fantastic execution on the theme.
Echoes of a Dream had me reeled in immediately - absolutely love the choice of voicings here and how gentle the arrangement is as a whole. Some really gorgeous textures evolving throughout, and I love how the arrangement never ends up being too busy. It strikes these feelings of ambiguity - a difficult in-between to not only find but work with, but I think you've done a great job here.
The Awakening follows the same kind of vibe but has more of a forward motion to it, I think. I like the pseudo-percussion present here, it does a great job of providing a grounding rhythm to the track and allowing the other melodies to weave in and around the beats. Great choice of voicings here once again.
Dream of a Butterfly feels like it is sitting in the same camp as the first track but it explores more of a conducive tone. Almost whimsical in a lot of ways, laden in a kind of soft hope. I love the transition from more sustained and expression oriented sounds into a more spiccato kind of voicing around the 2/3rd mark.
Dozing Off is very befitting of its title; it's like a gentle lullaby. Everything in it has this kind of 'blurred' sound, as though you're caught on that fringe of just losing consciousness but still being minutely aware of what is around you. Really nice progression throughout and I like how the ending section starts to get a little busier before stripping down to the arpeggio fading out.
Finally, Dream of a Girl is a departure from expectations off the bat - definitive percussion and a more unabashed upbeat kind of vibe. There's a playfulness to this, not only in the rhythm but the articulation of the keys. Some really nice leads here and orchestration to bolster the arrangement.
All in all, this was genuinely fantastic - it may be my favorite ambient entry of the bunch. Your approach of arranging and crafting soundscapes is enviable. I'd love to hear this in a context of a game, and hear so much more from you. Super solid work, I could see this landing among the top spots for sure.
This made for an interesting listen! The Main Theme actually reminded me of something I might hear in some sort of stealth-driven, espionage game funnily enough.
Digging the choice of instrumentation and synth patches throughout the Sectors. Nice sense of progression in each and repeated use of motifs. Really like the pseudo-breakbeat percussion in Sector 3 in particular - those kind of drums always have me locked in. Good opportunity to also say that the percussion throughout the soundtrack as a whole is nice and varied stylistically which I think is a feat in itself.
Really nice touch having the final track be so tonally driven and absent of rhythms. Bookends the experience nicely, and the orchestration is really well done. With the title being Unexpected Freedom, I felt as though this ending piece had a very pensive feeling to it, which is a cool contrast I think.
All in all, solid work! Produced well, plenty of tracks, nice evolving sense of style throughout.
Always love seeing some dedicated chiptune pieces. Really dig your choice of waveforms and patches throughout - good use of fully utilizing accompaniment as opposed to just running a lead and bass then calling it a day.
Percussion was great - unobtrusive and gets the job done. Love the core progression and the layering done toward the mid-section of the track. The slowed pace that kicks in right after really reminded me of something I might hear in Golden Axe back in the day.
All in all, super solid! Very faithful to the genre and done with much love and care. Made for a fun listen and a nice hit of nostalgia. :)
Very unique sound out of the gate - Opening explores a couple of different moods I think. The choice of synth patches at the beginning was interesting and rather textural at points. The change of pace and introduction of percussion for the final stretch was a nice touch.
Stage Select sounds rather ominous! Descending melodies always tend to have this effect, but the choice of voicings helps sell this, also. Seems like it is set up to loop without issue so that's a plus!
The Pause Screen melody is kind of haunting in its own right - pensive and awaiting continuation. I can't remember a ton of games having pause music specifically but this is a neat idea and it is executed well.
Final Boss has a great set-up - the choir from the get go does a great job of setting the stage for what's to come. Nice choice of melodies and waves for carrying the main theme itself, and I'm going to take this opportunity to say kudos on the percussion - nice and frantic but keeping the core rhythm going to bolster the rest of the track. I think this track is my favorite of the set, personally.
All in all, good work! Some neat chiptunes here, I can see them being put to use in a variety of games. Nicely done!
VGM Game Jam 7 "Inside My World" jam comments · Posted in VGM Game Jam 7 "Inside My World" jam comments
The Title Screen theme is beautiful - loving the less-is-more approach here by letting the chords breathe and really come to life. Well played, nicely articulated a solid progression with some really nice pad accompaniment.
The choice of instrumentation in Calm Area is really nice - I adore the pads and drones here, they do a great job of emulating that floating underwater kind of feeling. Having the harp take the lead here and leisurely run through sequences and arpeggios - it does a great job of adding some whimsy and gently guiding the listener without rushing through anything. Introducing the piano after this was genius - it has a more defined kind of pace. Love the miniature outro here as well, does a nice job of bookending the track.
Finally, Urgent Mission makes for a nice change of pace and tone. Fantastic orchestration and use of various articulations here. Once again the accompaniment in the background does a great job of bolstering the track as a whole. Love how this one progresses and evolves over time. Opting for a fade-out was interesting - I, surprisingly, have not heard a lot of them in submissions thus far.
Great work, this is absolutely gorgeous. Really nice selection of tracks, well produced and nice & varied. Really enjoyed this. :)
Some really cool ideas here! The Main Theme has an infectious kind of joy to it - definitely reminds me of some of the opening themes on kart racers back in the day. I love how it transitions into an almost fully directed chiptune composition in the final half of the track. Really nice use of chord arpeggios in the background, and I love how you've handled the percussion. DCPM sounding kicks and snares with the noise bursts for the cymbals and transitionary SFX. The modulated tempo at the end was a nice touch, too!
Straight away, the Level Theme captures the vibe befitting of the title. They always had such upbeat and groovy themes for level, stage and course selections back then and I think you've nailed the feeling here. This track in particular definitely leans more into the tropical side of things, especially in the lead melodies. Gave me some faint memories of Angel Island from Sonic 3!
Finally, the Shop Theme reminds me of something I might hear in a Zelda title. The bossa vibe here is immaculate and I love how the track feels equal parts pensive and upbeat; emulating the player being curious in a shop and weighing up what they can afford. The piano melody here is really great - breaks away from the typical chiptune restriction but adds this whole other layer of ear candy to the track.
Great work - this was a really fun listen, and I'd love to hear whatever else this imaginary game would have in it. I think the thematic execution was perfect and that you really honed in on using your inspirations to craft your own unique take on things.
The piano playing in the Title Theme is great; soft and gentle. Good choice of chords below, the lead lines weave around them really nicely.
The choice of instruments in The Aquarium is gorgeous - I love how you've arranged this piece in particular. It never feels too busy but there is a lot going on the more you listen. Nice lead melodies on the winds which are accented by the mallets, and fantastic orchestration beneath it all. The way this piece develops is really cool.
Glimpse of Wonder is whimsical off the bat. The waltz-like rhythm on the keys does a great job of setting the stage here. Really nice use of repeated motifs here - the middle section has a melody repeat across three different instruments but it doesn't sound repetitive at all. I think that can be hard to pull off, so kudos for that!
The change of pace and tone in Drowning...Don't Close Your Eyes was an unexpected but wholly welcome surprise. The intro is jam packed with urgency and panic, but that middle section is almost ethereal in the initial quiet - a kind of calm-before-the-storm vibe. Great use of various articulations as this progresses, some really neat ideas in here.
Summer Night Festival's use of SFX in the beginning before getting into the arrangement is clever and does a really nice job of immersing the listener. Loving the introduction of some new instruments here, leaning fully into the festival vibes with not only the stringed and woodwind instruments but also the percussion too. Perfectly befitting of the title.
Finally, Distant Recollections feels a little like a return-to-form; bookending the soundtrack with another piano driven piece. Loving how delicate the playing is here, and the string accompaniment is beautifully handled - just as gentle as the piano playing, bolstering it wonderfully. The latter half opening up the mix was a great way of adding more substance to the piece and then bringing it back to the beginning once again by ending on the piano.
Great work - this was a delight to listen to. A lot of really cool pieces here, all of which are arranged wonderfully. Production throughout is good, and as a whole the soundtrack sounds really cohesive.
Really nice mix of genres here with a lot of different instruments at play. Kudos on the orchestration throughout all three tracks - arranged really well, produced to perfection and doing a great job at bolstering the rest of the mix. The vocal passes toward the end of Discovery are a really nice touch, and I like how the style starts to change a little at that point.
The guitar driven support during the first half of Quantus DT83 is nicely done - it reminds me of a save room theme from a Resident Evil game at points - it just has that kind of quiet comfort to it, without being too 'safe'. The second half of the track definitely emphasizes the change of tone and direction. Great use of articulations here to set the stage for something new.
Dusk Town is gorgeous - a lot of really cool individual elements present here. I like how the intro features a lot of folk influence and trades off melodies around the accompaniment. The transition into the second section, which is much more tense, is seamless and really well done. Develops nicely throughout and joins back up with the style of the first section for the ending sequence.
All in all this is really good - great selection of tracks, varied moods and a lot of different instruments and styles at play. Produced well on top of it all, too. Great work! :)
Some really cool tracks here, and quite a varied selection too. I love the slower, airier vibes of Introduction and First Steps - great choice of pad voicings here. Makes for some great textures that evolve over time, and the introduction of percussion in the First Steps is nice - grounds the track by having a steady beat to drive it forward. It loosely reminds me of something Akira Yamaoka might have done around the late 90s.
Tonal shift with Exploring the Nightmare right off the bat - cool atmospheres here, leaning much more into disconcerting territory. Really dig the pads that come in around the half-way point - nice and shimmery.
Battle is another departure from expectations - much busier than the previous tracks. I actually really dig this one - it isn't at all what I would've guessed would follow the previous tracks but it works. Love the more 'standard' sounding synths contrasting against some of the creepier, textural bits. Percussion here is nice too, much faster for a heightened sense of urgency. Some of the lead synth lines here remind me of something I might hear in Neon White.
The Ending theme has an almost dirge-like feel to it at the beginning. Once it starts to open up a bit more it moves into new territory. I dig the drones at play in the background here. This track is a bit of an enigma, I'm not sure how I should be feeling. That ambiguity can be hard to strike so kudos for that.
Solid submission all around - nice variety of tracks, all produced well.
The Title Theme is a great example of layering; starting off simple but gradually growing more detailed and rich as it progresses. Kudos on the production here, getting everything to seamlessly fit as it is gradually being added can be tricky but it is working really well here. As a whole it reminds me of something I might hear back on the early-to-mid PSX era, á la Croc or something similar.
Sleep and Dream plays even further into that vibe; loving the carry over of instrumentation here and the thoughtful approach of less-is-more at the beginning of this. Leaving space for the melody to breathe and then gradually grow more filled out is great. Having it strip back toward the end and function as a loop if necessary is great planning ahead.
Sunnybubble Island drives that Croc comparison in even more for me personally - game has a stellar soundtrack, varied and well thought out. This is no different - I love the island and tropical influence coming in full force here. Changing up the rhythm and pace around the half-way mark is great for preventing fatigue, and once again the set up for the loop is perfect.
Grandma's House has that gentle, soft approach that comes with writing something homely. Loving the use of mallet instrumentation as the primary driving force; turning the instrument itself into a motif. Nice and pleasant melodies here, particularly around that half-way point again; the extra lead tones in the background do a great job of embellishing the whimsy of this track.
The change of pace in Escape the Dream Eaters sets the tone immediately. Having a filter oscillate from opening and closing on the piano is a genuinely great touch here - feels like it is playing along the lines of trying to stay conscious and protect your dreams from being devoured. The rhodes(?) layer that is present at the beginning acts as a great contrast to the piano itself as it feels like a malicious lullaby, effectively having both the bespoke instruments 'fighting' one another.
Dance of the Ducklings has this 'cheeky' kind of vibe to it - I can't quite describe it. It's mischievous in a sense, but not maliciously so. Great idea switching up the rhythm in this one and leaning more into a waltz. The orchestration here is on point and there are a lot of great uses of differing articulations. I could imagine this functioning in a variety of games, and for some reason it actually gives me more of an N64 vibe than the others. (Granted the systems are mostly interchangeable but you get me)
The Ending Theme leaning back into the motif (in both senses of the word) is genius and the use of a familiar rhythm here does a great job of driving it forward whilst keeping it downtempo. The change of instrumentation and direction about a third of the way in was really cool and a nice throwback once again. This track is really going through the paces and exploring a lot. Great ending section here - brings it all home and wraps it up in a neat little bow.
All in all, fantastic job - super solid submission. Arrangement throughout is great; nice and varied, nicely orchestrated and well thought out. Production is on point, all the tracks feel cohesive and belong, and the use of motifs is really clever. Great work, this was a delight to listen to! :)
The title theme has such a nice vibe to it; gentle yet progressive. Great choice of instruments here - they all complement one another and weave between each other. Nice job on the orchestration, too - does exactly what it needs to to bolster the rest of the instruments in the mix.
Under Water Conversations nails the underwater vibe; dreamy spaciousness with just the right amount of top end. Pleasant melody here, kept nice and simple to really drive home that floating feeling. I like the choice of patch for the pad below leading the progression.
Finally, Under Water World Theme is gorgeous off the bat. A nice rounded arpeggio to kick things off and then that familiar soft-synth atop guiding the lead tones. Having the arpeggio open up a little more as the track progresses is a nice touch and the bounciness of it does a great job of emulating that floating deeper and deeper feeling. The more elaborate voicings toward the end are great too, prevents melody fatigue.
Great work all in all, solid selection of 3 tracks that all execute on the theme really well. Production is perfect too, no issues on my end. Best of luck! :)
Memories is a really nice piano-centric piece. Nice choice of progression and the accompaniment does a great job of bolstering it. As a whole this track reminds me of something I might hear in an early PSX title; not just in the arrangement but the voicings used also. Makes for a nice pensive but forward-moving piece as a whole.
A Familiar Village hones into similar vibes. Loving the choice to have an acoustic guitar take the lead here, and the melodies developing from the intro motif progression is cool. The percussion coming in around a third of the way through does a nice job of livening things up and providing a central heartbeat to the arrangement. I like how you've got multiple layers of instruments taking lead tones here, especially so when you bring the square wave and strip back the percussion a little to give it some more room to breathe. Nice orchestration present throughout this one, too.
All in all, great work. Solid pair of tracks, each dipping into a different vibe but managing to remain congruent. I'd love to hear more in this style. Kudos on the production, too. Best of luck. :)
Some interesting ideas in here. After having listened to Ritual, I presumed all the pieces would be chiptunes but the change of instrumentation in An Open Door is great; still rooted somewhat in chiptune voicings at the beginning, but giving way to some really nice piano chords and a wandering melody atop. Very pensive piece, nicely paced and developed.
I dig the delayed attack in the core synth of The Secret - it gives it that old-school kind of flare, and the slowly closing filter helps sell this all the more. Nice little resonant bump to add some texture to the sound, too.
New Spaces also has a really nice lead patch - this almost gives me loose TLOU vibes at points, truth be told. Timbre is nice and airy, ambiguous feeling. The accompaniment below is simple but does a great job in bolstering that lead melody.
Solid submission - this made for an interesting listen with some cool ideas and progressions.
Nailed the underwater vibe off the bat; great choice of instruments and voicings. Loving the blend of 8 and 16 bit style of instrumentation. The simpler waves contrast really well against the more FM-oriented sounds. Great use of articulation, particularly with the 8-bit stuff, as that really sets the bar for working well with standard waveforms and pushing them to their limit.
All in all, this is a collection of really solid pieces. Nice and varied, a lot of cool ideas and great executions throughout. I think my favorite of the bunch is probably Minty the Fish - I could imagine myself hearing this in so many different types of games. Great work, this was a really fun listen! :)