03/27/2017 06:27:20 PM
03/27/2017
06:27 PM
Another Winter
EXEC_LINCA/.
Right Hand from Behind
I tire of Another Winter pretty easily-- it hits hard and fast but then gets kinda dull after a couple of repetitions-- but I also get this weird sense of VGMC nostalgia listening to it, since this contest was the first time I was introduced to it and I thought it was great the first time I heard it. All that aside I think this track is all right-- it's fun and spirited and I think it represents the general feel of Scott Pilgrim pretty well.
I can't remember the last time I listened to Birth of a God. Revisiting it now it's, uh, pretty decent? It does have a bunch of special boss theme tropes (that classic FF boss bass line, the rising action at 0:26-0:31 which shows up in FFV I think and even something like Lufia II's boss theme, that rock organ Nobuo can't seem to resist using, a not-at-all subtle interlude that weaves in one of the boss character's motifs, etc.). I think there's a few interesting stuff it does despite all of that other stuff though-- I just seem unable to elaborate on them meaningfully.
I'm not really big on Persona battle themes but I have a bit of a soft spot for I'll Face Myself. The way it introduces its main figure-- that nifty hiccup of a mixed meter-- is pretty stylish, before it goes into a much less interesting take on it. The chorus is not terribly unique but it sticks in the head-- it's got a bit of an earworm quality that I think this series' music is good at.
Speaking of VGMC nostalgia-- it's great to see the first hymmnos ever to make it into VGMC make its triumphant return. I think I first encountered this track in one of Ed Bellis's VG music topics, thought 'wow this is really cool', decided to listen to the Ar tonelico soundtrack, and promptly fell deep into the Ar tonelico music rabbit hole. LINCA's my favourite AT1 hymmnos by a country mile (I'd struggle to even name a 2nd place-- RIG=VEDA, maybe?). It's not just because it does some cool stuff with 5/4 and 6/4 time-- though that certainly helps-- but also because of its remarkably unpredictable melody and the way in which the different vocal parts each have a different texture and progression. I think it was Brayze who remarked about the way in which this (or was it METHOD_METAFALICA? I forget) handled the vocal parts like the voices were just more instruments, as opposed to the permanent focal points that every other instrument had to take a backseat to. It's a thought that I think describes one of the reasons I enjoy a number of hymmnos tracks so much.
Ezio's Family has been in enough contests that I feel like I've worn out all the things I can say about this track. It doesn't have a lot of ideas. It's made to be prominent in one very short scene, inoffensive background music otherwise, and it shows.
Right Hand from Behind isn't the most unique piece of music either-- a somewhat martial-sounding opening drumbeat that gives way to a gallop, some obvious cues taken from classical music pieces-- but it's lively enough and moves quickly enough that I can have some fun listening to it.