Lurker > Disillusion

Sax of Opportunity
The Blue Sanctuary
Predestined Fate

I've only heard about 3 songs from Tyrion Cuthbert's soundtrack so far, Sax of Opportunity included, and this is easily the best I've encountered. I do feel it's lacking a little punch in the energy, but it's still pretty jazzy and that's satisfying enough for me.

envidia reminds me a lot of the flamenco beats that Waltz in the Moonlight used back when it showed up here; funny enough, it feels like that song danced with Nazca no Oka from before and this is what resulted from that encounter: a very spirited woodland dance with Latin flavor. Gotta give respect to this one.

Deep Blue is some pretty nice idol music, it doesn't do anything that makes it really stand out in that genre but it's still pretty satisfying to hear. The voices harmonize really well to me, maybe that's why I have a bit of a soft spot for this one.

I think I like Blue Sanctuary much more than last year, not sure what happened! Some real sick guitar is used here, and the vocals hit that spot of airy and ethereal that I really like. I think the chorus gets a little repetitive after a while, but the rest is a pretty solid offering.

This Sakuraba song is okay, it's not really doing much for me nor can I really get a glimpse of what this song is trying to showcase.

I've definitely heard a couple of VVVVVV tracks that I think are better than Predestined Fate, but I would say this is a good baseline for the soundtrack as a whole. Good beep boops here.

Snowfield
Metallic Madness Zone Act 2
Pledge of Demon

Rage Rave goes for a dark, harsh vibe that I think I'd be more into if it wasn't only focusing on that. Sounds decent enough, but it doesn't appeal to me as much as I thought. Also, I definitely would've appreciated hearing those guitars much sooner in the song, I would've like to see how they'd be used instead of just in the last 40 seconds.

Sonia Mania is when I started realizing that Tee Lopes had some solid composing chops under his belt, and Metallic Madness Act 2 is easily one of his best works from it. Taking a pretty funky futuristic tune from Sonic's past and making it even funkier, with a cute rap verse and some sax work? You GOTTA respect it. Man knows what he's doing.

ARPHAGE is an interesting one, definitely liking the dual set of vocals on this. I wish I could get some more time with the backing instruments, I definitely want the vocals to take a break so I could enjoy the other main aspect of the song.

I should really get into the Yakuza series proper this year. I've heard Pledge of Demon quite a number of times as well as seen the fight where it shows up too, it's definitely deserving of all the shredding guitar and overall rough atmosphere this song exudes.

Tiebreaker:
Snowfield makes me want to dream and not at the same time. I feel like it'll create a dream where I'll see some old friends from years past, and then I end up somewhere in a snow-covered forest during a blizzard where the wind is blowing my vision away.

Two of Braves
The Fox's Lair
The Phantom World

Sick music from Mega Man, easily one of my new favorites so far. I want to like the Battle Garegga song more - it feels a lot like the first boss theme from Klonoa - but the melody is messy in a few pivotal areas that makes the whole thing not stick the landing.

I'd be a lot more into Fixytext Menu if it started slow like it already does, but it began to add more layers to it as time passes. It looks to have a generous amount of runtime to explore and experiment with ideas, but it sadly doesn't take that chance. Fox's Lair is so good, I'd definitely think it was a LaTale song before anything else.

I wasn't expecting this energetic rock song from Drakengard, definitely one of the more appealing songs to me I've heard from it so far. I'm really liking all the percussion that Gurumin uses, it makes for a very fun "jungle-meets-desert" vibe.

Snowfield
Try, Try Again
The Merciless Savior

Snowfield is the exact kind of sentimental piece I need tonight.

No Turning Back
Dearly Beloved
Prontera Field

Wow, No Turning Back is straight up a Time Rift song from Hat in Time, but with a more complex set of instruments than just the piano and synths that game has. I really like how grand in scale yet dramatic this comes to me as, while keeping that vibe of bubbly mystery thanks to the main synth.

Level 4 is absolutely the kind of track that 10-year-old me would have easily fallen in love with. I will always appreciate a groovy track like this, complete with piano!

I can't remember which was the version of Dearly Beloved that was slightly faster than the KH2 version (think it's either the very first one or Re:COM?), but that version is probably my favorite. This version is no slouch though, it's still a pretty emotional piece gearing you up for probably the best part of the entire Kingdom Hearts story.

Quatera Woods is pretty nice, it almost feels like a modern Pokemon town/city theme with those guitar synths. I really like the overall cheerful vibe this has, it's definitely a good forest song in my book.

I guess in a different timeline, Yoko Kanno would've been approached by Namco in the early 2000's to make music for a little game called Katamari Damacy. And this is absolutely what she would've (hell, even should've) submitted to prove her chops. The cute noise synths, the glitchy acoustic guitar, the vocals at the end - they all fit the Katamari bill so well. It's a shame that it just cuts off at the end, but the leadup to everything else is just so good.

Hook is something, alright. I can tell it wants to be experimental and I respect that, but I usually try to find something to attach myself to within a song to start connecting to it and enjoying it, and I can't seem to find that at this point for this. Maybe it's too experimental for me?

Suna no Shiro -The Castle of Sand-
I Don't Understand Your Feelings
A Hopeful Astraea

No writeups for tonight, but man, why is almost everything really good today?

Balearic Birds
Gravity Man
Barcelona

How did this Uma Musume song ended up sounding like someone dropped an idol group into ACE's hands? Like damn, this almost sounds straight out of Xenoblade 3 if it wasn't for the anime vocals showing up. And they work better than I would ever hoped!

Oh man, some more Tee Lopes fun. A little taste of jazz, some house vibes, a little samba/rumba sprinkled in, this is a Dis-certified good time. Now I need to find some penguins to play this with me, and I'll make millions.

I don't know a lot of Mega Man by heart, even if that's been slowly changing in recent times, but Gravity Man is definitely one of my favorites so far. I was wondering what kind of inspiration did the Smash Ultimate remix pull from, and I'm happy to see that the base song is this honest-to-goodness funky little chiptune with a little energetic space vibe to it.

I'm not really sure what to make of Supermoon, the ambience for it feels wildly all over the place for me. I think I still like the overall sound, but for some reason the instruments constantly clash with each other inside my head. They'd probably sound alright by themselves, but I don't really get a sense of working harmony between them, almost like they're trying to compete against each other just to get my attention. Weird song overall.

Barcelona is an interesting mix of ideas while still keeping that "runway pop/disco" energy, I really like it! I especially like the guitar here, as well as the Latin/Spanish-esque vocals that you can barely hear in a couple of spots (I wish they were louder!). I definitely dig the overall vibe on this one.

Ar tonelico chant songs tend to sound cool, this one is no exception. I do find myself wanting some more harmony between the two different sets of vocals, I like it when songs do that when they offer more than one voice to listen to.

Convergence
Grown-up's Paradise
Dragon Valley

Still a sucker for ambience, so Convergence is easily up my alley, even if I sort of prefer the calmer start instead of the more energetic second half. I'm a little conflicted with Crisis City, it should in theory be higher up in my preferences with Sonic music, but it somehow feels like it's just not doing enough for me. I like the energy it has, but something about the song structure itself feels lacking.

...Shoot. Bulletin Combat goes for that cool and creepy vibe that I dig sometimes, but Grown-up's Paradise is probably the best Mili song I've heard to date. It's a little hard to not vote for it, this is easily the most range I've ever heard Mili use for her performance.

God, I REALLY wish I could vote for Dear My Friend; I think it's finally hit me as to what exactly shoegaze is, and I've realized I have listened to a bunch of that throughout anime-adjacent times in my life, specifically late high-school/early college. Dear My Friend is very reminiscent of that, but Dragon Valley is really good as well. Tough pick here.

Dance of Wind
Stilt Village
VEX DAY TRANSFUSE.EXE

Can't write much tonight, but Match 1 is pretty close. And good!

Stilt Village sounds like what you'd get if you put a SimCity song into the Robots GBA game.

Sadly, I'm not into this Shikata as much. VEX DAY is pretty dang good, though.

Danger (ARM Version)
Wildfire
Mortified by Faith

There's really just one part I'm don't care much about from Danger (ARM), and that's from ~:0:54 to 1:09, right before the song just drops into overdrive and I bop my head cause of it. The vocals suddenly coming in does make for a weird moment, but it's not one I dislike! I kinda wish they were a little more present, but I'll honestly take how the song is now than potentially make it worse/awkward.

I just don't know what it is, but I just don't feel spurned or emotional in any way every time I relisten to The Best Is Yet To Come. I dig the Celtic sound for sure, but those vocals have never worked for me; they're simply there. This might be one of the very few cases I've experienced so far where the vocals do drag the song down for me, I'm almost curious enough to see how it'd feel instead if it were just the Celtic instruments and nothing else.

How did ZUNpets ever become a thing, anyway? I wonder how much more I would enjoy Touhou music if they were replaced with any other synth, since that's really my main complaint with Reach for the Moon. I really like the piano and xylophone synths in this one too, so I'm a little bummed I can't enjoy it more.

Wildfire is really good, I'd definitely sooner expect it to be a popular radio rock hit than from a gacha game. I guess it does have pretty big Imagine Dragons vibes to it.

Man, I didn't know Mortified by Faith would be this much of a cool song! Its bizarre atmosphere, littered with bits of saxophone, crystalline and dreamy synths, and trippy vocals, just enraptures me while it plays. This is a song I can just play and immediately close my eyes and vibe to easily, I'm definitely developing a soft spot for this one.

Oh hey, Evergreen's the secret Atelier track for this year, it looks like. I really like the happy Celtic vibes in this one, complete with accordion, and the vocals are pretty and fit this well. I love the flute in this one so much. =)

Nazca no Oka
Carrot Carrot
RGB

YO, Peruvian VGM in this day and age? Hell yeah. I love how bright and colorful this song sounds overall, I'd personally lose it if they somehow added in some decent-sounding Spanish along the main Japanese vocals. This one is pretty dang fun! Also, ANDES HEALING is the perfect genre for this. =)

I'd say that Same Old Story is probably a comfortable second for my preferred tracks in Cassette Beats so far. It's not as high as Your Inception, but this is still going for that 80s pop/rock combo that's definitely hooking me into this. I do think the vocalist is trying to go a little too high-pitched during the chorus, I prefer it when she doesn't try to force her own voice out and gives her voice some needed down time.

Oh god, Carrot Carrot is just straight up improv jazz, huh? I'm ALL for this, just some fun back and forth between the piano, drums and brass. I honestly can't tell what's my favorite part from this just yet, it all sounds solid to me!

Funny, I don't think I've heard Battle with the Four Fiends all that much when looking into older FF tracks. It makes for a good tense battle theme, especially with that trumpet synth, but I feel like it's missing some percussion around the middle that could help it to really liven things up.

I'm liking the cool, weird, even dissonant ambience that RGB is giving me, though it's definitely not the version of RGB I prefer (pretty sure the "OST arrange" version is the one that really appeals to me). It cuts off a little short as well, but I'm definitely into it at least.

Queen in the Dark Night feels like a cool, older Castlevania track that got lost in a schmup and made do with where it found itself. It's honestly more fun than I remember it being, there's some surprisingly groovy synths in this one.

Black tar
Morning Dew
Nuedori

Seeing ZUN attached to Lost in the Abyss will never not be weird to me. As is though, it's a cool high-energy song, I could believe it to be another Xeno X song if you swapped out the singer. Speaking of, I almost wish there were two singers in this, because I like Vivienne's voice during the verses and bridge but not so much during the chorus; it's a little nitpick I have about this. Neat song, regardless.

Black tar screams with SO much 2010's energy, like you're trying to market a new action-heavy sci-fi film/game and this is the opening that comes with it: a heavy techno song with a simple but catchy beat, "weighted" synths and a rap verse for the cherry on top. I appreciate all that, even if this is probably the 5th(?) best song from the soundtrack.

Morning Dew sounds nice, but it's easily a modern country pop track that I could easily find by turning on the radio at some point. I do like the singer's soothing voice though, and I like the cozy vibes I get from it.

I appreciate the grand "epic" scale that Morning Light Hymnus is going for, but I can't help but think it's trying a little too hard to sell me on it. The opera voices aren't doing much for me here, I'm definitely into the instruments a little more.

Damn, I was hoping for Vector to the Heavens to be the original one from 358/2 Days, that's the one where the piano really jumps at me. The 1.5 ReMIX version is still pretty nice though, this is probably my favorite "emotional" character theme from the franchise? There's just so much deserved melancholy in this, I feel for the existence that is Xion and her story throughout the game.

Nuedori is so cool, I really like the vocalist and the tribal percussion this song goes for. I also really like the contrast between the lower-energy verses and the higher-energy chorus, it almost makes it "brighter" in my mind and makes it stand out more to me.

Kind Lady (Funk Disco Extended Mix)
Death by Glamour
Battle: The Skyscraper

I can't say I remember when I first found the extended mix for Kind Lady, but I've definitely been hooked on it ever since, just like the original song. I was afraid that this seven-minute version of it would be off-putting for this year (since I wasn't trusting the original 1:32 version to break into bracket), but I'm happy to be proven wrong! I'm happy to provide the long disco/house track for this year, with its tantalizing bass and delicious synths, all thanks to Sota Fujimori.

I like some of the ideas for Battle! Deoxys, but the song's parts don't feel cohesive to me. I enjoy the main synth much more than the Hoenn/Gen 3 trumpets being used in this song, and there's like a swing rhythm/section that feels out of place with how intimidating I feel like this is supposed to be. Decent battle theme, but I wish it were stronger.

I'd have to sit down and really compare all the versions for a couple of hours at least, but I think this is my favorite version of Weight of the World so far? The vocals at least feel so smooth and serene, they're light and not too airy and compliment the other instruments quite well. This almost feels like a lullaby to me with how relaxing it sounds, I'm definitely digging this one.

We all know Undertale for one reason or another, and the music is definitely one of the bigger ones. I don't think it's hyperbole to call one of the stronger indie soundtracks out there, and Death by Glamour is definitely one of the best. Seeing Mettaton transform into his FABULOUS self with this blasting was definitely one of the highlights of my time with this game, especially with him breaking out every dance move under the sun with this perfectly goofy disco to accompany it. Nothing but LOVE here.

Isolated Island definitely grew on me the more I listened to it, it gives me "getting isekai'd into a prehistoric world" vibes with its cool drums and flute combo. I really like the old-school RPG feel this is going for, like I'm looking into a story from 30+ years ago or something.

Battle: The Sky Scraper is straight up a Super Monkey Ball track, and you can't tell me otherwise. Come on, the futuristic drum n' bass this is using could easily have come from Super Monkey Ball 2 or one of the newer entries; there's no way someone didn't take inspiration from those. If not, well...close enough!

Roxas (Kingdom Hearts II)

Sensei's Theme (CO Power)
[ai]
Jungle Journey

Match 1 is a little rough, I really like the "fake Ocarina/Majora's Mask" vibes that Sewers goes with.

Jungle Journey is interesting, it feels like a song from Threads of Fate that got injected with the lively synths from PSO2 - I'm thinking of Yggdrasil in particular.

Sherbet Land [CD]
Your Inception
Prowler

Man, never thought I'd see the day Sherbet Land would try its hand at bracket. (Went for it in noms during VGMC15, couldn't get it off the ground then.)

Might update with more writeups later on, but for now this was a good day overall.

Chimera Lab
Necrofantasia ~ Arr.Demetori
The Apex of the World (Rain)

Birdman is as simple as relaxing lounge music could possibly get for the time. A nice keyboard synth, some nice bass, a cute xylophone to mix things up a bit, you can't really ask for more from a chill tune like this.

Chimera Lab is just going off on me right now, coming like a mix between Super Monkey Ball and Mega Man Battle Network. I'm loving the energetic synth work here, giving off the fun futuristic vibe this is feeding me with. God, Is all of LaTale as good as this?

I'm not sure if I'm familiar with the ambient/atmospheric side of Sakuraba stuff; We Form in Crystals feels pretty interesting though it doesn't entirely gel with me for some reason.

This Touhou remix is honestly pretty cool with some nice electric energy coming from the guitar, and there's some nice backing instruments to give the song a little more atmosphere while giving the guitar some room to breathe. Pretty fun overall.

No disrespect to Jeroen Tel, but the NES version of Robocop 3 Title was NOT the way to go. The main synth that kicks in after 20 seconds sounds way too high-pitched and rough compared to the smoother one that's used in the C64 version. That's the one I wish that got in instead, THAT'S the C64 retiree that would be awesome to see happen.

No matter how many times, I hear it, Apex of the World is just a really good battle theme. Not the best FE song I've heard, but surely it's good enough to keep hearing it constantly in these contests, right?

Devil Forest
Mechonis Field
Kitsch

Carpathians is a wild ride for sure, it feels a lot like modern Paper Mario music (specifically Origami King and by extension of style, the TTYD remake that was just released). It feels unrestrained and "cares not what you think" in its execution, and I respect it for that.

Devil Forest is so cool with its chill synths. Really, that's what I'm here for with this song in particular. It's atmospheric and a little hypnotic without needing to use too much effort.

Flamerock Refuge is cooler than I was expecting it to be, I wouldn't expect a Fable-esque/"high fantasy" track in a game like this. This erhu/guitar combo was the last thing I was expecting, this is just a delightful piece that soothes while coming and going.

Mechonis Field just fits that "low energy sci-fi ambience" bill very well. It doesn't go heavy on/try to overwhelm the listener with unneeded noise, it sticks to delivering a pleasing soundscape brought by all its synths working together. It's such a pleasing track, I could see why people would choose to listen to it for hours at a time.

The opening for Spiral of Erebos is perhaps the strongest part of it, and the leading into the main part is another pleasing moment as well. After that though, I do think the song could stand to rein in the guitar a bit to let the other instruments have their moments. I really like the violin part coming in, but I also think it drags on for a "verse" too long as well. The execution has its weak moments, but I think it makes for a good piece overall.

Forgive me Tekken fans, but I was definitely introduced to this song thanks to the "Tekken in Smash" discussion across the Smash Bros. fanbase. A song like this is easily up my alley: a electronic/jazzy combo that's simple enough to be put on repeat and not feel tiring to listen to. The piano, synths and vocal chops all coming together like it does - why wouldn't I like this?

Norfair
Cascarrafa
Lunar Bass

Song of TRIANGLE STRATEGY's style of song is easily one I've heard several times before, and it kind of just pales in comparison. The vocals do sound nice in a couple of moments - I'm kinda into the opera-like style around 3 minutes in - and the electric guitar adds a little bit of much needed excitement into the mix, but it doesn't really elevate it by much in the long run. Even by the end, it just sounds like whatever to me, I can't say I really enjoy it as a whole.

....Huh, about 150-200+ hours of playing Brawl as a kid and yet I don't remember hearing this Norfair theme. And Yuzo Koshiro being the arranger behind this one is insane to me, the man's played a bigger part of my VGM appreciation than I thought he did. This song is weird and cool, I'm digging the synths and the growling guitar on this one.

Cascaraffa is surprisingly leaning on that Persona 5 energy a bit, it feels like it in a couple of moments with how jazzy and even funky it sounds. I like how happy it feels to me, this was a pleasant surprise to listen to!

I don't think I'm a fan of the sung vocals in Faster Than Light, they kinda feel a little overdramatic to my tastes? I find myself more drawn to the background instruments instead.

ARCANA surprisingly isn't a Caligula effort with the dive into metal the song undergoes at some point; I think I said before that we had a couple of anime OP-sounding songs so far, but this one probably takes the cake! Good vocals, electric energy, this one is pretty good to listen and potentially headbang to.

I might have to make this the year where I finally dive into Funk Fiction's work, because everything I've heard across No Straight Roads and Spark has been pretty good to listen to and Lunar Bass is easily one of the best so far. Said bass in here is so good, and the moment where the song slows down with that violin just HITS so well. The funk is so real here, more platformers need a song like this.

Across Dimming Asterisms
Blue Desert Hotel
Portals

I'm a huge fan of desert themes of all kinds, so hearing one that plays it straight with the real-life Middle Eastern/Arabic style is so enthralling. Solid percussion, really nice woodwinds and oud - and it even chooses to combine the Chinese-style instrumentation of Genshin in the second half, and it works great! Easily a great recent find for my desert theme playlist.

Enclosure is a fun pick, with some nice Latin guitar and other chill instruments to fill in the mood. It can definitely afford to flesh itself out some more, but I appreciate the simple baseline it provides for the direction it's going for.

Blue Desert Hotel never fails to put me in a good mood; I love songs with strong happy/carefree, relaxing vibes like this, and this does REALLY well in helping me forget about my worries until I'm ready to face them again. The oboe here deserves all the spotlight it's getting with its incredibly playful performance, and the backing instruments excel in helping creating the peaceful, joy-filled atmosphere this song is after. Strong favor with this one, I'm really happy this was brought for this year's bracket!

I don't know a lot about Heaven Burns Red, but man, this has to be the best song that's been offered to me so far. I'm falling in love with the vocals in this one, especially during the verses where they come across as soft and airy and then lead into stronger energy during the chorus. Easily the best anime-esque VGM I've heard in quite some time.

Even more ambience! I quite enjoy how mysterious but soothing Portals is, this is probably the most "dream-like" piece we've had so far this contest. I do wish the volume wasn't as quiet, but that's a minor complaint for this cool piece.

Take's just silly in that Japanese hyper-moe sense, just like Bi. The breakbeat section around the end makes me laugh every time I hear it.

Afternoon in Crossbell
Secundum Abandoned Mine
Subterranean Sunrise

comment feels like a softer CRYMACHINA song in terms of vibes, it's chill and spacey enough for me to appreciate it. Secundum has that nice marimba and trumpet to it, it's definitely stealing my vote here.

Funny, I think Subterranean Sunrise was a little more in my favor last year, something's changed since then. I think it felt shorter than how I remember it? d3molish is cooler than I thought it was too, I didn't think I would be into the abrasive side of Splatoon as I am with that one.

Credits Song
Fight Another Day (Andy Tunstall Remix)
Sonic ~ You Can Do Anything

Short comments for today:

When it comes to Supergiant vocal songs - at least from what I heard so far - I think it's only the ones from Transistor that really appeal to me the most. Good Riddance is likable for what it is, I should probably finish the first game already to potentially appreciate it more.

It's weird, I feel like Koshiro had something going during the earlier days of Etrian Odyssey, but that magic of his wasn't always present in the FM tracks for the series. I like the initial buildup for Petal Bridge, but I don't think the appreciation is consistent for the rest of the song.

I'm here for cheese. More news at 10.

So much for my Hamauzu pick. =/

Corel is fun at least, I guess.

Kain / Salvation
Afternoon in Crossbell
Aeolic Guardian

The vocals in Kaine are so ethereal and airy to me, they're simply a blessing to listen to. Add in an appropriately emotional piano to the mix, and you're left with this incredibly melancholy piece that's trying - REACHING - for some semblance of hope in a very unknown future, with only the voice acting as a lantern with a low flame against an expansive abyss.

Darius music is usually cool to listen to, and this is another example of said good time! Shining Eyes has a nice mixup of futuristic synths, vocals and messy guitar that fits the "30XX space opera" vibe this is going for in my head. Very nice pick!

Ooh, this is the side of Falcom I wish I knew more of - a laid-back, wistful tune with some neat chimes and flute. I really like how the flute and chimes sort of combine together to almost make a new instrument. I really adore peaceful themes like this one.

Astra feels pretty neat in its harshness - it almost feels like a Mega Man theme at some points - but I think this goes for a little too much wub in its execution. Overall I still really like it, I think this is about the upper limit of "harsh synths meets excitable energy" that I can tolerate and enjoy.

God, I don't know what to call Aeolic Guardian; it's like half ballroom waltz, a third lively port town theme and a sixth of lounge music, maybe? Whatever it is, I love it. Hamauzu really hit out of the ballpark with this track.

Okay, you can color me a little surprised with this FF track, this certainly wasn't what I was expecting for this remake's OST. Instrument-wise, I could easily see this fitting into any of the 13 trilogy games, with its bright violin and EDM-like rhythm. There's room for this to grow on me in the future, I'll admit.

Its Going Down Now
Farde Mal Diavolo -Destroy Evil, then Come-
Mario Kart 8

I didn't know what to expect from Reload's soundtrack since a) I thought the new intro was nice but still preferred the originals and b) I didn't think too much of the few remastered tracks I've heard so far. THIS, though? A very welcome change of pace from all that. I think this would've shot up to my favorite P3 song if the original Mistic never existed.

Man, I don't think I've heard a PC-98 song yet that I thought was bad or even underwhelming. This is no exception to that, I really like the weird synths in the beginning that lead right into the main spacey vibe of all this. And the drop right in the middle of the song is simply fantastic, I'm so down for the proggy second half of this experience. Solid FM synth song right here, this is really good quality.

Arbury Whistles is pleasant to listen to with its neat instrument choice, but it gets kinda boring to listen to about 20 seconds in already. I'm usually down for cheery, folksy songs but this could really use something else to liven up its performance.

5 seconds into Farde Mal Diavolo, I know I'm gonna be into it. I'll happily take this Fire Emblem/PSO mixture with chanting, an engaging orchestra and some neat percussion any day of the week.

The Mario Kart 8 theme isn't the best jazz fusion I've ever heard in a video game, but it's still really fun for what it has. There's some good bass and sax as you'd expect, and the keyboard adds a nice touch as well. The Super Mario Kart callback is really nice, that's probably the favorite part of the song.

God, I have to give points to side A for being one of the most experimental VGM I've heard to date in a contest setting. There's several cool and weird sounds this song goes through, it's almost like this song is trying to improvise on the fly and you can't help but watch and be amazed at how consistent it is in sounding interesting and charming in an old-fashioned way.

Neat Beat Retreat
Tap de Papapaya (Long Version)
Birdo II

It's no secret that David Wise has been a master of cool ambiance since the DKC days. I don't think I'd prefer Sog-Gee over any of my favorites from that trilogy (and trust me, there's a LOT that I enjoy), but regardless it's so delightful to listen to. The instruments sound straight out of Wise's work from Tropical Freeze, giving it that really nice jungle feel for our friend Noodle here.

I have no idea what the heck LCD Dream Escalator is - I legit thought it was a sequel of some kind to LSD Dream Emulator - but I'm SO down for this quirky disco song. I could see it being a Warioware song of sort with how silly and catchy is.

Can't Wait Until Night is a fun enough CV track, it simply satisfies my "action energy" quota that I look for in songs of this kind.

More quirkiness with a happy flavor! The mix of vocals and upbeat synths/drums make me think of this as a lost Katamari song, though I think Katamari vocals would find a way to be even weirder (or pleasant) and still keep that catchiness to it. I'm having a pretty nice time with this one.

Rubia sounds pretty and is a nice enough ballad, but I can tell this is the one that would hit me more effectively if I played through whatever emotional story beat this is attached to. It's nice enough as is.

Hell yeah, cool prog piece to finish this set! God, the piano, guitar and bass is such a hard-hitting trio here. I only wish there were more to this instead of being just above 2 minutes, but those 2 minutes are solid in what they delivered. I'm happy I supported this new find!

Alternative Root
Badlands
Les Enfants du Paradis

Some nice ambiance from Runescape, though it really takes until around 2:10 for that old-school mysterious vibe to come in with the crystal synth's help. I definitely wish the whole song sounded like that.

I've listened to a handful of Dirty Androids at this point (Seaside Labyrinth and Midnight Lady being my current top two favorites), and Nocturnal ends up sounding so far away from what I picture DA's usual style to be. I kinda like it, but that first half just feels like a whole bunch of buildup to me. There's a couple of cool moments I can point out: the quiet, slow breakdown around the 2:00 mark and when the electric guitar kicks in around 3:25. Really, the whole second half of the song is much more appealing to me than the first half that feels like it's just keeping me waiting for the next part to come in.

Obstructor is an interesting piece, there's a nice string synth amidst the chaotic machine sounds that I really like, though I do wish it did more with what it has.

Yay, more Einhander! The tempo for this one is perfect, and there's plenty of changeups here so that not one part drags out at all. Really good synth work on here too, this one is definitely up there for best Einhander song.

Les Enfants du Paradis is a cute pick, it definitely feels like a puzzle game song with how bubbly it sounds. I really like how quirky it sounds too, like you're playing as some weirdly designed character in a Puyo Puyo-like game or something.

I've always liked this Espagaluda song, this one has some really nice spacey synths I'm down for. Though for some reason, the song blends together in my head in a couple of spots and it feels off to me as a result.

Aurora
Speed of Light
Voile, the Magic Library

Auroras Theme hits that familiar stride of emotional introduction in a epic story. I like the strings and piano combo here, but its not as engaging as Id hope it to be.

Aurora (Schizm) is going heavy on the sci-fi/exotic world ambiance here, and I really like that! The synths sound pretty here and the sound effects are a great touch for the overall ambiance.

Oh, THIS Arknights song! Ive definitely heard there in an ad a while back. Its a nice taste of modern pop with a catchy rhythm and very nice vocals to boot. Overall, pretty cute song.

I remember really liking Zero Gravity back in the Mega Man contest Andy ran, and I still really like it here! Its a cute space song that could easily come from any part of the GBA/DS era; the synths give it this kid-friendly futuristic adventure vibe that awards the song with a soft spot for me.

I like the idea behind Redeem the Future - start with a Nier-like intro and then let loose on the guitar - but Im not in love with the execution for it.

YES! The weirder side of Touhou is here once again! I really like how DS platformer-like this sounds to me, you could convince me this was a song in a Castlevania clone of sorts. I think I found a new favorite here!

Burger King Futo Lettuce (Futo's Theme)
Love Psalm
LIGHTNING BUG/MOO

Memories Returned does well enough as an ending-type song, though by itself it doesn't really hit me with the emotion it's trying to share with my heart. I don't think the violin works all that well here to be honest, it feels too high-pitched compared to the other instruments. Overall, I like this enough to appreciate it.

Love Psalm is real good with the grunge tone/angle, but I feel like it doesn't take its time like Theme of Laura does and has less impact as a result. It still does its job well for what it's worth.

Lightning Bug/Moo sounds pretty interesting, I almost thought it was Rock Castle from Opoona all over again with its weird dissonant synths. It kinda blends together for me in a couple of parts, but I really like the industrial spacey vibe this is going for regardless.

We Are The Lights is a little humorous to me, it almost sounds like a PSO-lite song in the beginning that quickly gets hijacked by a idol group. It's not bad, but man it definitely gets repetitive pretty quickly with its lyrics.

Tiebreaker:
I could go for a burg right now...

b10
Memories of Memories
Softbank

Even more chill synths with Memories of Memories here! I like the echoey piano that's shown off here as well as the overall dreamy soundscape this has - there's been lots of that already so far, and it's only day 5! I've not heard (or played) much of this game's soundtrack just yet, though I think the only song I would prefer so far to this would be Redwood Colonnade in terms of vibes; still, I'd say this might be a close second for my preferences.

MAN, do I need to play Parasite Eve too? This is straight up an 2000's Latin pop song that would've blown up in certain niche groups overseas and you'd be VERY pleasantly surprised to hear it on an Latin-American station. The sound effects here are so cool and definitely have that "indie" feel to it in my head, they make for a good pause from the vocals. Speaking of, I do wish the vocalist sounded clearer to me; even if her pronunciation isn't the best, I still want to hear her try to speak the native tongue I grew up with. Any effort is good effort!

Tower of Memories is kinda cool, I like the softer synths and the weird, harsh industrial rhythm this is going for. I think this might've been what I was looking for with the concept of Burning, Churning Power Plant?

DV-i time! God, I really like it when she pops up, I've fallen in love with her "fun futuristic synth" style. Said synths are somehow crystalline and bubbly in this song with a nice breakbeat rhythm in the background, how could I not love this?

Tiebreaker:
Y'know, maybe b10 is more akin to Zelda mixed with Home Sweet Home from Beyond Good and Evil, I know this is some mixture of two really good songs with ethereal synths combined together. And I like it that way.

Funky Dealer
Burger King Futo Lettuce (Futo's Theme)
Spring Wind Skylark

Twin Moon is some really cool PC-98 goodness, I really like the crystal-like synth and the chill energy it gives off. It's almost like a retraux remix of a lounge jazz song from somewhere I heard once upon a time. Really nice pick here!

Funky Dealer probably falls into my 6th or 7th favorite Naganuma song ever, with all its funk-and-drum goodness and its cool dealer voice sampling. I think I'd give up this vote if it were against Concept of Love somehow, but thankfully that's not the case here! Real headbanger of a song here.

I wasn't sure what to make of this Burger King song at first glance with a title like this, but I was in for a surprise when this came out as a livelier version of a "Baba Is You" track in my head, with its playful jazz fusion tone and that layer of synth added into the mix. Either that, or this composer took a Nintendo 3DS Options/eShop theme and went to town making a remix for it. In any case, this is easily a new favorite of mine I wasn't expecting.

I'm a little surprised to see Power Plant here, I'd expect a few different songs to take its spot easily if people really wanted to go for Forgotten Land again. As is, I do like the machine noise and the harsh, futuristic tone it goes for, but it still feels like something is missing to really make it the proper Factory Inspection successor it's trying to go for. Something about the middle of the melody feels incomplete, which is a shame when it had a good setup going for it.

I've been finding myself going for a little more of this type of 'slow-burn, eerie atmosphere' song recently, and Astral definitely proves to be on that front. I really like it when it starts to pick up around the 4-minute mark, I almost wish the whole song felt like that for the whole length.

I've slowly found myself more on the Atelier train the more I participate in this, I'm a bit of a sucker for the cheerful Celtic vibes this goes for. I definitely wish this was longer and had more substance to it, but it's hard to simply dismiss the happy flute/violin/accordion combo Atelier tends to go for.

Mutants over Broadway!
Wild Woods
About That...

Cheesiness usually works for me about 80% of the time, so Mutants is definitely up my alley for this one. It's just pure fun and silly in its rap and synth work, I adore it.

I remember not liking Rage too much back during nominations, though I guess I forgot how much the vocals pop out to me this time around. I think it's the instruments that feel all over the place for me, I kinda wish it decided what it wanted to be and focus on either the Celtic or orchestra aspect. Alright song overall.

There's some neat ambiance with Moeity, though it does seem to blend together and not stand out as well in my mind.

I don't remember MK8 music all that well (should probably pick up all the DLC), but Wild Woods is very fun! It's a pretty cute forest song with enough spirit in its step. The strings and woodwind are certainly pulling their weight on this one.

Nothing has ever touched my heard from the Paradise Killer soundtrack like Paradise (Stay Forever) ever did, though To the Heart and now this has been the closest to reaching those lofty heights. This is just some really good 80s pop to put on a CD/cassette, with fun vocals, good synths and even that classic sax solo to boot.

Round is a really nice pick, the progression it has is easily what intrigues me the most about it. It's half-cozy and half-adventurous, a combo I don't think I've found in music yet! It's also overall very soothing to me, I'm definitely saving this one for future listens.

Aria Math
b10
Duel VS Fortress Leader

14.3 Billion Years is interesting with its 'cozy vibe' core that just explodes in energy at a couple of points. I definitely don't remember how I felt about this song since its appearance in VGMC15, but I'm hoping it sounded just as pleasing as it does for me now.

Aria Math is easily the best I've ever heard from the parts of the Minecraft soundtrack I've experienced so far. Subwoofer Melody and Sweden are nice, Dreiton is really cool...but none of those really get me like this song does. The very quiet introduction, the gradual buildup with the instruments with that perfect combo of handpan and spacey synths, the strings at the end...it's all such a wonderful experience I've not found anywhere else.

Sakura Wars' '80s anime-style opening is pretty nice, it has a classic actiony vibe to it that sticks enough of the landing for me.

WHOA, I would never expect Falcom to get this cool atmosphere piece. It feels like a mix of PSO2 and PMD together, with its synths painting this cave-like, ethereal vibe in my head. My only complaint with it is the sudden end, but I really enjoyed the energy this was going for.

T11 is a weirdly engrossing pick, it's funny how edutainment games end up hiding some neat treasures in them with most none the wiser. It's lighthearted and innocent in its approach, it suits the "adventure for young ones" vibe this game looks like it's going for. Fun choice with this one!

I haven't heard a lot of Pokemon music surprisingly, especially from the Game Boy family, but this TCG song alone probably beats a good portion of whatever I've heard to date. Really good chiptune piece here, such fun energy that pulls you in like nobody's business. This one is a keeper for sure.

New Battle!!!
Main Title
New Bodhum ~ New Bodhum -Aggressive Mix-

Xenoblade jazz always makes me happy! New Battle!!! is no exception to that rule. This doesn't reach the heights of Torna Battle for me, but it's such a happy-spirited, catchy groove that earns my love for its performance. My favorite part is easily 1:28, when the guitar/clapping combo hits my eardrums. Solid theme!

There's some spacey, cool futuristic vibes coming from this CRYMACHINA track, I really like the airy vocals along with the synths working together on here. I definitely enjoy one or two tracks that I've heard from this more, but that shouldn't downplay how weirdly cool I think this sounds.

I've found heaven in this '80s style track with this weird-looking duck. I'm not sure where he came from, but I'm more than happy to follow if he's starting his introduction like this.

So this is the Suite...it's cool! It's pretty chill background music that lets me zone out for a bit. I don't really care much for the guitar part at the end, I kinda wish it was all soft piano synths and low guitar for the entirety of it. I can maybe see this growing on me with time.

Live & Learn is by all means a classic for Sonic in general. I'm not sure if it's the best I've enjoyed from Crush 40, but I find it, the epitome of the phrase "butt rock", really appealing for the era it hails from! That electric guitar and vocal combo screams 2000's for sure, and I think I wouldn't have it any other way.

...God, Origa was such a good choice for vocals in this soundtrack. The song already starts sounding dreamy and everything, and then Origa transforms it into something ethereal. I definitely enjoy the normal mix more than the Aggressive mix, but it doesn't drag the song down in any meaningful way. Maybe it does run for a bit too long, but there's so much to enjoy in this that it's really a minor complaint for such an experience.

Swapping to this:
+ Ex-Zodiac | Remnants of Celestial (Stage 3) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QFSBh2pJAM
+ Undertale | Battle Against a True Hero | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWBtpBwzzdM

One more double:
+ Persona 3 Reload | Its Going Down Now | https://youtu.be/Yfw7Sr940hY

Letting go:
- Sonic Heroes | Lost Jungle | https://youtu.be/jTsGlLWsiko
- Daytona USA | The King of Speed | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlH38VR50A4

Doubling:
+ Opoona | Blue Desert Hotel | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6VRd7_5t7o

Checking in really quick, might pull support from King of Speed and Lost Jungle to help a couple of other potential supports float away from the bubble.

Because I can, one more double from me to lock in:

+ Sonic Mania | Metallic Madness Zone Act 2 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzY4fl_shME

Thinking about potentially dropping these pretty soon to make some room:

Persona 3 Reload | It's Going Down Now
jubeat beyond the Ave. | Prowler
Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 6RR | Starry Night
Sonic Heroes | Lost Jungle

For now, one more support:
+ Daytona USA | The King of Speed | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlH38VR50A4

Using a double to boost for now, along with a new support:

Doubling:
+ Musashi: Samurai Legend | Aeolic Guardian | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzgYcnui0FU

Supporting:
+ Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness | Northern Desert | https://youtu.be/IX4r69JvgZs

Doing a little switching up tonight:

- Sonic Adventure 2 | A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup (Pumpkin Hill) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxL_r-0VC1k

+ Mario Hoops 3 on 3 | Sherbet Land [CD] | https://youtu.be/egn9B37GwpM?si=2e81SpWXdzH3RG2H

Supporting:
+ Persona 3 Reload | Its Going Down Now | https://youtu.be/Yfw7Sr940hY

First supports:

+ SlipDream Resonator | Birdo II | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yryojxIt72I
+ Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 6RR | Starry Night | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HwfayByQnY
+ Undertale | Death by Glamour | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TgO-tN5wAM
+ jubeat beyond the Ave. | Prowler | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2_FLd6FvmM
+ Opoona | Blue Desert Hotel | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6VRd7_5t7o
+ Sonic Heroes | Lost Jungle | https://youtu.be/jTsGlLWsiko
+ Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne | Late Goodbye | https://youtu.be/kdonCg8IjW4
+ Sonic Mania | Metallic Madness Zone Act 2 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzY4fl_shME
+ Jet Set Radio Future | Funky Dealer | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwE2k0HMDfo
+ Murasaki Tsurugi | Fairytale Poison and Solitude | https://youtu.be/jYOeWL-GScY

Day 2 nominations:

+ Mega Man 5 | Gravity Man | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPiKZ4AZR8A
+ Sonic Adventure 2 | A Ghost's Pumpkin Soup (Pumpkin Hill) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxL_r-0VC1k

Back into it once again! Here's my first offering for this year:

+ DDRMAX -Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix- CS | Kind Lady (Full Version) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BbQSMTddVM
+ Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance | Twister -Kingdom Mix- | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp0viroPHgk
+ Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | GET ENUF | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODy6rmrh4Og
+ Musashi: Samurai Legend | Aeolic Guardian | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzgYcnui0FU
+ Minecraft | Aria Math | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOIEo_74L-Q