LogFAQs > #950858875

I wonder if I should have just done a traditional user-nominated vgm ranking topic, because that would have been more useful. Doing this topic doesn't provide a whole lot other than giving users a chance to reminisce.

What I had ranked my favorite VGMC 14 non-retirees, as well? Well, there are four contenders for the top spot: Suite Photoconductivity: Third Tune ~ Bolt and Sword, Thermosphere, Hinagiku, and Fire Island Volcano, which is a bit different from my ratings during the contest. It's hard to say which one is really the #1, but probably SPTTBS.

2) Neotokyo - Tin Soldiers
https://youtu.be/VPUp2PiCYBY
Composer: Ed Harrison
Prelim score: 9.2/10
Score: 9.9/10 (Phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R4), VGMC 7 (Lost R6 to EXEC_SPHILIA/.)
Favorite Part: 2:58 - 6:10, https://youtu.be/VPUp2PiCYBY?t=178

Man, this originally wasnt supposed to be anywhere near #2. Even recently most of my listens were favoring IF~Autumn to Tin Soldiers. Two days ago, however, Tin Soldiers was the clear winner. And the following day, Tin Soldiers was the clear winner...again. Two days in a row is hard to refute when its decision-making time, so Autumn dropped at #3 that same day! But today I prefer IF~Autumn again. Figures! I was looking at the past results, and TS lost to SPHILIA by a mere four votes. To think this likely would have won a championship if it wasnt for that.

So basically it starts off with one simple two-measure idea, and then it expands from there. Sounds post-apocalyptic, like the rest of the OST. Yep, its ALL about exploration of sounds through small ideas. Theres not a whole lot of actual melody, so I guess you could say its quasi-process music. But its all done so tastefully its staggering. Its so chill and atmospheric and edgy and dissonant and full in all the right ways! Interesting to note is that thick chords are not used much in this almost everything relies on two-note voicings. (It's just that you often get a whole bunch of those simultaneously. :) It sounds even better with headphones!

I have to admit the very beginning on its own is not why I like this music. Note choices are boring initially. But my interest gets upped very quickly! The buildup in this is amazing, even better to me than Innocence & Emptiness! Already Im getting interested in the rhythmic placement of the harp chords, so I have stuff getting Then pitch-bending synths are artistically placed by itself its boring, but its fascinating to see everything start fitting in! Okay, but 0:58 the new synth stuff is really awesome by itself! They introduce a glitchy sliding synth idea with weird sputtering on the left side more or less imitating the tempered keyboard beeps moving all over the place on the right! What a cool bouncing polymetric effect, what a banger! This ultimately is the biggest reason I love this track so much. Cool Earthbound-esque fall to lead into a section with more of a buildup this time.

And now theres zillions of things going on at the same time! I really like the vocal samples (blended with violins?) taking over the main when it gets loud it simply works! Wow. And then bird-of-prey squawks take the place of the harp really c00001111!!!! Seriously, who in their right mind would use bird squawks in music like this?
Finally comes down again at 2:58, with many of the same ideas but as usual, presented very differently. This time the piano takes on the previous electronic beep keyboard stuff! But it expands on it even more, OMG OMG :) :). Just two or three piano voices, but theyre only partly unified really, really cool counterpoint stuff the way it utilizes minor 2nds and octaves and things!!!! And it's got this sort of sycnopated "delay echo" effect in octaves... And rhythmically mixing up 3/4 and 2/4 while putting a lot of emphasis on the 2nd and 4th beats is cool. But okay, turns out that on certain key moments (the 4th beat) you get a few chords that are a bit thicker. AND other stuff comes in (I LOOOOOVE the matching timbre of the xylophone) to thicken the crazy harmonies even more even the BIRD SQUAWKS are fitting right in the harmonies o_O. Also a bit in you got the big piano bass really filling things up nicely, woooow. And then finally you these HUGE synths totally raising the volume to the max at 4:15, EPIC EPIC EPIC!!!!!! And just when you think youre beyond the climax, the big VOCALS come on top of it all at 4:57. Now were at the REAL climax~~~~!!!! Man, hearing those voices soar above everything and slide between the notes is just the great thing ever!!! Its just amazing how everything comes together.

But hey, its not done yet! It kind of symmetrically refers to an earlier section to close things out, and the placement of the intercom announcer is fun. Love the way the vocals/synth combination dies out after the 7 minute mark.

Again, to get the most out of this track, USE QUALITY HEADPHONES!!! :) Really, what makes this my favorite track in the game is the buildup.(Imbrium is really amazing, though)

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"Ah, a party! We haven't had one of those. It could be fun! So... what is a party?"
"You drink punch and eat CAKE! ...I think."