LogFAQs > #937272191

IDOLA The Strange Fruits
Hinagiku
steelchambers2

-despite only two appearances in vgmc prior to this one (and also a boss battle music contest sometime between those two, I think?) I've always seen idola the strange fruits as a vgmc classic. its appearance in vgmc2 nominations (a post I recall with bizarre clarity-- from brayze, who also nominated dance of pales and tower of caelum in the same post) was my first introduction to pso music, and one of the tracks that stuck with me the most since then. its blend of dramatic strings, electronic percussion and eerie vox synth that combine for this almost crazed energy and tense dissonance just feels really indelible. an all-time vgmc favourite.
-reunion leans into some big rhythm game tropes-- quick chromatic piano runs and supersaw synth, and breathlessly fast, shifting electronic percussion, playing variations on a four-bar progression. the use of mallet percussion is kinda fresh-- adds a flavour somewhat atypical of other tracks in this vein. transitions like 0:47 are pretty cool, but the track still gives the feel of being well-travelled musical territory.

-beyond the darkness feels like a cut above more generic-sounding entries in this vein-- there's a more acoustic feel to the instrumentation, which I like, and a greater attention to detail in the arrangement, starting with the drum kit work in the intro and the way the bass is used throughout. the way the layers start to come in at 1:21, and the progression they move into before the chorus, is actually very pretty and evocative. the second verse lets the piano have some fun and changes up the rhythm a bit from the first iteration. that's cool! I like when tracks add this sort of nontrivial variation in arrangement between repeats. the bridge has some neat major/minor chord shifts and also has a nice buildup to the last repeat of the chorus. each verse-to-chorus section has a buildup, and there's an overall buildup over the course of the track that feels really well-done and has real heft. I also like the amount of effort put into ensuring the accompaniment isn't just playing constant second-fiddle to some overbearing vocal performance-- the different parts of the track get at least brief moments to shine, and generally complement the somewhat understated but pleasant vocal performance really well, stepping into gaps, playing counterpoint melodies. the more I hear this the more I dig it-- this is just plain better executed and more thoughtful than it could have been in a lot of subtle ways.
-hinagiku is totally different-- focusing on minimalism and shifting repeating figures. that's something I'm sure I've said a dozen times by now so you probably already know I like this kind of thing. the vocals-- really just another instrument-- sing a really simple three-note melody and are there to give the track a sort of focal point while some of the layers beneath are replaced or shifted around. the section at 1:00 is great-- imparts a real sense of wonder. afterward a bunch of the layers drop out and let the track hover for a bit before returning to the main melody-- this time, with more to it, but still fitting in very nicely in the framework the repeating figures create-- along with a small amount of additional percussion. that low triangle wave-y synth almost serves as the heartbeat of these two vocal sections and I like its effect.
-this is a great match. these two tracks express entirely different musical ideas, but neither rest on their laurels.

-I think metal beat rests on its laurels. not because of the 36-second intro-- I can deal with that. that buildup, though, for plodding quarter-note kicks, a really straightforward melody and progression, and basic one-semitone-up-and-down modulations-- I think it's pretty dreary.
-I don't love steelchambers but this match serves to highlight its more adventurous spirit, at least, even if I don't think all of its ideas work well. pretty cool sounds and a melody that meanders a bit directionlessly but has moments where it hits-- I welcome its attempt to try something, at least.