Board 8 > [VGMC] d11: Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)/Light Pollution, Scars of FAUNA/Flash Frost

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to today's topic for Video Game Music Contest 12, a tournament of the best tracks from games, as decided upon by you, the voters.

Links:
Bracket - http://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=469506
Contest info - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lzzbpDP2whgvOTN2XHETfWg79IyPs01jdwIQu_L2C7k/
Discussion and results thread - https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/76419785
Main bracket playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RFBXCwz0vAKZg8V0rnrKHsE
Side bracket playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW9O9mntH1RFI-vkdyFa8-bXzbFLMLl1X

Rules:

- Listen to both of the songs. Links have conveniently been provided for both songs. Even if Song A is your favorite of all-time and Song B is from a series you hate... Listen. To. Both. (If I have suspicions your vote is not based on a fair and impartial preference, it will be disqualified.)
- Obvious contest rules apply (no alts, one vote per person, no rallying, etc.).
- Please make your voting options clear, rather than burying them in text.
- Each set of matches lasts 24 hours, even if the new one isnt up by then.
- Always vote on the versions of the song provided, not versions from different sources.
- If you know ahead of time that you're not going to be around and you want to vote in advance, post your choices in the discussion/bracket topic.
- Please do NOT post tallies/score updates in the middle of the match, as this has a tendency to directly influence matches.
- You don't have to vote in all the matches, but it'd be cool if you did!

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Match #1:

Chaos Code - Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiirWzIEvqg" data-time="

Dustforce - Light Pollution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS3lNhmFKk4" data-time="

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Match #2:

jubeat saucer fulfill - Scars of FAUNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWO_nVJSTww" data-time="

Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9fOwF7-yZ4" data-time="

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Side bracket:

Final Fantasy V - Unknown Lands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-9gNGmKqII" data-time="

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - In This Cage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIk8ulY8GA0" data-time="

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Easy vote form:
Eleganza (Cthylla Stage) / Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA / Flash Frost
Unknown Lands / In This Cage
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Chaos Code - Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - In This Cage
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Light Pollution
this is stupid hard abstain for now
Unknown Lands

petition to have both songs in the second match advance over either in the first
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage
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Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage

I've already ranted about Eleganza all those other times it made the contest, but I really don't like it. Somewhat repetitive, and a vocal style I really really don't like. The worst part is that the stuff other than the vocals is somewhat decent. So when I'm listening to it I'm almost tricked into thinking it's a good song, but then the vocals start to remind me that nope it's just Eleganza. Light Pollution thankfully is a much better song. It's got a nice soothing atmosphere, and it has some good instrumentation which gives a really uplifting tone to the entire song despite its laid-back nature.

Hmmm. I liked Flash Frost noticeably less than I did when I listened to it during nominations. I remember that I considered supporting this song, but right now most of the song isn't really doing much for me. (I mean it's still good because most Atelier songs are good, just not as good as I remember.) On the other hand I like Scars of FAUNA somewhat more than I was expecting. I am especially fond of the flute-sounding part that starts around 0:45. Think I'm voting Scars of FAUNA here, though honestly this match might go differently on most days for me.

Not sure how I feel about Unknown Lands. I'm generally a huge fan of Nobuo Uematsu from a compositional standpoint, but I don't really get that vibe from this song. It's decent, but like something doesn't flow right with this song. I guess--I think the woodwind melody is too laidback and contemplative, and it ends up clashing with the driving nature of the harp sounds over the top of everything, and the combination doesn't really sound right. In This Cage is a great vocal ballade though. Another song that I was pretty close to supporting in nominations actually. Wish this had gotten into the main contest.

In This Cage > Light Pollution > Scars of FAUNA > Flash Frost > Unknown Lands > Eleganza
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage

Difficult matches this time o_o But I love these, especially In This Cage.

Match 1: Light Pollution

Light Pollution is really chill. Really liking it. The other song just doesn't really have much going for it.

Match 2: Scars of FAUNA

Both are solid, but I liked Scars of FAUNA more.

Side Bracket: In This Cage

Dece, but I'm not too crazy about either.

Light Pollution
Flash Frost
In This Cage

I remember Eleganza from last contest. I remember being really disappointed by it then too. The start is really good but it feels like it never gets going. Gonna give it to its opponent here. The second match is very good and I would be happy with either winner, but Flash Frost impressed me a bit more. In This Cage was pretty good and I didn't like Unknown Lands at all.
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Chaos Code - Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - In This Cage
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Light Pollution
-
In This Cage

Listened to the second group a few times, still don't have enough of an opinion on either to vote.
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Eleganza - Light Pollution is pretty forgettable. Probably better than yesterday's Dustforce track, but eh. Eleganza just has some thing special about it.

Scars of FAUNA - Oh hey an Atelier song! And it's pretty good! I like FAUNA quite a bit though. Not one of the best Nekomata songs out there, but that's not really much of a criticism for me. Lots of great songs in the main bracket today!

Unknown Lands - FFV's soundtrack is oddly bad. I'm a big fan of most of the FF soundtracks, but FFV's is among the worst in the series (Big Bridge is the only song I legit like). UL isn't terrible, but it's not that good. I really wish they didn't have English lyrics in In This Cage. The singing sounds really nice when it's Japanese and the English just wrecks it. It's also kinda too long.
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Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA
Unknown Lands
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage
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Dustforce - Light Pollution
Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - In This Cage

My history with Eleganza is really weird. I supported it the first (IIRC) year it made the contest so I clearly did like it, but these past few years I just... don't. Feels way too repetitive.

Second match is cruel. Hate having to vote against either in R1, especially given some of the songs I've resigned myself to voting for in other matches.
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Pollution
Scars
Cage

Lands would have made a perfectly-ended three-word phrase, but it was the inferior song
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Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage
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Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage

Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Flash Frost
In This Cage

Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Flash Frost
In This Cage
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Flash Frost
In This Cage
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Light Pollution
Flash Frost
Unknown Lands
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Eleganza
Flash Frost
Unknown Lands
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Eleganza
Flash Frost
Unknown Lands
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Light Pollution
Flash Frost
In This Cage
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Dustforce - Light Pollution
Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost
Final Fantasy V - Unknown Lands
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Flash Frost
In This Cage

Pretty good day!

-First match: There's something about those weird vocals in Eleganza that make me dig the song even more -- they're really catchy and they're probably my favorite part of the track, which I know it's kind of weird in itself. (Where have I heard that song before...?) Light Pollution's just catchy and calmed, though, but it kind of works; nice beat for a rap battle.

-Second match: Scars of FAUNA is fast-paced goodness, but few things can beat a nice rock song with synth bells. And with violins. Actually, Flash Frost reminds me a lot of Ys.

-Unknown Lands is a pretty weak song. In This Cage at least has nice vocals and a nice flow, even if it's not super great, but it also reminds me a little of the style that the songs from the early 2000's had.

Flash Frost > Eleganza > Scars of FAUNA > In This Cage > Light Pollution > Unknown Lands
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Dustforce - Light Pollution
Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - In This Cage
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Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA
Unknown Lands

I feel like I like Eleganza a little less each VGMC. There's the skeleton of a track I might like here, but it's very unadventurous with its melody and chord progression, and it sounds more repetitive than it is as a result. The section at 1:14, for example, is something I've heard in, like, a dozen Touhou tracks (note the strings in particular). The string sample itself sounds a little ugly. The vocals feel haphazard in their use.

Light Pollution's a track with a few good ideas that feels a little sterile and awkward in execution. I like the transition into 0:50, for example, where the solo violin comes in. That's kinda neat. The drum loops feel a little stilted. Sometimes the strings feel a little disconnected going from one note to another. The mix is a little dry. It kinda feels like the composition of someone growing into their tools. It might sound a lot better edited and remixed.

Nekomata Master Nekomata Mastering once again. I like this. I think it is above average on the Nekomata Master continuum. I still wish he'd break out of the plane whose two axes are 'Nekomata Master' and 'even MORE Nekomata Master'. Maybe it's just VGMC sampling bias.

Flash Frost is okay, though a little boring in its aesthetic (a bit Falcom, really-- don't we have enough of that already?) and main melody. It gets a little shifty in its melody at 0:40, which is neat, but quickly goes back to a much more conventional progression.

There's a consistency to the framework Uematsu uses in creating some of his overworld themes-- the harp arpeggios, the backing strings, a very clear, somewhat lonely melody played by a solo flute. The marcato strings specifically remind me of another Uematsu FF track but I don't remember which right now. Anyway I've grown to appreciate the style and composition.

In This Cage is not super remarkable but it's listenable. Makes me think it would be a pretty serviceable anime OP (which is about the most boring thing you can say about songs like this, I know). Still-- would I watch through an anime OP with this song playing? Sure, if the animation's nice enough. I think the chorus is certainly catchy enough for it.

Side bracket match today is a tough call for me-- any choice is probably pretty mood-dependent.

Light Pollution
Scars of FAUNA
Unknown Lands
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Flash Frost
In This Cage

First match is better than I anticipated but still eh. Second match is excellent! For the side bracket, I liked In This Cage more than I thought I would, easiest match of the day pretty easily.

2 > Side > 1

Chaos Code - Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Atelier Rorona Plus: The Alchemist of Arland - Flash Frost
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water - In This Cage
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Ed:

two dustforce songs made it in and they're both in unwinnable matches
i wanted to vote for both of them but i couldn't
they deserve better :frowning:
holy shit a good song in the side bracket, sound the alarms
this fatal frame track is great
Votes:
Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage

My votes:
Eleganza
Flash Frost
Unknown Lands
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Flash Frost
Unkown Lands
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Eleganza (Cthylla Stage)
Scars of FAUNA
In This Cage
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Scars of FAUNA
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