Board 8 > [VGMC] d22 Ar-ciel ar-manaf/Transformer Wheels on Bus, Sunleth Waterscape/Zenith

(+) 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!

.
Match #1:

Ar nosurge - Ar-ciel Ar-manaf

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

Charge Cycles - Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSDE5HmlGtI" data-time="

.
Match #2:

Final Fantasy XIII - Sunleth Waterscape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAr5J4cPO20" data-time="

Ginga Force - Zenith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHXENRObY5Y" data-time="

.
Side bracket:

Everybody's Golf (2017) - Clap Your Hands

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h99HqPCRWqE" data-time="

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - Diptera Sonata

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G92HDJocGtk" data-time="

.
Easy vote form:
Ar-ciel Ar-manaf / Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Sunleth Waterscape / Zenith
Clap Your Hands / Diptera Sonata
---

Ar-ciel
Zenith
Diptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera SonataDiptera Sonata
---

Ar nosurge - Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Final Fantasy XIII - Sunleth Waterscape
Everybody's Golf (2017) - Clap Your Hands
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Clap Your Hands

I do not like this Charge Cycles's thing's OST very much. The second match is very good and I like both of these songs a lot. The side match... I dunno. It kind of feels like I'm voting for, like, department store or hairdresser background music. That kind of pop song. But I just don't feel much like its opponent.
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

Main bracket is pretty good today, which is especially nice because yikes this side bracket match
---

Transformer
Zenith
Clap
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

Close matches for me today, I feel like i could go either way on match 1 and 2.
The side bracket has My pick Diptera Sonata which is one of my favorite vgm tracks of all time, which received absolutely ZERO support during nominations, so of course i had to get it in here.
Diptera Sonata is one of those tracks where when i first heard it i thought it was pretty good but nothing special..then i listened again and again and it grew to be one of my favorites.
---

Ed votes:
Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Zenith
Diptera Sonata
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Clap Your Hands

I had considered I might vote for Transformer Robot when I put that pairing together, but I'm not feeling it tonight. And once again, I nearly cancel ed's vote. (I could have gone either way on the second match.)
---

Charge Cycles - Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Ginga Force - Zenith
Everybody's Golf (2017) - Clap Your Hands
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf - Ar-Ciel is nice, though not really nice enough to get into multiple contests. Transformers is not nice at all.

Sunleth Waterscape - Zenith feels pretty standard? A song I feel like I've heard many times before, though I never have before the contest. Sunleth is amazing and I'm sad it's never done well in these. At least it has some easy opponents, I think?

Clap Your Hands - This song is so much fun <3 Always nice to have happy songs. I don't know why Diptera Sonata is in here. How do people not get tired of this after countless hours of hearing it in Binding of Isaac?
---

Ar nosurge - Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Final Fantasy XIII - Sunleth Waterscape
Everybody's Golf (2017) - Clap Your Hands
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Clap Your Hands
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata

tfw your Bracket B winner is in legit danger of losing to a "song" that's literally just a bundle of discordant noise. like, I know it's ~unique~ and all, but there's still value in actually being palatable to listen to, just sayin'

(also owl city is so bad; I didn't know anyone liked them outside of vapid 14-year-old girls on tumblr lol)
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata

Another Charge Cycles song against another one of my top VGM songs of all time. Easy pick here. This one is worse than the other Charge Cycles we had, though I wouldn't say this one is like aggressively bad either. It's just kind of ambiant music that's just there. Really weird and glitchy ambiant music, but it doesn't do anything I outright hate, and there are a few cool lines actually. But, again, it's still not good either, and Ar-ciel is a top tier VGM song. I also gushed about this last year but that cathartic line at 3:30 is so good.

I'm not the biggest fan of FFXIII's soundtrack compared to the rest of the series, but The Sunleth Waterscape is pretty great (as are most variants of this melody). I actually prefer the vocal version of Fabula Nova Crystalis (not actually from the game itself or the OST I don't think), but this upbeat version of the melody is still great also. I really like the way the vocals and piano mix in this song. Zenith also really great actually, though I can't think of anything particular to say about it. Still voting Sunleth Waterscape, but it was a lot closer than I anticipated.

I'm having trouble pinpointing exactly why, but Clap Your Hands irritates me way more than I feel it should. The singer puts some kind of like...tremolo or something into his voice? Something about the dynamic inflections or something just feels totally off and it's bugging me. Diptera Sonata is a song I've heard way too many times on account of my college roommates playing Binding of Isaac all the time, but it is a pretty solid song. I wish it was slightly less passive of a song, but well it's still definitely good as is.

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf > Sunleth Waterscape > Zenith > Diptera Sonata > Transformer Robot Sings Wheels on the Bus > Clap Your Hands
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Clap Your Hands
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Sunleth Waterscape
Clap Your Hands

one of my lesser-liked tracks from Ar nosurge vs. Mycro insanity.

that is a match.
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata

Being forced to listen to Owl City was so painful
---

Ar-ciel
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

1st match: Why, Mycro. Why. (I'm sure I'll find out soon.)

2nd match: This FF13 song is almost as blah as the game itself. Points for consistency.

3rd match: There was a point when I liked Owl City. This fact now embarrasses me.
---

I've always thought of Owl City as being wholly inoffensive, so while I have never been a fan of them, I am surprised at the vitriol toward them.
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus - it's so insane i love it. ar-ciel ar-manaf is really freaking good too, i thought i didnt like it before but relistening now it's still good but. god damn charge cycles

Zenith - YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI YASUI

Diptera Sonata - i dont care for it thaaaaaat much but at least i'm remembering specific things about this song

I guess they just feel pretentious now that I'm outside they're target market.
---

They also suck
---

Ar nosurge - Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Ginga Force - Zenith
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - Diptera Sonata

dowolf posted...

one of my lesser-liked tracks from Ar nosurge

=o

;_;
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

The main bracket matches are awful.

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Clap Your Hands
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels on the Bus
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata
---

Zyxyz0 posted...

tfw your Bracket B winner is in legit danger of losing to a "song" that's literally just a bundle of discordant noise.

what the hell
---

xp1337 posted...

dowolf posted...

one of my lesser-liked tracks from Ar nosurge

=o

;_;

that speaks more to Ar nosurge being amazing than any problem with Ar-ciel ar-manaf.

But like, it's not even my favorite Ar nosurge ending song!
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Diptera Sonata
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

Should've swapped the two Ar nosurge songs on the bracket, give LoDH a free R1 win.

Zenith is the best song today by a good margin.


---

Ar nosurge - Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Ginga Force - Zenith

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth - Diptera Sonata
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata
---

-
Sunleth Waterscape
-
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Clap Your Hands

-First match: I have to give the vote to Ar-ciel since it's well constructed, unlike the Charge Cycles one (for my mortal ears, obviously, since Mycro's ears are nothing short of godly). Even then, Ar-ciel is mostly pretty lackluster.

-Second match: I liked Sunleth Waterscape (it reminded me a little of Your Reality --obviously in a good way-- when the vocals entered), but Zenith's got neat Rock, even if I don't like its synths used from the beginning and throughout (as a side note, I'm starting to feel like there are a little too many Rock songs in the contest, but it's fine by my ears, really).

-Third match: Another MTV-esque song, but more modern (post-2010's). I thought I wouldn't like it at first since it just looks like a mainstream music video and that's exactly what I want to avoid if I'm entering a VGM contest. Also, the title reminded me of that Kindergarden song the teacher sings to grab the kids attention to shut them up. On top of that, we already had the Riot at the Bat Rack fiasco (worst song in the contest, I mean, ugh, how did it... I don't even...), but I actually did enjoy Clap Your Hands. Diptera Sonata is just as the game it comes from: Too dark and bitter, and not for my taste, even if it sounds/looks kind of good (mainly quality-wise, since that's the most important factor).

Zenith > Clap Your Hands > Sunleth Waterscape > Ar-ciel Ar-manaf > Diptera Sonata > Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
---

there are never enough hard rock/metal songs in the vgmc
---

Charge Cycles - Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Final Fantasy XIII - Sunleth Waterscape
Everybody's Golf (2017) - Clap Your Hands
---

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus
Zenith
Diptera Sonata
---

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Zenith
Diptera Sonata

Ar-ciel Ar-manaf
Sunleth Waterscape
Diptera Sonata

Mixed feelings about Ar-ciel Ar-manaf-- some parts have the sort of EXA_PICO sound I go in for, and some of it is boring (the first impression it makes on me is not the greatest). That instrumental section at 2:00 with the bass showing up prominently is pretty nice-- I actually like the slower part afterwards as well.

Transformer Robot Sing Wheels On The Bus (cool title, but not as good as No One Cares About the Letter L)'s primary motif is, uh, strangely catchy, actually. It moves into some atonal stuff that I don't really find enjoyment in. That part where the track finally establishes what appears to be a fairly well-defined drum pattern only for the motif to override it with something else entirely is pretty cool.

I think the main theme of Final Fantasy XIII is a really pretty composition. A version with a boring beat and vapid lyrics overlaid on top isn't really going to be my favourite version of it. I think the beauty of the composition still shows through but I'd really rather be listening to another arrangement of it.

Zenith is okay but for some reason I expect to enjoy it more than I do. It's pretty straightforward in its melody and arrangement.

I saw 'Clap Your Hands' and was like 'I didn't know we were letting k-pop songs into the contest HEH'; then I listened to it

I think I would have preferred the k-pop song. This feels trite in basically every way-- chord progression, aesthetic, vocals, the really vapid lyrical content. Give a shout-out to the green grass and the sun, indeed. It's one of those really generic 'let's feel great about today!' songs that I think are really shallow and pandering. Sorry. Makes me sound like a real sourpuss, huh.

Diptera Sonata goes for the whole creepy vibe, in almost a campy way at times. I like some things about this, like the distorted piano. It doesn't really do much melodically but I think it's perfectly workable background music.