Board 8 > [VGMCHammer] Kaze no Ne/Floral Fury, Riot at the Bat Rack/Undertale

(+) 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:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b6mkTELUGU" data-time="

Cuphead - Floral Fury

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD54sROmeIM" data-time="

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Match #2:

MLB Slugfest 2003 - Riot At The Bat Rack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHytoS8lKoQ" data-time="

Undertale - Undertale

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

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Side bracket (what should we call this?):

Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra - We've Got to Believe in Something

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

Ar tonelico II - EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmA5nCFq3kg" data-time="

.
Easy vote form:
Kaze no Ne / Floral Fury
Riot At The Bat Rack / Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something / EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
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Kaze no Ni
Riot at the Bat Rack
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/.~omness chs ciel sos infel
---

Kaze, No Ne
Undertale by Undertale from Undertale and starring Undertale

In the name of love, make of all Creation a new world (omness chs ciel sos infel)

stupid side bracket making me pit my love of Kajiura against my love of Gust
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Floral Fury
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Kaze no Ne is absolutely fantastic. The vocals sound so nice and I love it. And while the vocals are the highlight I'd be remiss not to also mention the background rhythm section. The percussion used here gives the song a neat exotic feel which is also enhanced by the vocals. Just an all-around great song. Easily my favorite discovery from the reverse ranking topic a bit ago. Floral Fury is a lot better than the 20 seconds I listened to during nominations led me to believe, and it actually develops a pretty good groove quickly after that and maintains it for most of the song. Unfortunately it still doesn't stand up to Kaze no Ne though.

Riot at the Bat Rack sucks. Undertale doesn't. RatBR does work better in context admittedly (which still doesn't offset how much I don't like the song itself), but either way Undertale is also one of the primary examples of "better in context", so...

This side bracket match is pretty strong. The Xenosaga song is not earth-shattering, but it's a very solid track that establishes tension in a way that's pretty interesting to me, though i do admit I fanboy a bit over Kajiura's style. This Ar Tonelico song is really pretty though. Might even top Kaze no Ne for my favorite song of the day. I wish the Ar Tonelico hymns got into the contest more these days. Looking at VGMC as a whole I think the Ar Tonelico hymns are the songs I'm most thankful for being introduced to.

Kaze no Ne > EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION > Undertale > Floral Fury > We've Got to Believe in Something > Riot at the Bat Rack

Really strong day overall. Even though I have it in 5th for the day I'd still say We've Got to Believe in Something is a pretty good song.
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Match 1: Floral Fury

Now that, that is a fun song!

Match 2: Riot At The Bat Rack

BECAUSE I ONLY ROOT FOR MY TEAM!

But for real, Undertale is dece, but nowhere near my favorite on the soundtrack. Gotta give it to Riot at the Bat Rack.

Side Bracket: We've Got to Believe in Something

Honestly, don't really care for either.

Floral Fury - I hate this match both of these songs suck. Floral Fury at least doesn't bore me to death though. Kaze no Ne definitely one of the worst in the contest.

Undertale - Riot really isn't my kind of song, but I'd vote it against either of the songs in the first match...oh well. Undertale is actually good. Best song today, though definitely not something I love. Works incredibly well in context, and still has some good emotional punch to it even on its own. Good pick for best Undertale song.

We've Got to Believe in Something - Huh, actually a close match? Believe kinda reminds me of some better songs with some parts of it, and omness isn't really one of my favorite AT tracks. Close match though!
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Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne
Undertale - Undertale
Ar tonelico II - EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
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Floral Fury
Riot At The Bat Rack
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

RatBR is a literal meme, and Undertale kinda bores me

tough match, somehow
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Kaze no Ne
Riot At The Bat Rack
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Kaze no Ne
Riot At The Bat Rack
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

The sad thing about cutypump appearing yesterday is nobody can tell how good a joke song riot at the bat rack is now.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne
Ar tonelico II - EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
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UF8 posted...

The sad thing about cutypump appearing yesterday is nobody can tell how good a joke song riot at the bat rack is now.

+ exhib match
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Easiest day so far, though having my faves bracket winner and sidebracket nom in it probably helps with that...! The Xenosaga song seems pretty decent at least, but I just don't see the appeal of the Cuphead songs I've heard (prob at least in part because I haven't played the game...), and Riot at the Bat Rack is a bad meme.
---

Floral Fury
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something
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Undertale
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Undertale by far the best song here
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something

Kaze no Ne - I have a weird relationship with Cupheads OST, and by extention Floral Fury. I really, really should not like the OST out of context because while I do really like it in context, it's not something I'd ever listen to out of it. But I do. That's the power of Cuphead. Too bad Kaze no Ne is one of my favorite vocal songs and even Final Fantasy songs in general. Every time I listen to it I re-experience the first time watching that opening again. What a purely pleasant song.

Undertale - dude this isn't even a good meme what the junk

EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel - it's not ee wassa sos yehar but We've Got to Believe in Something is not impressing me, and omness is still a very beautiful, well put-together song.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - Kaze no Ne
Undertale - Undertale
Ar tonelico II - EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Ugh that first match. first i was put in a situation where i voted gusty galaxy now this? that's honestly kinda impressive. Second match is almost as fun. I don't even particularly care for Undertale (the song) but it's still miles ahead of anything in this fourpack. Which all makes the side bracket kind of infuriating for me in comparison. Came in expecting to vote We've Got to Believe in Something because I've never been the biggest fan of omness chs ciel sos infel (lamenza is the best verse/section/phase of Sublimation, IMO) but relistening to it I like it a bit more today and We've Got to Believe in Something didn't hit as hard today I guess.

i guess i'm kinda cranky today
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Floral Fury
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something

First and side matches are basically tossups because I don't really care about any of the songs. At least Undertale is nice.
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Cuphead - Floral Fury
Undertale - Undertale
Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra - We've Got to Believe in Something
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Kaze no Ne
Riot At The Bat Rack
-
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Floral's Fury's a worthy opponent, but Kaze no Ne's one of my favorites of the contest.

Side match is close, but I'm giving this the edge for being more unique. Has this pleasant otherworldliness to it.
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Floral Fury
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Kaze no Ne
Riot At The Bat Rack
We've Got to Believe in Something

Kaze no Ne
Riot At The Bat Rack
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
---

Kaze no Ne
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something
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Floral Fury
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
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Floral Fury
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel
---

Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel


Sadly, Id take Riot over every song today except Undertale.
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

First match is pretty good, I have a tendency to vote for songs that stand out in instrumentation and their like more but also I like Japanese vocal songs. Ended up going for Kaze no Ne because I also like its instrumentation pretty well and I ended up finding Floral Fury a bit messy by the end. The second match was easy because I strongly dislike Riot at the Bat Rack, and I do like Undertale. Side bracket is kind of a wash, I guess I'm just voting for Hymnos.
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Pretty weak day all around, although the Side Bracket excells pretty well today.

-First match is pretty close considering Kaze no Ne could use some more instrumentation of sorts, while Floral Fury is all like "Arriba la bachata!". Or is it, "Arriba el Cha Cha Ch!"? I don't know... But it isn't quite my cup of tea. Haha, get it?.. No?... Okay. Well, actually I like it, but I just couldn't resist to make that pun...
-If you thought EXEC_CUTYPUMP/. was bad, try listening to Riot At the Bat Rack in one sitting. I. Dare. You.
-Third match is pretty, and both songs have a similar stylization (if that's a word). SUBLIMATION gives me a "Canon in D" vibe almost at the end of the song, which is just amazing and beautiful since I love that classical piece of music.

SUBLIMATION > We've Got to Believe in Something > Kaze no Ne > Floral Fury > Undertale >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Riot at the Bat Rack
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something

floral fury is one of the worst songs in cuphead why was this one nominated
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Floral Fury
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

First two matches were night and day.
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ed votes:
Floral Fury
Undertale
We've Got to Believe in Something
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
eh, they sound like the same song to me, except one is more gusty
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Floral
Undertale
Believe
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.LONG_TITLE

thoughts while processing the first track
-this is the Crystal Chronicles OP, right? I remember liking this
-man this opening is dull maybe I'm remembering things wrong
-okay never mind I like this

I admire Cuphead's wholehearted commitment to its aesthetic. It's really cool how much they put into it. Floral Fury isn't exactly among my preferred tracks from it, though it still manages to squeeze some fun out of the proceedings.

As musical jokes go Riot at the Bat Rack is pretty one-note.

I wonder if I'd have liked Undertale significantly less if I'd heard it before I played the game. I try not to let knowledge of context colour my voting but it's hard to say how effective that is. Anyway I think it's a relaxing track with a nice buildup, though I like it a bit less than around the time of the first VGMC it appeared in.

We've Got to Believe in Something feels kinda limp-- I have mixed feelings about Kajiura's body of work but usually there's at least a couple of things that catch my attention in many of her tracks. This one doesn't really have that-- I guess some of the background synths are cool? The melody feels pretty phoned in, though. Then there's the strings, the choral section, the chimes. Not really pushing the boundaries.

Ar Tonelico 2 is probably my favourite Gust soundtrack. It has a bunch of hymmnos I like. I don't really count this among them, though. It's pleasant enough but I want more than 'pleasant' from the hymmnos tracks, you know? Afterward I went back to listen to METHOD_METAFALICA and SPHILIA. At least something good came out of this experience.

Floral Fury
Undertale
-
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Thank you, Azuarc, for reminding me! :D

Kaze no Ne ~ The other one grew on me, but I still like this better.
Undertale ~ Reminds me of Earthbound music somehow.
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel ~ So pretty! But I like the other one, too, so...

MargaretAnnMid posted...

Reminds me of Earthbound music somehow.

Well, Earthbound was inspired by Undertale
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Kaze no Ne
Undertale
EXEC_over.METHOD_SUBLIMATION/. ~omness chs ciel sos infel

Third match underwhelms me to an amazing degree. At least the first and second matches are very legit to make up for it. Liked em quite a bit!
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