Board 8 > Haste2 ranks the VGMC retirees - Finale!

(+) Yeah! (+)

I know I said a "few", but I'll be more specific: I need two more people to rank those five tracks. Then it will finally be complete and I will be asking no more favors, EVER, and we will move on immediately to the top fifteen retirees! >_>

---

I thought you'd have enough by now! Will find some time tomorrow...

---

Ahaha... maybe it's better that I didn't ask. Not a big deal.

CLARIFICATION Asking for feedback on TEN pieces of music is too much, I've decided (wish I realized that sooner). Let's just move on!

---

LeonhartFour posted...

whew glad we're done with Pokemon music

Pokemon still has a retiree that's in!

---

Vast Ice Mountain Peak
Gentle Slope Cave
The Frism
Eastern Spire
Daybreak Ridge

---

Gentle Slope Cave
Eastern Spire
Vast Ice Mountain Peak
Daybreak Ridge
The Frism

i love the pokemon mystery dungeon gates to infinity soundtrack : ) it is my 8th favorite video game soundtrack! My 9th favorite video game soundtrack is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky !!!
---

How sweet of you two to provide feedback anyway :) Gates to Infinity is my very clear #1 soundtrack at this point (I haven't explored a ton of vgm yet), which shouldn't be a surprise. I was going to post a list of 9.0+ rated Pokemon HM's, but after seeing how massive the list is because of Gates.. um, I decided it's better not to post it. o_O

15) Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica - EXEC_SPHILIA/.
Series ranking: 1 of 6
https://youtu.be/aDBQbWTESMM
Composer: Daisuke Achiwa
Other credits: Noriko Mitose (lyrics), Noriko Mitose (vocals)
Prelim score: 9.3/10
Score: 9.6/10 (Phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 5 (Lost R3), VGMC 6 (Lost R4), VGMC 7 (CHAMPION)
Favorite Part: 2:05 - 2:32, https://youtu.be/aDBQbWTESMM?t=125

Interesting how this took three tries to get its championship. I thought this would have been an instant contest winner! I love this kind of a capella singing at the start (electric quality).The beeps are really cool... that along with the cut-off stacatto makes it all sound like one big computer... Its all just a big warm-up for the main material...somethings gotta lead up to it. Gets even neater when the intensity jumps beeps are even better now, hehe. When it suddenly transforms into such dark/suspenseful metal (for lack of a better word), it gives me the CHILLS. Furthermore, this track makes AMAZING use of mixed meters...not that theyre super fancy, but they really make it that much more of a banger!

And its not just the style thats great the harmonies, man! i-i7-IV is one of my VERY FAVORITE mini-progressions, particularly when the music highlights the i-vii-#vi notes in that order! (also done in FF7s You Can Hear the Cries of the Planet). Cluster chords in the chorus really make a difference, too! Add the 6/8+5/8 meter on top of that and its just.amazing. Too much awesomeness piled on at once!

As far as the vocals, they certainly can sound relaxed and static (like at the start) but also put a ton of energy behind the voices, too, when the metal begins. At 1:10, I love how they utilize legato-to-staccato articulate to bounce around, repeat that same idea two more times, then join the bass on the last two measures... The bass with its legato, but punctuated stuff through there aw, yeah! The singers calm down a bit at 1:38, back to 6/8+5/8 (good acoustic guitar textures) Finally, the CLIMAX of the vocals at 2:05 I cant get enough of how they draw attention to the meter as they unify with the bass again! :) :) :) Everything drops out at 2:32 so crescendoing computer beeps (6/8+5/8) there is a nice artsy way to give a little bit of a reprieve. (And, um those strings being pulled I know Ive heard something like this before OUTSIDE Of music, but I cant put my finger on it! >_< But I like it!!) The ending does something similar, too, adding satisfaction to the ending. As for the guitar solos, parts are cool but later on it feels like the soloist has run out of ideas.

=I wish there was more of a contrast in volume between the beginning parts and 0:43, though. It should go from piano to fortissimo! (Granted, that would perhaps break the speakers of unsuspecting new listeners >_>) You could always fake that by upping the volume at that point, hrhrhr!!!

Oh, hey, that was my second highest-rated champion! That means only... that one remains. =O

14) Cytus 2 - Chocolate Missile
https://youtu.be/j2FRjbvb60Y
Composer: Yuni Minami (also lyricist)
Other credits: Nene Akagawa (vocalist)
Prelim score: 9.7/10
Score: 9.6/10 (phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 13 (Lost R6 to XBC2 Battle!!)
Favorite Part: 0:36 - 1:01,https://youtu.be/j2FRjbvb60Y?t=36

At first I wasn't happy when it beat Murderswarm by one vote, but now I'm glad it did! There are a ton of subtleties here that make a HUGE difference in the score (pun very much intended). Stunningly beautiful and sparse at the beginning what a wonderful singing voice. The real name of the vocalist is Nene Akagawa , so Alice Schach an alias, I guess? Actually, it seems like shes just a character in Cytus? (Hm, interesting, the language is made upAlician) The initial vocals are very diatonic, but harmonies can be hauntingly adventurous...I like the ambiguity of that chord at 0:13. Great uses of piano/acoustic vs. edm, etc. (contrasts as well as mixing everything together).

Bells are nice and pretty, with a cool transition (crescendo) to the next section (now a duet) at 0:37. REALLY cool electronic sounds effects here...I wish I could adequately describe them. I like those fast staccato lines such as at 0:51. Way cool piano delay echoes at 0:44!! (also reverse effects?) Yeah, the piano really dominates the effects doesnt it? Love how the phrase ends suddenly the two voices split into THREE on this SUPER intense/dissonant chord similar to at 0:13. And then, ah, back to the beautiful sparseness..! Piano and string pizzes (+violin) are absolutely gorgeous how they blend in you wouldnt even notice them if you arent listening carefully. Happy feeling from the key change at 1:12 :). Organ reserved just for the key crescendo at 1:24.!!

For the new section, Im liking the flatted 7th with the major 3rd. I would expected the same electronic effects here as in the previous section, but theyre way different this time around! Its amazing how both the acoustic and electronic stuff blends so perfectly. At 1:49 we get these AMAZING chords underneath the singers repeated notes. We get some Middle Eastern spice for a bit, and then it suddenly EXPLODES at 2:07. Haunting voices in there, too, what on earth, its Nene Akagawa (er, is Alice Shach the alias name? doing that! Creepy. Then suddenly a stark bit of chiptunish techno.LOVE IT! Then back to the totally pure piano+vocals--what a contrast! And we get those some more amazing chords at the conclusion again, yesyesyes!!! Then you got the Kit Kat Bar being broken and shared at the end. ;)

---

SPHILIA too low.

Haste_2 posted...

Interesting how this took three tries to get its championship. I thought this would have been an instant contest winner!

Well, in VGMC6 it lost to the eventual contest winner that year in Zero. ...And did better against it than any other song in the contest did. The ultimate X-Stats triumph story. #2 in the VGMC6 X-Stats to VGMC7 winner.

---

Vast Ice Mountain Peak > Gentle Slope Cave >= Glacier Palace - Eastern Spire >= Daybreak Ridge > The Frism

---

P0 is too kind :)

---

13) Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru 8 - Ricordando il Passato
Series ranking: 1 of 15
https://youtu.be/RF96mzWzdPc
Composer/vocals: Akiko Shikata
Prelim score: 9.5/10
Score: 9.6/10 (Phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 7 (Lost R4), VGMC 10 (Lost R6 to Despair of ELFERIA)
Favorite Part: 0:55 - 1:47 and2:40 - 3:33

Remember when Hope won and this lost in BOST? ARGH. But hey, it won a match on ToC, so there's that. It was the only emotional theme in the last ToC to have any strength whatsoever, too. But on to the music... very mystical and heavenly sounding, no The vocals are pure and pretty (and shows off the different timbres that Akiko Shikata can sing) and there are many key changes and chord progressions that really bring out the emotions. Oboes add to the sweetness and guitars and bouzouki add some folkiness... all in all, amazing instrumentation, too! As great as the climax parts are, its really the soft stuff that makes this stand out.

The start is simply angelic the voices are really reverent, yet at the same time so unified (okay, so its all just Akiko) and it has that slightly electric quality that can occur in group vocals Beautiful, subtle use of piano, harp, and bells (some interesting dissonances) as it turns into solo at 0:28. A gentle crescendo of orchestration between 0:40 and 1:14. I love how it switches back and forth between major (happy) and minor (sad), almost like a conversation is going on. 0:54 we see the harmony lose some stability (plus the vocal support is back!)...key changes are great, but notable is the unexpected shift at 1:13 (also oboe comes in!) and then right after there's the moment of HEAVEN BURSTING at 1:14. FILL MY SOUL WITH YOUR PURITY. (oh, yeah, it sounds so HAPPY youd think its shifted to major but never really did) What great organ use, too. its PERFECT the way its used. Back to calm and pure again at 1:50 Oboes get a much bigger role at 2:18! What wonderful call/responses involving them. Lovely new harmonies and new feel at 3:04 oboes and violin create a sort of quartet that is flat out gorgeous! (oops, oboes a bit out of tune on the low note) Guitars have a sweetness to them dont they.? Back to the CLIMAX again at 3:58, which is nice, but honestly not as good without the neat key changes to set it up like before. But what happens AFTER is gorgeous! :) :) :) Gets kind of ethereal and a bit sad again (Dorian!!!) towards the end with how it takes the HEAVEN BURSTING bit to wind down.


---

HasteThree posted...

Remember when Hope won and this lost in BOST? ARGH.

Wait, Hope won a BOST match? Must have been in 5. In the four contests I ran, Hope was the boat anchor for the Umineko noms. (Literally Umineko got eliminated one year after Hope lost twice.)

---

Meh.

---

Well, yeah, Umineko swept the last BOST! Meanwhile Umineko Chiru lost its minimum two matches. Right? (I'm going off of memory)

You might think I have the top twelve all planned out, but not even close. o_o Certain tracks continue to impress me that I thought would have fallen long ago.... like one of them may very well be top five by the time all is said and done.

12) Idola Phantasy Star Saga - Endeavour
Series ranking: 2 of 2 (Phantasy Star)
https://youtu.be/74TocPKiNCs
Prelim score: 9.3/10
Score: 9.6/10 (Phenomenal)
Composer: Kenichi Tokoi
Vocals: Shaylee & Florence McNair
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (CHAMPION)
Favorite part: The refrain, off course!

Aaaaaand the last champion finally drops! Thats right, even though Im still angry that it beat Partizans, Moonstruck Blossom, and Isoleucine >.<, its still my favorite champion! (congrats, @dowolf on this!) Weve got here a VGMC Cinderella based on its close early round matches! Oh, yeah and we FINALLY see the first Phantasy Star rep! (thus it goes without saying that PS did the best of any multi-rep series in my rankings!)
It starts off relaxed and ambiguous its hard to say whats going to happen. Once that piano comes in, it sounds very foreboding (the piano writing there is simple, but GREAT. Its one of my favorite things about the whole track.). Then the violin comes in with maximum force, and the music lets everything loose for quite some time! I love those ascending piano chords. Then in come the trumpets at 1:02 WOW, what energy! I normally dislike ridiculously high trumpet lines that are sampled, but it accomplishes exactly what it needs to do!!!!!

Then finally at 1:59 comes the peak of it all, Shaylee + Florence joining forces belting out WILL WE EVER FIND FOREVER!!!! Yeah, if this part doesnt impact you, NO music will! Harmonies here are excellent, too, and love how they often change while the vocalists sustain. For example, the minor 9th vs. the bass at at 2:07, and 2:09 - 2:11 you got tritone then a major 7th, I LOVE THE CHOICE OF CHORDS UNDERNEATH!!! Trumpet and drumming is really high energy and makes it all even better! 3:58 I love how the drums drop out and its FAT BRASSY goodness. At 4:24 we get an unexpected bebop harmonized trio cool contrast =O. Then its back to the amazing piano feels from the beginning. WHOA placement of those reverse piano effectsits like the time/space itself just got warped and its very haunting :) :). hey seem to work well almost anywhere, haha! Then we got the refrain once more, yay! (that might be the wrong term) Then it gets happy for a bit! Then it ends again with the solo duet, mirroring the beginning with that calm, ambiguous feeling.

But yeah, what I love about this piece is that it covers a wide spectrum of feelings, which gets all put together in such a beautiful way! Also, the lyrics are great! I often dont listen for the lyrics in songs, but I cant help but do it in this one. Its great to have not one, but two Phantasy Star tracks retired now from VGMC 14! :) This music has grown on me over time, even after the contest ended, so Im not AS annoyed about its path of destruction as before.


---

endeavour too low tbqh
---

11) Fire Emblem: Fates - End of All (Land)
Series ranking: 1 of 2
https://youtu.be/b4F7MhS1ATU
Composer: Hiroki Morishita
Vocalist: Rena Strober
Prelim score: 9.9/10
Score: 9.7/10 (Phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 10 (Lost R2), VGMC 11 (Lost R2), VGMC 12 (Lost R6 to Hidra Heteromycin)
Favorite Part: 1:16 - 1:43, https://youtu.be/b4F7MhS1ATU

All this time I didnt know you can set a Youtube video to auto-loop just by right-clicking! Now that I know that, it makes doing write-ups more convenient, yay! >_> (Why do I deal with inconveniences for such long periods of time and I never even have the thought maybe theres a way to fix this?)

It took only twelve VGMCs for an FE track to retire! Im glad this is one of them, as its definitely one of the best ones to me. Morishita always manages to present a common theme in multiple unique ways, eh? (comparing this to Lost in Thoughts, All Alone and Lost in the Waves) Theres simply way too much to talk about here! (Mycro could probably write a 100-page dissertation on this) This is one exceptional video game track in terms of scope and depth, with really thick orchestration/harmonies.

It starts off with a whispa You are the oceans grey waves, then two of the lower singers slide into a different note in such an eerie manner. Meanwhile, multi-layered/channeled electronic/piano notes come in, as if each one is popping out in different coordinates within 3D space, in duet fashion. WOW!! (also, it just barely occurred to me it sounds like ocean waves moving up and down) .and then you got the piano bass getting added to it.yuummmmmm. Nice vocal chords get added to it, then at 0:37 the brass finally move the music forward by presenting the theme majestically (love the counterpoint here).

Then you get this absolute BANGER of percussion patterns at 0:56 32nd note militaristic sputters!!!, (+ triplet 16ths), and I absolutely LOVE the off-beat hits there, too. AHHHHH!!! (the voices on top are great, too) The multi-layered sounds in 3D space comes back, too, yaaaay. Then you at 1:16 you got the piano so SWEETLY moving the music forward with the second part of Lost in Thoughts, and then you got some FANTASY harmonies using other instruments until 1:28all this is absolutely GORGEOUS, ahhhhh I need to study everything note in this part its SO AMAZING OMG OMG. Then its beautifully harmonically unstable and then you got a swashbuckling piano section... what cool writing, in fact it would be LOADS of fun to play on piano, lots of open-sounding intervals I think :)

Then at 2:00 you got a BIG change in meter and style. I like this not so much because of the section itself, but it's more like, the first two minutes did an excellent job prepping for it! Then again, this section is FILLED with beautiful details. LOVE the percussive involvement of the low piano as well as the bells used that are hard to hear without good headphones. Then the horns convincingly take the theme, and then Rena Strobers singing from Lost in Thoughts gets spliced in (or so it seems) at 2:23, which actually works...haunting, but pretty! Love the different sounds you hear its hard to hear some of it Its sort of half-way between march and rock. 3:09 we finally hit the apex of the whole thing that brass writing, Yeeeesssssssssssssss!!! (THE FEELS) also the soft piano countermelody is simply WONDERFUL three, too.

We now have our eighth VGMC elimination! Only six contests remain.

ELIMINATED: VGMC 12
11) Fire Emblem Fates - End of All (Land) (9.7)
21) Ginga Force - Zenith (9.4)
44) Ar Nosurge - Hidra Heteromycin (8.9)
83) Persona 5 - Last Surprise (8.4)
111) Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana - Sunshine Coastline (8.1)
153) NieR: Automata - Amusement Park (7.2)
175) Granado Espada - Laguerra del Mundo (6.5)
179) Persona 5 - Rivers in the Desert (6.0)

Average ranking: 97.1
Average score: 8.03


---

finally the worst retiree shows up
---

th3l3fty posted...

finally the worst retiree shows up

The Moon was already eliminated at 28th!

---

3 of the last 4 reveals should have been in the bottom quartile.

---

The Moon is passable

End of All (Land) makes me want to tear out my eardrums
---

azuarc posted...

3 of the last 4 reveals should have been in the bottom quartile.

i hate to say it, but...
---

You could invert that VGMC12 ranking and improve it

---

th3l3fty posted...

finally the worst retiree shows up

whoa now. i'm still salty about an inferior version of End of All retiring but we've had some real stinkers for retirees

---

Leonhart4 posted...

You could invert that VGMC12 ranking and improve it

Haha, yeah, that would be a massive improvement.
---

It's very few times that I agree with both Leon and Mac on something, but yeah. My ranking of the retirees there is very close to that entire list inverted.

---

Just switch Rivers and Zenith and that ranking's fine

---

Haste_2 posted...

Also, the lyrics are great! I often dont listen for the lyrics in songs, but I cant help but do it in this one.

eh... i love endeavour as much as the next guy but the lyrics of the chorus sound like they just googled words that rhyme with "endeavour" and threw them in there without caring if it makes sense. "will we ever find forever"? "forever this endeavour"? wut?

maybe it makes more sense if you're familiar with the game this song is from but yeah, these lyrics aren't doing it for me.

---

I messed up! Not on the VGMC 12 rankings, but that rhythmic/percussive part in EoLL. There are no 16th-note triplets--they're exclusively regular 32nds.

10) Sound Voltex III Gravity Wars - Preserved Valkyria
https://youtu.be/jGiKTPgINy0
Series ranking: 1 of 6 (bemani)
Composer: penoreri
Prelim score: 9.5/10
Score: 9.7/10 (phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 10 (Lost R5 to Ricordando il Passato) + CHAMPION of VGMC 12 alt bracket
Favorite Part: The long intro as well as and 1:04 - 1:22, https://youtu.be/jGiKTPgINy0?t=64

The first time I listened to this I was overwhelmed with how much was going on and didnt like it much at first. But once I became acquainted WOW!!! Piano, piano, piano I LOVE PIANO when its used creatively. The enhancements from supporting synths make it even better, but its still all about that PIANO!!! This has an INSANE amount of energy, possibly more than any music I have EVER heard, and that makes this very near a 10/10 if Im in the right mood. Constant non-triadic note choices/dissonances. This was originally like #3 in the rankings, but Ive decided it doesnt leave the lasting impression some of the other remaining tracks have....

Starts with a big bass chord and thick cluster chords used in a tasteful rhythm Love the sounds in the background, they way they drop out at 0:04, then the way they crescendo, and then out again at 0:13. Nifty 16th note passages theyre SO explorative in the first 20 seconds of this thing I love the sextuplets at 0:19. 0:23 you chords with cool note choices (root, 4th, 5th, 7th) inverting on itself on an EPIC ascent on top of bII in the bass and the top one gets repeated like six times OMG OMG OMG!!! Really, all the rhythmic variety in the first 30 seconds makes it so EXCITING. Then you got these insane piano runs (almost a glissando), then these big musical statements with chimes, low piano, choir voices, etc on tonic. Way cool electric guitar gliss at 0:38, then on bII again.

0:45 the celeste references back to the melody at the very beginning to transition into the next exciting section! 0:47 - artificial (reverse effort) piano crescendo that Ive stated so many times that I love! 1:03 - LOVE the fast notes moving into the next phrase, with a WONDERFULLY placed pretty pop-style tune. 1:18 has another one of those bIIs that works SO WELL with this music. Synth and piano join forces at 1:22! At 1:30 the piano and synth go WILD with those insanely fast sextuplets, OMG OMG. CHIMES. 1:40 I like how the melody resolves on the 9th, and then we get a nice recap of the material of 0:48 to close this thing out, with thicker orchestration. 1:49 the violins do the theme while the piano continues its texture. Nice synth+piano descending into the final tonic with a VI in the bass!! Tasteful.

Finally got our ninth elimination...

ELIMINATED: VGMC 10
10) Sound Voltex III Gravity Wars - Preserved Valkyria (9.7)
13) Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru 8 - Ricordando il Passato (9.6)
23) Drakengard 3 - Kuroi Uta ~ The Black Song (International Version) (9.4)
68) Rivals of Aether - Luna Ascension EX (8.7)
70) Beatmania IIDX 22 PENDUAL - Despair of ELFERIA (8.7)
152) Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk - Slag Dance (7.2)
157) Undertale - ASGORE (7.0)
178) Undertale - Megalovania (6.2)

This is yet another list people will probably want to invert....

---

Nah 10 isn't very good either way

---

9) Kirby Triple Deluxe - Moonstruck Blossom
aka Fatal Blooms in Moonlight aka Queen Sectonia (Phase 2)
Series ranking: 1 of 3
https://youtu.be/N_Q8sy9PmeA
Prelim score: 9.6/10
Score: 9.7/10 (Phenomenal)
Composer: Hirokazu Ando
VGMC History: VGMC 8 (Lost R2), VGMC 14 (Lost R6 to Endeavour)
Favorite part: The first 40 seconds

When I found this I thought I had found a new gem that hasnt seen the light of day in any contest. Sadly it had been in a contest a few years before, just under a different name. Its pretty obviously a late game theme, and its clear it uses a bunch of motifs from earlier in the game. (turns out its a <spoiler>final boss theme</spoiler>) Yeah, parts of it sound like it for sure, but other parts dont necessarily. But wow, what a combination of pretty atmosphere and Kirby quirkiness! Im totally in love with ALL the melodies here and the way they get laid out and build up.

That opening! Mostly it relies on a three-note figure thats really pianissimo in an echoey chamber! That high ritardando leading into the next piano segment (sounds like a music box)... *_* Then the motif continues, but with gorgeous chords and chimes that make me feel like Im floating, they blend in so perfectly... :) As beautiful as it is, theres definitely a feeling of urgency... Then comes a cute, whiny voice supported by reed staccatos and strings I LOVE those pizzes doing that three-note motif as they really fill out the sound and add such fun RHYTHMIC pulse)... Brass joins in to ups the energy leading into a more upbeat feel(cool falling gliss)

The percussion leads into the brass taking the spotlight doing another theme I love that Ive heard in other tracks. We get more Kirby-esque sounds involved with that theme, as well.the way the theme gets passed between all the different sounds is flat out charming :) :) Lots of beeps. And that piano is just going NUTS the entire time. Love its RHYTHMIC complement... and its going over such a wide range.. So clustered with cool note choices..ahhhh, I cant get enough of it! WOW at the end-of-phrase extension at 1:10, OMG OMG EARGASM, EXPLOSIVE emotions, wonderful diminished chords the piano does! Finally, the finale at 1:13 that its building up to for a long time.so emotional.! Back to classic Kirby sound mixing here (the beep syncopations are so great), which makes me so happy. HEY the whiny voice comes back for a bit, and underneath we get classic Kirby-isms from the violin sample16th notes :). 1:32 we get nice oboe, and then some MK:DD whistling after that! Violins get to stay (love those note choices, as simple as it is) for when the music winds down with the incredible piano/chime combo from the earlier part.oh, the feels, and I love how the piano fills in between each use of the main motif.

The style and flavor of Kirby music hasnt changed at all over the years, has it? Its just gotten more epic and complex. Oh, yeah, and it would be nice if we could combine Queen Sectonia 2 with Moonstruck Blossom on the Results of Past Contests worksheet.

---

xp1337 posted...

whoa now. i'm still salty about an inferior version of End of All retiring but we've had some real stinkers for retirees

and that's the biggest stinker of them all
---

lN THE NAME OF THE ROOMBA

^_^
---

8) Legend of Mana - Title
https://youtu.be/Y1PnieCgVyY
Composer: Yoko Shimomura
Prelim score: 9.9/10
Score: 9.7/10 (phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 1 (Lost R6 to Baba Yetu)
Favorite Part: 0:51 - 1:21

I rented Legend of Mana many years ago. I remember little about the game itself Apparently I didnt enjoy it very much as I never played it again. There was one thing that DID stick out to me, and it was this mind-blowing intro theme. This is THE track that seals Shimomura as being one of the great JRPG composers in my book (other great stuff in this game, too). Theres little doubt Angels Fear served as inspiration for this.

Gotta love the open-4th interval hairpins with the beautiful, windy, mysterioso piano at the start and the haunting low piano strikes. I tend to be critical of piano music where the bass outlines triads and such, because its way too common, but here everything is just perfect. Not really complex, but its just PERFECT.

Love the way the piano bass moves by steps and fifths its EXACTLY the kind of thing I love. Im usually not crazy about bII, but here its.GORGEOUS OMG OMG (0:32). The 3-on-2 hemiola also works well here, giving the bass some room to shine. It starts off wonderful, but the second half is even BETTER, wow especially 0:51 - 0:55..! Love the way it switches to sixteenth notes at the last moment (on top of triplets).wow, the FEELS!!! Then a lush string orchestra joins in! We get a repeat of the first part of the melody (with piano chords! And the lower piano part switches to triplets now. Instead of the second part repeating, we get .VI7, VII, #VI7,#VII (IV, V in new key), then VI, VII, I in new key (1:11 - 1:21)! But yeah, the bolded part is fine on its own, but its the MELODY on top (scale alteration) that makes it chill-inducing. Wooooooooowwwww!!! Gets more intense after that(nice low piano syncopation, once again those hard strikes!) Ahhh, the way the strings soar with that little bit of theme (elongated) at 1:42 is pretty cool. Everything drops out at 1:58, with ambient open chords and wind chimes and the mysterioso

All in all simply phenomenal. When I think about it, this is THE highest rated video game music of my youth, in retrospect. I cant think of anything else that beats it.


---

Oh, yeah, it's our tenth VGMC elimination!

ELIMINATED: VGMC 1
8) Legend of Mana - Title (9.7)
31) Civilization IV - Baba Yetu (9.1)
43) Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest - Stickerbush Symphony (8.9)
51) Chrono Cross - Scars of Time (8.9)
72) Final Fantasy V - Battle with Gilgamesh (Clash on the Big Bridge) (8.7)
79) Chrono Cross - Dreamwatch of Time (8.5)
97) Final Fantasy X - To Zanarkand (8.4)
107) Chrono Cross - Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World (8.2)
128) Mega Man 2 - Dr. Wily Stage 1 (7.9)
159) Metal Slug 5 - Windy Day (7.0)
170) Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits Von Gut Und Bse - Communication Breakdown (6.6)
184) Touhou 8: Imperishable Night - Lunatic Eyes ~ Invisible Full Moon (5.9)

Average score: 8.15
Average ranking: 94.08

I forgot the VGMC 10 stats:
Average score: 8.31
Average ranking: 83.9

VGMC 1 is probably considered to have one of the best groups of retirees, but I say they're kind of overrated! And VGMC 10 is underrated....

---

Drakengard 3 and Umineko can't carry a group of retirees against a group that is over 50% deserving tbqh

---

VGMC1 is a strong group of retirees for a reason.

VGMC10 has Slag Dance.

---

slag dance is a top 20 retiree, as is elferia
---

Haste_2 posted...

This is yet another list people will probably want to invert....

Just move RIP to the bottom and we're good.

---

7) Opoona - Partizans
https://youtu.be/96h3TkiXdqA
Prelim score: 9.4/10
Score: 9.7/10 (Phenomenal)
Composer: Hitoshi Sakimoto (Arranged by Noriyuki Kamikura)
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R5 to Endeavour)
Favorite part: The intro

I didnt expect this one to make R5. I thought for sure it would fall to IDOLA ~ The Strange Fruits (which is amazing music, by the way! I hope it comes back next year and retires). Wonderful light synths and bells are used liberally all over the place and often very subtly. That means feel-good happy music! Also its one of my favorite emotional themes. Sakimoto and Kamikura are both amazing!

It kicks off with a charming polymeter, basically 3/4 with dotted eighth notes vs. 4/4, or basically 2.25/4 vs. 4/4, I think. >_> Chords at the start are yummy..like, even the very first chord putting the 7th on top is cool, plus I love those pedal tones after that, and the bass gives it such a full sound. And the light synth melody sounds so wonderful at 0:14, especially when so many other sounds make an entrance after the pickup.... The next section we get jester music, the main theme of this! (Was it GameBop who called it that? Made me laugh and now I cant help thinking of jesters every time I hear this part) Love the little intermediary transition here at 0:46 with all the different little sounds here (nice crackles as well as a buildup of sustained soft synths).

The next section at 1:01 is energetic, but feel-good simultaneously! Piano chords arent overly dense and yet pick just the right notes to provide a schmaltzy harmonic crunch (I love that dissonance at 1:04, really a lot of the melody notes are not used at all in the piano chords) not that the music is schmaltzy at all, as the synths and bells totally offset that feel. And the active bass leaping everywhere along with a somewhat Christmasy melody is awesome. The 16th piano patterns at 1:24 combined with the bell synths and other sound effects are so :) :) :). Gotta love 1:32 the way it heads to the resolution (heads to a new key), and the way it gradually descends AT the resolution (1:40 - yummy adjusting 7th chords!) with SO MUCH EMOTION here. Also, sparkling 16th notes in the background!!! The following section is so sweet and happy and feel-good with that choice of soft synth and crystalline sustains, and what a sweet way to recall the material from the jester part, wow :) :) :). I love how it winds down so softly, too...

But yeah, its really hard to fault this track Such sweet emotion. I need to play this next time I feel down.


---

6) 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim-(Isoleucine)-
Series ranking: 1 of 2
https://youtu.be/p-MUwawZrfw
Prelim score: 9.2/10
Score: 9.7/10 (Phenomenal)
Composer: Yoshimi Kudo
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R8 to Endeavour)
Favorite part: https://youtu.be/p-MUwawZrfw?t=191

Ah, the most recent champion! Oops, I mean, erm, how did I forget so quickly? It was supposed to be the champion. >_> I dont know how to precisely classify this other than its...like, orchestral edm if such a term exists? But yeah, its amazing that music like this is actually beloved by board 8 VGMC music fans these days! A few years ago this probably couldnt have gotten anywhere. Anyway, the music largely relies on a single ostinato thick chords doing a repetitious danceable rhythm for 8 bars. And yummy chords, they are! Cheerful! Ambitious! Confident! And its fun hearing how they change...like, the top line might stay the same (it stays static the whole time, mostly), but tonally things are interesting because they get used over two, three different keys!l! And then an endless array of ideas get used in conjunction what a joy to listen to.

Okay, theres definitely stuff about the chords I definitely CANT hear, but theres generally contrary motion between the top line and bass at the start, which is fun to hear! Same basic idea continues at 0:39 but now Im hearing cool parallel ninths!! I love :52 when the violins get involved, and then you get those COOL synth far away key [scale] at the end of the phrases. Then the bass gets a lot more active. Also, nice way to modulate into 1:44, and now its like totally ORCHESTRAL!! Oh WOW, the violins go CRAAAZY at 2:03! Nuh uh uh uh uh! Then its kind of not my cup of tea for a little while, but then the ostinato returns, yay, and strings keep finally At 3:15 when it starts to have some fun with rhythms, swapping out syncopation in favor of streams of dotted eighths, and it utilizes those to stretch out the end of the phrase in a way thats AWESOME. ESPECIALLY THE LAST THREE NOTES OMG OMG (approx. 3:28)! After that it repeats some earlier material, but then the gorgeous violins take the center stage, ah, its absolutely BEAUTIFUL LYRICAL stuff! THIS SECTION is finally where the acoustic aspect of the music hits the apex!!!

This is one of those times where doing a write-up helps me appreciate the music a lot more! Strange, but true. I originally wasnt sure which 13 Sentinels retiree I liked more, but theres no question now this is my preferred track from that game. All in all, this music is so good its SICK! I always thought it was amazing, but its grown on me.

P.S. if everyone had delved into this music just a little bit like I did maybe it could have beaten endeavour!
Another P.S. It sucks that The Last Location of Mankind plays next on the VGMC list... >_<


---

5) Xenoblade Chronicles - Engage the Enemy
https://youtu.be/xi0M9SIaLb4
Series ranking: 1 of 6 (Xeno)
Composer: Ace+
Prelim score: 10/10
Score: 9.8/10 (Phenomenal)
VGMC History: VGMC 7 (Lost R1), VGMC 8 (Lost R5 to Serpent Eating the Ground)
Favorite Part: 0:23 - 0:46, as well as 0:57 - 1:08, https://youtu.be/xi0M9SIaLb4?t=57

Here it is, my #1 retiree prior to VGMC 14, originally the only one to make the Godly tier! Ive never even played Xenoblade or know anything about it. (Ive played Xenogears, though one of my very favorite games!) Yet every time I listen to this I am in complete awe. EVERY. TIME. (too bad my write-up sucks in comparison Toxtrcitys write-up has so much higher-level thinking) I dont think Xenoblades OST is that great in general (some of its good!), but this track its too good to be true! The way it incorporates somber with ambience with rock with classical over a WIDE range of emotions is truly one-of-a-kind. Subtle details everywhere. The music is relaxed in such a way to allow oozing of emotion. Yes, its the EMOTION that really makes this great, and if you dont feel that, well Oh, yeah, and it took time for this one to grow on me, by the way. The first couple of listens I was just like ok its nice.

At the beginning, you got the ambient synth pad(ish sounds) like an alien visitation and then you got these stately, succinct chords (+ a bit of chime!) for a beautiful intro (and chimes that blend in). Electric guitar call (and fall) and cool glissandos and trills randomly under a simple rock beat thats ordinary on its own, but effective in how it sets up the rest of the track. New feel at 0:23 - the ostinato rhythms continue, but it has a more ambient feel now Im LOVING TO DEATH the relaxed tempo, the deep plucked bass sixteenth notes kept constant under the changing harmonies (as well as throwing other notes on the weak subdivides) along with the keyboard bell sounds, and the exceptionally electro-sounding guitar playing so dramatically... MAN, this is something else. This stuff right here is a big reason it got such a high score. I like those two little electronic notes before they turn into piano at 0:45

With the next section, the piano plays a similar line to the guitar from before, but in a more somber manner, with beautiful little rhythmic additions. Warm low strings really fill things up. Im liking the inverted 7th chord bass pedal tone at 0:49 and the buttery synth right after. Then at 0:57 low strings transition into the crowning melodic moment of the entire piece (vi7, bII, and V7)... oh MAN, the note choices on top of those, the odd chromatic movements...GORGEOUS. Oh, hey, why not quote from Toxs write-up for a better description on that? my favorite part is the chord change right at 1:00. that part is a WHOA because i think it's going to go somewhere dramatic but tthen it goes somewhere MORE dramatic than i expect and i start floating in the air. </TOXTRICITY>

Nice drop to piano + crescendo there, too... the violins and low strings milking the feeling for all its worth. Then a moment of silence and time for a new contrast! More upbeat now at 1:09, but the violin trio is now over-the-top dramatic the syncopated part would normally be awkward, but with the tempo as slow as it is, it only helps maintain that atmosphere. 1:27 is a BEAUTIFUL elongated resolution coupled with grooviness, and I LOVE how the suspension resolution lines up with the rhythmic ostinato cut off to assist in that long final note! :)

Stylish piano syncopation at 1:36. Then you got such pure voices with that ethereal sound againneat reverb thing and nice counterpoint with the violins. More yummy string writing with lots of bottom to it and the subdued drums are nice. 2:00 More intense (and the strings join the rhythm section for the first time) and the singers get more of a central role and turns into a group duet. 2:26 back to the stylish guitar with its wild ornaments from before and strings go a bit crazy rhythmic! And hey, its back to the calm stuff from before at 2:37! I like the little bass addition at 2:52-53. For a moment it all stops. Then you got the super long 32nd-note ascent into the climax:) :) :) This time with vocals and up a step! I cant get enough of the last part of the phrase with the lengthy tonic resolution (except the suspension doesnt resolve this time...good decision ACE+)... and finally it ends with stately descending piano w/ a tasteful 4th on top of the final chord, a bit like the beginning.

To sum it up, the brilliance of the music has less to do with stuff that can easily be measured objectively and more to do with instrumentation, style and emotion...

---

Oh, yeah, and we now have our eleventh VGMC elimination! Just three left!

ELIMINATED: VGMC 8
5) Xenoblade Chronicles- Engage the Enemy (9.8)
30) Bravely Default- Wicked Flight(9.1)
55) Sonic Generations [3DS] - Boss Battle: Big Arm (8.9)
58) Boku no Te no Naka no Rakuen - Papiliones (8.8)
66) Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals - The Last Duel (8.7)
87) Ys: Memories of Celceta- False God of Causality (8.4)
90) Silent Hill 2 - Theme Of Laura (8.4)
106) jubeat knit - Shining Wizard (8.2)
115) Bravely Default - Serpent Eating the Ground (8.1)
124) Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - Zero Two (7.9)
136) Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - White Devil (7.8)
145) Donkey Kong Country - Fear Factory(7.5)
146) Ys Seven - Innocent Primeval Breaker (7.4)
163) Xenogears - Small Two of Pieces (6.8)
166) Air - Summer Lights (6.8)
181) Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross - Tomorrow (5.9)

Average score: 8.03
Average ranking: 104.6

---

I love vgm.... *_*

4) Phantasy Star Online 2 - GUERRANT-OFENZA-SUPRONT-UNNE
Series ranking: 1 of 2
https://youtu.be/GTBCuuojyos
Prelim score: 9.5/10
Score: 9.8/10 (Phenomenal)
Composer: Hidekuni Horita
VGMC History: VGMC 14 (Lost R5 to [-Deoxyribose]-)
Favorite part: The intro as well as 1:15

...and that finishes the highest-ranked series with two or more reps! Oh maaaaan, this one is so exciting! What a blend of folk, fantasy and cinematics. It knocks your socks off the moment it starts. So many asymmetrical rhythmic things and fun harmonies make this one of THE most engaging tracks on the whole list! And the strings joining the rhythm section is fun when it happens, too. The thing about this music is that it pretty much requires you to pay close attention to get the most out of it.

The rhythmic pulse of the opening is so catchy!! I cant get enough of it really, it doesnt sound like 6/8 at all. And the stuff next at 0:09 complements it so well! And I love how the melody sounds like its in a different key vs. the harmonies. I love the way the melody lands on the tonic at 0:11 (9/8 at 0:14), but the harmony decides to delay things a bit before establishing the tonal center (7/4 around here). And now its in 7/4, ah, the rhythm section is SO blood-pumping here, especially when they align with the flute (melody) at the phrase end and this sort of thing happens a lot during this track, actually!!! At 0:28 I guess is when the main theme formally starts. It trips up my rhythm here because of that added beat at the start! I like stuff like that. The accompanying alternating triple and duple stuff makes this SO MUCH FUN, too, and I LOVE when they switch things up like at non-pivotal moments like 0:35 (the cymbals!). At 0:42 we get 5-on-6 OMG OMG! (it took me a number of listens to notice) Then at 0:48 everything lines up again with a temporary meter-change here... so awesome! I love the double-neighbor tone thing the bass does at 0:46 - 0:48 (not to mention other dissonances there)! @0:51, parallel fourths are fun :) Then cello gets to solo while everything else joins the backup At 1:05 the orchestration is really thick...lots of stuff going on thats hard to hear.

At 1:15 were back to the intro material/switch up in meter feel, YEEEESSSSSSS!!! At 1:26 harmonies are at their best OMG OMG OMG!! Like it takes advantage of the ambiguous melody coming into this part and at 1:23 its really cool how different scales get used to transition into a new key :) :) :). It relaxes a little bit here, too, but then the intensity ups again at about 1:43, where we get the opening material again used really creatively EPIC! And you got a primitive horn call underneath it. And a choir blends in, too cool. And following that you got one final triple-meter dance Then when it loops it plays pretty much (if not exactly) the same thing, but just a half-step higher.

But yeah, this is among my favorite styles of music! I would also rate this one of the highest ones objectively... but man, I hope to explore some more PSO2 music soon. I've only listened to maybe a few dozen tracks, but a disportionate amount of them are really awesome...


---

you'd better get cracking soon before another fifty songs (officially) drop in a few months
---

Haste_2 posted...

Here it is, my #1 retiree prior to VGMC 14

Haste_2 posted...

eleventh VGMC elimination! Just three left!

...what? Doesn't the first statement imply that everything left is from VGMC14?

---

Actually, I meant that before VGMC 14 was run, Engage the Enemy was my top retiree. Since then, two pre-VGMC 14 retirees have overtaken it, so it's really only my #3 retiree excluding VGMC 14.

NFUN posted...

you'd better get cracking soon before another fifty songs (officially) drop in a few months

What? I'm almost done here. And 50 songs?

---

I don't even know what the final three songs are because of all the non-retiree stuff
---

th3l3fty posted...

I don't even know what the final three songs are because of all the non-retiree stuff

Atelier Ayesha - Invitation Flower~ Autumn
Neotokyo - Tin Soldiers
Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon - Second Dark Matter Battle

ya go my neotokyo

---

Haste_2 posted...

Actually, I meant that before VGMC 14 was run, Engage the Enemy was my top retiree. Since then, two pre-VGMC 14 retirees have overtaken it, so it's really only my #3 retiree excluding VGMC 14.

What? I'm almost done here. And 50 songs?

pso2
---

nfun making the bold claim that every vgmc15 retiree will be pso2

---