Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 72! stell-a / no-return / la-mer / obliv-ion / cro-no / rythm-changer

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to Video Game Music Contest 15, an annual celebration of the best of the best video game music according to the voters!

Important Links:
Bracket: https://www.bracketmaker.com/tlist.cfm?tid=474630
Contest info sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16XAaBMDuUnQ4c5AxQNL9ZhvD7VG5kQyrXWWZxnkrn-o
Contest discussion thread: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/79443554
Main bracket playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT3m7iohpL0xt7lOF1eB-H4NpAaF1yAnU
Compatibility sheet (courtesy of Haste!!): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iGYWo_ifr_p2uYpD_I6TwBQS2tm7zJtPCxYZfRJcG8I
Last years spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VNrPnFRI7nJ4PqFiURBW0NWqxvXiuasoq8Sn_O169ss
VGMC total stats sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
Discord: https://discord.gg/WDvMS4a

Rules:
- Listen to both songs in a given match, at least through the loop time provided (to make sure you don't skip before you've heard the whole thing!)
- Please consider the loop point listed when judging the song; if a video loops one minute 5 times, don't treat it as if it's a repetitive 5 minute song
- If it's a match between your favorite song ever and a song you despise, still LISTEN TO BOTH! Votes can and will be disqualified if there is suspicion songs are not being listened to, and you may be discounted for the rest of the contest for repeat offenses.
- No alt accounts, no rallying or begging, etc., etc.... You only get one vote! Swapping votes is alright, just make clear that you've already made a vote and are swapping.
- Make clear what your voting options are! Please keep votes separate from any comments, and use the titles given in the topic post.
- Voting in all matches is not mandatory, feel free to skip matches you do not wish to vote in.
- Vote based on the links provided, and not other sources of audio. Links are specifically chosen for best quality and the like.
- Don't discuss vote tallies in this thread, or in other threads, as they may influence votes. Likewise, please refrain from looking at the running tally before voting.

Voting Period:
- Today's matches will last 24 hours from the time of posting, or 24 hours from 10pm Eastern, whichever is the later time.
- Please note this may mean that two topics will be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsqCcu10YO8

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wtf we had the same idea

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PONR
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

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Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
rhythm-changer

POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger


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stel-la
return-to-oblivion
rhythm-changer

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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger

Stella -Part 2: [8] - 93/256 - 34/64
PONR: [8.5] - 65/256 - 25/64

La Mer: [7.5] - 124/256 - 46/64
Return to Oblivion: [8.5] - 56/256 - 22/64

Chrono Trigger: [8.5] - 47/256 - 20/64
rythym-changer: [6.5] - 173/256 - 57/64

POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer


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Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

although none of these decisions were difficult, every song today is great (point of no return has grown on me quite a lot from my initial sour response earlier this contest), i ESPECIALLY love both in match 3.
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Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer
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Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger
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POINT OF NO RETURN
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

do not care what wins today, but not in the bad sense because all three matches are pretty much equal and I love all of them!!

Stella -Part 2- (55/64) / POINT OF NO RETURN (26/64)
La Mer (44/64) / Return to Oblivion (51/64)
Chrono Trigger (29/64) / rhythm-changer (37/64)

I do not say this lightly but Stella is TOO HAPPY (also "Yasui")

think I undersold Return to Oblivion, and while I don't actually think I undersold rhythm-changer it is much closer to where my mind is at the moment

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Stella -Part 2-
LaMe r
Chrono Trigger

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POINT OF NO RETURN
La Mer
rhythm-changer

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POINT OF NO RETURN
La Mer
rhythm-changer

Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea - Stella -Part 2-
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger - Chrono Trigger
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Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

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Eschatos - POINT OF NO RETURN
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger - Chrono Trigger

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Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

return to oblivion please win

Return
La
Rhythm

I didn't realize that return was contained in songs in the first two matches. Just to clarify, I do mean Point of No Return for my first vote.
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Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger

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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

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Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea - Stella -Part 2-
Suikoden IV - La Mer
Chrono Trigger - Chrono Trigger

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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

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abstain (for now?)
La Mer
rhythm-changer

First match very close. I love the way Stella pt2 showcases those cool rhythms on those strong notes, but the sort of "emotional aesthetic" it also does kind of makes me want to be listening to something else. Point of no return is solidly good all the way through. No part of it ever really reaches the cool rhythm/strong note stuff Stella does but also no part ever makes me unhappy to be listening to it either

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POINT OF NO RETURN
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

Three relatively easy matches, but the last one hurts just a little bit.

Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

POINT OF NO RETURN
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

POINT OF NO RETURN
abstain
rhythm-changer

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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer
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Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

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Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger

PORN
Lamer
rhythm-banger
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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

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stell-a
obliv-ion
cro-no
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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

Could flip on the first match.

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32. Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea - Stella -Part 2-
This is really a lovely song. I picture it as a people running up and down grassy hills, potentially while dancing and carrying water buckets. Those bursts of mixed meter are very ear-catching. The strings are so full of life thats a good way to describe this song, full of life. Everything feels like its breathing as one collective unit.

7/10. Pretty good.

vs.

41. Eschatos - POINT OF NO RETURN
I dont have much to say about this song. It does a good enough job at what it sets out to do, which is to bulldoze forward with driving percussion and trademark Yasui synths. I guess Im not really into Yasui that much? I really like Massive X and probably a few scattered tracks here and there. POINT OF NO RETURN is fine. Its notable in that, while I just think the song is okay, it still manages to stay with me after it ends.

and

15. Suikoden IV - La Mer
More accordion. We sure love accordion here, dont we? If Stella is a great song for dancing around fields, La Mer is a great song for adventuring. Its sprightly and just as full of life as Stella. Ive been listening to this one for years, and its never grown stale for me.

vs.

54. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers - Return to Oblivion
Return to Oblivion does some cool things. I like the overall audio production, particularly the way the guitar and the percussion and the big bass work in tandem. I dont love the vocals though, and thats a big selling point of the song. Also I feel like everythings a little muddy, like the vocals get buried behind the other instruments? Regardless, I do think there are some nifty ideas. I love the backing instrument at 2:15, whatever that is.

and

3. Chrono Trigger - Chrono Trigger
Finally, a song in my top ten! This isnt even, like, in my top five from Chrono Trigger, but its so good. Mitsuda really knows how to let the SNES soundchip shine, using lots of brass and airy piano to craft a truly special melody. I especially love when the song finishes looping and turns into a bit of fanfare. Really, really solid song.

vs.

10. Umineko no Naku Koro ni - rhythm-changer
Finally, a song in my top ten!

...hey, wait a minute...!

rhythm-changer is one of those sleeper hit Umineko songs. Its not a big zts trance epic or a soft dai piano lullaby. Its xaki doing incredible things with polymeter, and its just an exhilarating experience to listen from start to finish. I have linkage-alter above this (#8), not sure what Id take in a one-on-one. That would be quite the finals! Im not even voting for rhythm-changer here, but Id be very satisfied if it wins.

Votes:
Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

Eschatos - POINT OF NO RETURN
Suikoden IV - La Mer
Umineko no Naku Koro ni - rhythm-changer

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abstain
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger

Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger

Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
rhythm-changer

My only thought when hearing Stella for the first time was "How can there be an Atelier Shallie song this good that hasn't been in VGMC or otherwise brought up before?!?" - maybe people argued too much over which part number to use...that romantic solo violin just UGH carries the entire song for me, Shallie really is a top-tier Atelier soundtrack. This is probably my preferred B winner at this point, though it'd be a close match against Id.

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Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
rhythm-changer

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POINT OF NO RETURN
Return to Oblivion
rhythm-changer

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Eschatos - POINT OF NO RETURN
Suikoden IV - La Mer
Chrono Trigger - Chrono Trigger
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POINT OF NO RETURN
La Mer
rhythm-changer

Stella -Part 2-
Return to Oblivion
Chrono Trigger

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Stella -Part 2-
La Mer
Chrono Trigger

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