Board 8 > [VGMC] Day 81! feat. Twisting, Turning, Driving, and Blinking Out of Existence

(+) Yeah! (+)

Welcome to Video Game Music Contest 19, 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=479594
Contest info sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HqEzmlfEUsm6BWJbBxDm6ZUnQQ_2d1ezDlVBN2sYepY
Contest discussion thread: https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/80981071
Main bracket playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT3m7iohpL0zm7Svx4DXDy1XjUejSBazd
Last years spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HBxgL9woiCMFKNOPuN_qdxmzjStJXSpC3Ocalfsavdk
VGMC total stats sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K1XdLWiUKB2kX99qYBgnRbLU_sCz4dvZSByKKJHCT6o
VGMC info site (thank you p0!!): https://p0p0p0p.github.io/
Discord: https://discord.gg/7FVXqWj

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 active at the same time!
- If you anticipate being unable to vote in a given day, please send an absentee vote to @banshiryuu, or post your absentee vote in the discussion thread!

.

Match 1

maimai GreeN PLUS - Danza zandA (Long Version)
Composer: Mitsuharu Fukuyama
Loop Point: 4:08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWLsuN6MTms

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III - Spiral of Erebos
Composer: Takahiro Unisuga
Loop Point: 3:58
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHvnwxAg5ww

.

Match 2

SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS - Liminality
Composer: ZUN arr. Maurits "ZEN" Cornelis
Loop Point: 7:53
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uCAljvjSTo

Nightmare Kart - Miralodia Expressway
Composer: Evelyn Lark
Loop Point: 3:25
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cvlak9C0gk

.

Easy vote form:
Danza zandA (Long Version) / Spiral of Erebos
Liminality / Miralodia Expressway

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III - Spiral of Erebos
Nightmare Kart - Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

spiral of erebos
liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Erebos
Liminality

spiral
liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

ill try to vote from now on.........

Spiral of Erebos (Trails of Cold Steel III)
Liminality (SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS)

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Match 1 is very close, but Danza Zanda is impeccable! Sorry Erebos, I can gladly push you to retiree anytime.
Unfortunately I gotta stop Miralodia's run here because Liminality is a superb song. It has earned its retirement very well, with its crazy length! Good job...

decent spin on the poll options, wouldn't mind seeing this template kept for future will/wants tbh

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos >>>>> Miralodia Expressway > Danza zandA > Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III - Spiral of Erebos
Nightmare Kart - Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

oh found the bracket half where things really went awry for me

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Danza zandA
Miralodia Expressway eralodia mixpresswaY

Danza zandA (Long Version)
abstain

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Liminality >> Danza zandA (Long Version) > Miralodia Expressway >>>>> Spiral of Erebos

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

abstain for now
Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

Liminality got to stop with the weird foreplay of the almost two minute long intro of instrumental before the lady starts singing god damn stop jorking my chain here

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Liminality

God, I can only wish both Match 2 songs the best. Both groovy in their own right (and the final lap section for Miralodia is just BONKERS).

Danza zandA (Long Version)
Miralodia Expressway

Spira of Erudition
Mira, Loads of it Expressway

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway

Spiral of Erebos has been in 8 matches in the last 2 years, and this is the second time Im voting for it (the first was vs. Apex of the World). Its a good song! I like it! Weird stuff can happen in VGMC, and sometimes it happens that you keep getting blocked from voting for a song you like because ones you like more keep getting thrown in its way. Like In the Sea of Fire, Spirals darker than most songs Ive heard from its series, which is a change of pace Im partial to. And while Spiral also has a darkness/heroism contrast going on, it doesnt have either of them overpowering the other. The struggle rages on until the end, the victor uncertain. Meanwhile, Danza had a weird path too: I voted against it twice, then gave it a 1-vote win in a match where I couldve gone either way. It rides along the edge of being too aggressively cheerful even for me, but ultimately is something I wouldnt mind retiring, and would be pretty funny if it did.

I dont want Liminality to define Touhous future in VGMC. There have been some very good Touhou remixes in recently: Tales of Far East Soul, Burger King Futo Lettuce, and Beware the Umbrella Left There Forever come to mind, the latter of which also made it to R4. What those 3 all have in common is an adherence to the original melodies theyre based on, which are developed on by their unique musical styles, not overshadowed by them. This isnt the case with Liminality. Liminality comes off as being split between trying to have that distinct Touhou punchiness using the horns and drums, while trying to do its own jazz fusion thing with the piano, guitar, and vocals, and doesnt succeed at either. It would be disappointing if a Touhou song that sounds like this is the one that retires. And yeah, I know Im being melodramatic, its not as though Liminality retiring makes Touhou songs like it the only ones allowed in, but still, its something I feel strongly about. For that matter, dont think Im only voting Miralodia as an anti-Liminality measure, because I actually like Miralodia. The low funky engine revving rhythm that starts at 0:16 gives it a sense of urgency, like it needs to keep stepping on the gas. And the jazz breakdown from 1:08-1:31 is a clever way of making it feel like a chaotic final lap without getting too messy. The real speed increase in the second half makes sense to happen and is a fun ride.

WILL: Lost Forest, WANT: Mission Theme 02
Or really, any combo with these 2.

Spiral of Erebos
Liminality

Danza zandA (Long Version)

not sure what to vote in the second match. Once again, Im pleasantly surprised I like a FELT song (first incident where this happened was with the song Cant Look Away from Supras Hindsight 2024 contest). On the other hand, Im so glad to see rep from a composer Ive been subscribed to for a while. I mostly just know noble demon for their remixes tho. My two favorite remixes by them are Snowman from Earthbound and Sunset Wilds from Mario Kart GBA.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III - Spiral of Erebos
SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS - Liminality

Spiral of Erebos
Miralodia Expressway