Song of the Week - WEEK 88 Voting/WEEK 89 Nominating
 

Week 88 Voting is closed.
Week 89 Nominating is open.

Week 88 Voting
The rules for voting can be found here.

Results:
1). [30] Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky
2). [24] Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley
3). [19] Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1)
4). [14] Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku - Bonnou Kaihou (Game Rip) - Let's Go! Necromancer (Extended Version)
5). [12] The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24
6). [11] Armored Core Original Best Track - Ambiguity
7). [10] Dragon Valor (Game Rip) - Brize Forest
8). [6] Freespace 2 (Game Rip) - Ending Score

Tracks:
Armored Core Original Best Track - Ambiguity
Dragon Valor (Game Rip) - Brize Forest
Freespace 2 (Game Rip) - Ending Score
Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku - Bonnou Kaihou (Game Rip) - Let's Go! Necromancer (Extended Version)
Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1)
The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24
Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley
Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky

Week 89 Nominating
The Nominations Queue can be found here.
The rules for nominating can be found here.
A list of previous nominations can be found here.

Here is the link to the corresponding thread at the other forum:
- Soundtrack Central

Pimpage
The "Best Chiptune Contest" has begun! Round two now open for voting!

Here's the original S3M of Uplink - The Blue Valley. I'm convinced it sounds better.

I've placed the original module in the extras folder, so

can be added to the opening post.

(STC thread coming soon!)

So added.

I never knew that .s3m stood for ScreamTracker3; it sounds like something the Ghostbusters would use more than anything :)

23:32 * CHz is listening to: Gore Screaming Show Complete Sound Archives (Disc 1) - SADISTIC SEXART 2006 (3:20).
23:32 <+CHz> Crash, is it wrong to nominate something to SotW just because of the track and album name?
23:32 <@Crash> I suppose not.
23:32 <@Crash> Don't expect victory though.
23:32 <+CHz> Luckily this song happens to be pretty :rock:in.

• Artist: Denkare
• Album/Game Title: Gore Screaming Show Complete Sound Archives
• Track Title: SADISTIC SEXART 2006
• Disc Number: 1 (of 2)
• Track Number: 7
• Catalog Number: N/A
• Year: 2006
• Additional Information: The true name of the group is "電気式華憐音楽集団," but good luck getting that in English. The Japanese Wikipedia page for them gives "Denkare" ("デンカレ") as an alias, so let's go with that, what say?
• Sources: http://www.gamingforce.com/forums/my...tml#post330703, http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/電気式華憐音楽集団

Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku - Bonnou Kaihou (Game Rip) - Let's Go! Necromancer (Extended Version) Wasn't this track in Power Instinct Matrimelee for PS2?

Yup, that's the game. However, only the arcade version is called "Matrimelee." The PS2 version had the new name "Bonnou Kaihou" and was billed as a sequel, even though it's pretty much just a straight port with added stuff (like the music video containing this extended version of the forest stage theme).

by the way, it's "Seeking the Blue Sky"

Agreed!

The tags and file name are right. It's just the name in the opening post.

Let's just say there's a huge dichotomy between the tracks I like and don't like this week. All in all, except for one or two outstanding pieces, I think this week could have done a lot better. Anyway, here are the results:

3pt: Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku - Bonnou Kaihou (Game Rip) - Let's Go! Necromancer (Extended Version) (9)
The cheesy lyrics really play extremely well in the song, and to tell you the truth, I was immediately addicted. I have to say, this song got replayed 2 more times in a row, because it's that addicting. And that's for a five minute song too. The enka-style vocals in the middle jokingly mock traditional japanese music, thus not sounding in anyway problematic. I highly recommend this song, and believe that it's one of the ones that should at least place.

2pt: Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky (8.5)
All in all, this is probably my 6th or 7th favorite song in the two original soundtracks. However, that's not saying much considering Wild Arms Vth vanguard happens to be the current soundtrack I'm obsessing over right now. I have a feeling at least one or two of the melodies are going to become boring sometime in the future, but I'm satisfied with my score for now. By the way, take a listen to Mountain of No Return. That's one of my favorite in there right now. Oh, and I'll give this two points especially because this soundtrack is very new and common for everyone. Understandably, I'd like rarer soundtracks to win.

1pt: Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley (6.5)
This really isn't a bad song, with interesting ambience combined with a melody that develop. Unfortunately, the problem lies in the fact that it IS twelve minutes, which does immediately signal a certain degree of redundancy. Besides that, I feel that the song doesn't really stray from the normal. Although it's somewhat enchanting, it's not truly that unique.

Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1) (6.5)
I think in this case, the very disorganized system of instruments actually hamper the melody at the beginning. The melody, although not completely original, does certainly make up for the song however. All in all, it's still pretty decent..

Freespace 2 (Game Rip) - Ending Score (6.5)
This song does an extremely good job at what it was intended to do. It provokes a very deeply fearful melody that slowly develops into a huge surprise at 1:48. The music was obviously intended to scare somebody. But unfortunately, scary music is not exactly what I'm seeking in terms of a game music melody. Huge props for the effects, though.

Dragon Valor (Game Rip) - Brize Forest (6.0)
I feel that this song is somewhat uninspiring especially because I've heard similar rhythms before. I mean, the melody is OK; however, the entire song as a whole fails to impress me.

The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24 (5.5)
Despite the oriental instuments, I feel that the largo tempo really detracts me from the song. This is a very simple melody, so it has to be really addicting in my opinion in order to receive a high vote. This is not the case for this song.

Armored Core Original Best Track - Ambiguity (5.5)
There seems to be a trend in the ambient development of melodies this week. Unfortunately, this song suffers the exact same problem as The Blue Valley. Certainly, the song is somewhat interesting, especially the jazzy style of the piano in the background, but it just doesn't cut it for me.

I must be the only person in #gfchat who doesn't save logs.

Decent picks. Uplink was the real suprise for me though.

(2 pts.) Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1)
(2 pts.) Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley
(2 pts.) Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky

It might be just my skewed taste in music, but I felt last week's roster of tracks was more interesting.

3 Points - Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1)
2 Points - Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky
1 Point - Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley

I was considering allotting a point or two to "Lets Go! Necromancer," but I decided I enjoyed "The Blue Valley" slightly more. Seeking the Blue Sky was very enjoyable and upbeat, but seeing that Fighting Back was also very lively and that I'm partial to Thunder Force tracks, I couldn't give 'em equal recognition. :D

You don't have to divide your points by the traditional 3-2-1 allocations. You can mix the points anyway you wish:

2-2-2 (This group stood out but none were more special than the other.)
3-1-1-1 (I'm helping out my own nomination and spreading the rest of the love so I don't look greedy.)
2-2-1-1 (There were a lot of good tracks, making this week hard to decide.)
2-1-1-1-1 (A mixed bag; most were okay but not great.)
1-1-1-1-1-1 (Worst week ever. I really don't care what wins as long as it's not the two tracks I snubbed.)

Feel free to reallocate the points as you like if you really think another track deserves some love too.

As a test, I've added streaming MP3's to the first post. Let me know how you think they work or if there are any loading problems.

Ambiguity: Definitely a techno/trance track here. The piano is a nice touch, but there aren't enough variations on the various loops to make the track earn its running time. The song was four minutes old before the first really interesting bit popped up.

Brize Forest: Has a nice sense of drive and the synthy melody is okay. I'd be lying if I said it didn't seem a tad familiar, though--reminds me of something from SD4, which isn't a particularly good thing to be reminded of.

Ending Score: As a choirwhore, I was digging the chorus here, even if the surrounding instrumentation left a bit to be desired. The second bit kicks in a bit more militaristic action, but drops the choir, while the third sounded almost like a requiem. I liked the vocal work, but the rest of the song could be more compelling.

Let's Go! Necromancer: To quote Calvin and Hobbes, "ACKPTH!" This is what the DomZ singers from Beyond Good and Evil sound like after they've had a few.

Fighting Back (ST1): Some nice drive to this one, combined with a mildly catchy synth melody, giving the whole thing a vague Sonic/Blue Bomber vibe. It's a grower.

Four24: The backing piece here is quite nice, but the oriental horns are a bit too pat for my taste. Like 99.99% of Asian-themed tracks, I want to grab the composer by the shoulder and say "We get it! It's oriental!"

The Blue Valley: Good lord, this is the longest track we've had in awhile. Reminds me of some of the lesser Sim City tracks in its tendancy to get a bit lost getting from point A to point B.

Seeking the Blue Sky: Goldfish nominated this? It's a pretty nice light orchestral track with a nice woodwind melody and bagpipes (!). I haven't been too impressed with Wild Armitage of late; perhaps this new installment has something to offer.

Not a bad week, all things considered.

The Point Spread
Seeking the Blue Sky - 3 pts.
Fighting Back - 2 pts.
Ending Score - 1 pt.

This week was slightly above average. Most tracks were either good or just ordinary.

3 Points: Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky
2 Points: Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1)
1 Point: The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24

No thanks: Freespace 2 (Game Rip) - Ending Score

Hey guys, I'm wondering about the eligibility of my next nomination.

Album: Klonoa of the Wind 2 ~Something Forgotten Wished by the World~ Original Soundtrack
Composer: Kohta Takahashi, Eriko Imura, Katsuro Tajima, Kanako Kakino, Hiromi Shibano, Asuka Sakai, Yuji Masubuchi, Go→Shina
Track: Going to Lunatea / The Sea of Tears (After Polly's Entry)
Track #: 7
Year: 2002
Catalouge Number: SCDC-00201~202
Source: CC

Nominating this for a good buddy of mine. I wonder, though, if it's eligible; seeing as we've had a number of Klonoa tracks in the past. Anyone wanna insert 2 cents into this one?

Smells like voting time again. Recently discovered the Plok! soundtrack and was gonna nominate something off it, but then realising it had already been nominated four times put me off. Plus that whole silly restriction period thing (Now who's silly idea was that?).

Hopefully this should do a little better than that other Darwinia track I nominated.

• Artist: Dma Sc
• Album/Game Title: Darwinia Soundtrack
• Track Title: Visitors from Dreams
• Disc Number:1 (of 1)
• Track Number: 1
• Year: 2005
• Sources: http://gh.ffshrine.org/song/810/1
  http://www.darwinia.co.uk/extras/soundtrack.html

Average week, with a few exceptions (last couple of weeks were much better). The first bunch of tracks were quite limp, though The Blue Valley just came out of nowhere and was a pleasant surprise. I consider it the best track this week. And the S3M definitely sounds better, I've had it on loop for a bit to know.

(3 points) Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley
(2 points) Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku - Bonnou Kaihou (Game Rip) - Let's Go! Necromancer (Extended Version)
(1 point) The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24

No way! That one was on my upcoming noms queue (though I probably wouldn't have nominated it until a month or so down the road). I really liked the other Darwinia track you nominated awhile back (Impact of Silence), so I got the rest of the soundtrack. I hadn't listened to it until only recently. Visitors from Dreams stood out the most; it's a pretty cool song.

I look forward to seeing how it does. :)

2 points ~ Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1)
3 points ~ The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24
1 point ~ Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley

I'm making a small return, which should be considered more as a guest appearance than a regular contribution, at least for now. Here I go:

Armored Core Original Best Track - Ambiguity
It took a while to build up, but the full development was interesting, with a good rhythm. However, there wasn't enough variations in the piece as a whole, only some layers added or removed. Not bad, not great, somewhere in-between.

Dragon Valor (Game Rip) - Brize Forest (2 POINTS)
I'm probably biased as I ripped this soundtrack myself, yet I have to say I find Dragon Valor's music to be quite good for a less popular Namco title. On the other hand, it couldn't compete with the big Namco franchises, but it can still on some grounds, at least in my tastes. "Brize Forest" is the main theme, a powerful one that flows well and should please most synth-rock fans. It's among the best themes the game has to offer, but not my top favorite, not that it matters here. I like this one enough to give it points.

Freespace 2 (Game Rip) - Ending Score
A dark medley, sharing its time between semi-ambiance and militaristic energy, the later not being long and developed enough in my opinion. It's well done, just not what I feel like listening to in this context.

Shin Gouketsuji Ichizoku - Bonnou Kaihou (Game Rip) - Let's Go! Necromancer (Extended Version)
The concept of this track reminds me of Cho Aniki. I love some tunes from Cho Aniki, especialy "Aniki 02". Do I like "Let's Go! Necromancer"? Sadly, not as much. Music-wise, it's very cool, but what brings my opinion down would have to be the vocals. Not that I can't enjoy songs with lyrics or vocal effects, but in this case, it's too heavy on some elements that I associate with the kind of Japanese culture I tend to dislike (see obsessive Japanophiles and otaku). It's still very good, but a part of it spoiled the rest in my case.

Technosoft GAME MUSIC COLLECTION VOL.15 ~ BEST OF THUNDER FORCE - Fighting Back (ST1) (2 POINTS)
One of my favorite composers, Tsukumo is an arranger though this time. I'm pleased by the fact he used his distinctive sound. It's a great Technosoft composition and well rendered.

The Sword of Xuan Yuan 4 - The Black Dragon Dances and the Cloud Flows (PC Game Rip) - Four24
Peaceful and relaxing, however it's too simple to get my points.

Uplink - Hacker Elite (PC Game Rip) - The Blue Valley (1 POINT)
Go conceptual tracker music, go! I like this kind of atmosphere and sound, but in my eyes, "The Blue Valley" has a major flaw: it's too long and not enough concise. The "Quality vs. Quantity" idea can be applied here; if quantity would have been reduced, I believe the quality would have raised. But this is my opinion. There are segments I really loved and felt the magic, while during some others, it was more ordinary, and globally, it's OK.

Wild Arms the Vth Vanguard Original Score Vol. 1 - Seeking the Blue Sky (1 POINT)
Well executed and charming, with many instruments and dynamic melodies. Nothing's wrong, except that this isn't my favorite kind of music. I find it a bit too light/happy (very slightly) to keep listening to it for long and stay interested. I can still recognize the qualities of "Seeking the Blue Sky".

-----------------------------------

There is a track I liked when I discovered it, but as time went by, I forgot about it. Recently, while cleaning my HD, I've stumbled upon it and started to listen and enjoy again. While it's not the best tune out there, I'm still wondering what other people might think of it, so I'd like to make a nomination:

* Artist: Satoshi Kadokura
* Album/Game Title: Metal Saga ~Chain of Sandstorm~ Original Soundtrack
* Track Title: Route 99
* Disc Number: 1
* Track Number: 4
* Catalog Number: INCD-E0101
* Year: 2005
* Sources: http://www.gmronline.com/info.asp?Ca...r=INCD-E0101~3

I shall nominate again, because you all didn't like Freespace much this week. I am amazed that this soundtrack isn't more toted: it's stunning.

Title: Guerra 1
Game: Total Annihilation (Red Book Audio)
Year: 1997
Track: 2
Atist: Jeremy Soule (apparently)
Notes: I certainly wasn't expecting such high quality from a 3D RTS in 1997. My mind was blown, to say the least.
Upload: http://www.sendspace.com/file/lssp5d

Good old Jeremy Soule. The composer has had quite a few SoTW nominations, even a few placings, even though we've never had anything from TA. TA is a great choice, a great OST, but I never nominated anything from it simply because I've already put up a bajillion Soule tracks :)

I had no idea it was a Soule track. Back when he was good, I suppose. :D I never did like more of his recent stuff, but TA's soundtrack is a work of art. The Elder Scrolls and KOTOR just seemed like a bore to me.