[SotW] Song of the Week - WEEK 127 Voting/WEEK 128 Nominating

Time for a new nomination!

Artist: Ryo Watanabe
Album: Nanosweep.2
Track Title: Dazzling Rays
Track Number: 2
Year: 2005
Catalog Number: NS-002
Source: Chudah's Corner

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Battle Squadron - The Destruction of the Barrax Empire (Amiga Game Rip) - In-Game Music: I'm always down for some quality SIDtunage. I've never heard of either composer here (I could be sheltered) but I like what they've done. Nice atmospheric effects throughout, there's definitely a deep-space feel. Good find.

dot hack GAME MUSIC Perfect Collection - rtown2 (Lambda Server Cultural City Carmina Gadelica): I initially liked this track. The introduction was a very soothing set-up for what should've been a commanding lead melody. But nothing arrived. That disappointed me.

Emperor - Battle for Dune (Game Rip) - Victory Is Inevitable: I've never been a fan of militaristic themes throughout VGM, mostly because I had this sense that nobody was doing it right. Then I heard Arkenstone's work and was blown away by the deeply layered majesty of this track. He's maintained the droning, oppressive force that a war theme needs, but he's covered it in meaty guitars, exotic synth hooks and some truly gorgeous brass fanfares. It's the perfect balance between dark and light, and it's mysteriously energizing. It actually makes me want to go fight something. There's a word for that: inspirational.

Heavy Metal - F.A.K.K.2 (Game Rip) - Eden Normal: I understand why the nominator chose this track, though I don't think I'm nearly as enamored with it. The progression is very drawn out, and though this is clearly intentional, as a stand-alone listening experience, it's dull. I was twiddling my thumbs until 3:13, which is far too long for anything interesting to take place. There were elements within the song that were pleasant to hear but they didn't make the piece stronger overall. It's just so-so, in my opinion.

Little Busters! Arrange Album 'Rockstar Busters!' - Heroic Battle: I'm gonna sound like orion_mk3 for a brief moment and say that I found the amount of noodling in this track to be rather excessive. The production quality was excellent, and all other things being standard, this is a good track, but it was so far over the top in places that I sort of phased out. And I like rockin' compositions! When I think of "generic" guitar tracks, this is what comes up for me. A simple, memorable melody will always be superior to frantic finger work.

Lunar Knights (Game Rip) - New Culiacan: For GBA music, I've heard infinitely worse. I won't say this track grips me the way other songs do but I don't dislike anything here either. It lands on the positive side of neutral for me, which is to say that I'd willingly listen to it again but it's not gonna land on my ipod anytime soon.

Perfect Prince Original Soundtrack - Love: Quaint. That's about the best word that I can think to describe this. It's a syrupy sort of track, and parts of it remind me of "People Imprisoned by Destiny" from the Chrono Cross OST, only "Love" isn't even one-fourth as moving and resonant. This feels like a "home" theme to me, definitely, one in which the main character smiles and tends to his flowerbed, blissfully unaware of all the horrible bugbears and goblins, three screens over, that wish to devour him. It's a nice, yet sort of disposable track to me.

Tokimeki Memorial piano collection - Planetarium: All touching testimonials aside, this is still a very warm, enduring composition. It pours emotion from between the notes. With ever a slight hint of bittersweet, "Planetarium" hits home for saying so much by saying so little.

Rack 'em up!

Three Points: Emperor - Battle for Dune (Game Rip) - Victory Is Inevitable
One Point: Battle Squadron - The Destruction of the Barrax Empire (Amiga Game Rip) In-Game Music
One Point: Tokimeki Memorial piano collection - Planetarium
One Point: Little Busters! Arrange Album 'Rockstar Busters!' - Heroic Battle

Originally Posted by CHz

The Nanosweep albums are albums of original pieces. I have not been thorough in this search, but as far as I know, Watanabe has two game credits: one track in Ridge Racer 7 and one track in Beautiful Katamari. I'll see if I can find more credits if I can find the time (been hellaciously busy), but as it stands, I don't think the track should be eligible.

I'm willing to wait this out for investigation, as I'd like to be able to nominate "Dazzling Rays" if there's any possibility at all.

There's nowhere I can't reach.