Song of the Week - WEEK 56 Voting/WEEK 57 Nominating

Week 56 Voting is closed.
Week 57 Nominating is open.

Week 56 Voting
The rules for voting can be found here.

Final Result:
1st: Future Tactics: The Uprising (Game Rip) - Enemy Attack II
2nd: Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title
3rd: Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay

Notes:
If you are a member at more than one of the forums which this event is being held at, please nominate and vote in only ONE of the forums. You may, however, comment in the threads at any of the other forums.

Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay was encoded at 160 kbps and 22 kHz. It has been updated to a copy with a bitrate of 192 kbps and sample rate of 44.1 kHz. The original version has been moved to the extras directory for anyone stupid enough to want it.

Week 57 Nominating
The Nominations Queue can be found here.
The rules for nominating can be found here.

Here are the links to the corresponding threads at the other forums:
- STC

----

Song of the Year is still going on, so get in there with votes for the second half of Round 1.

Also, due to downtime, I'll hold voting open at the minimum an extra two days (unless, like last week, everyone gets in to vote anyway). So, plan around an April 26 closing accordingly.

sup follin week

Jam it back in, in the dark.

You know what? I'm putting off that Tengai Makyou 4 song until my next nom. I NEED to nominate this. I know how everyone feels about my taste, but this WILL be in the top 3.

Title: Town of Mana
Album: Seiken Densetsu DS: Children of Mana (Ripped myself)
Composer: Kenji Ito, Masaharu Iwata, or Takayuki Aihara (No OST to tell which)
Cat #: NA
Track #: NA
Release Date : 3/2/06
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seiken_...ildren_of_Mana

Will be uploading it to the nominations folder shortly.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Oh, right. Forgot that I have a nomination I want to run by you guys. It's definitely obscure enough to be eligible currently, BUT it's also on my list of Mario's Warp Room OST nominations, so if it gets picked for that compilation, then...

• Artist: Akihiko Mori
• Album/Game Title: Wonder Project J2 (Game Rip)
• Track Title: Josette of the Colro Forest
• Disc Number: none
• Track Number: none
• Catalog Number: none
• Year: 1996
• Additional Information: There is an OST for the game (TOCT-9798), but it's amazingly rare; we're talking a Secret-Squirrel-not-having-it level of rarity here. The game rip will have to do.
• Source(s): http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/n64/data/199321.html

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by a_dolf

Also, due to downtime, I'll hold voting open at the minimum an extra two days (unless, like last week, everyone gets in to vote anyway). So, plan around an April 26 closing accordingly.

Erm, why? Wasn't the point of doing the cross-forum thing to avoid SotW revolving around GFF?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by TCK

Erm, why? Wasn't the point of doing the cross-forum thing to avoid SotW revolving around GFF?

Yes.

However.

I wonder how many people actually check the wiki or know to go to STC.

I really do. Not making a point here.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I already voted at STC while GFF was down, but I want to post my thoughts again here:

This week is full of retro goodness. It's nice to find out why so many people adore Tim Follin's work.

Sometimes I find it very nice to listen to retro vgm. You don't have to worry about instrument usage, sample quality, and other such things that people would generally consider benefits of composing today. It's just pure melodies and catchiness. It's always neat to hear songs from composers who were really good at utilizing what little was available to them.

DO NOT COUNT THESE VOTES - ALREADY VOTED AT STC
2 pts. - Solstice - Title - Boy, that's some effect at 0:08. Really gives a feeling of...wowness. And then the cool groove comes in. Good stuff.

2 pts. - Treasure Master - Stage 3 - I love the parts at 0:32 and 0:35 where it cuts out. The transitions were fairly smooth. At first the kick drum pattern starting at 0:50 threw me, but all became clear when the transition to the next part completed. As a general note, I like fast parts as in the first section of this song.

1 pt. - timfollin.pwp...... - The Tick - Ah, this is nice. It's nice to hear a slow rock song like this where the lead guitar's not like, "Look at me! Look at me! I can play random notes really fast and not sound good at all!"

1 pt. - Ghouls N Ghosts - Title - Neat little song.

Close, but no point - Super Off Road - Fandango

How ya doing, buddy?

Follin Week will go for 87 extra weeks. The heavens command it.

FELIPE NO

Follin'in' it up!

I was totally gung-ho when Chz came to me about a themed SotW. It took me all of five seconds to decide which song I wanted to nominate, as I've enjoyed Follin's work for a long time.

I'm not at home right now, so time is limited. I'll just administer points.

3 Points: Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (Game Rip) - Title
2 Points: Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay
1 Point: Future Tactics: The Uprising (Game Rip) - Enemy Attack II

It's hard to give out points in a week like this, really. I voted for my own nomination and the two that were the biggest surprises for me. But they're truly ALL awesome.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I had some nice track-by-track comments all written up, and I deleted them by accident.

Suffice to say that I had no real experience with Tim Follin outside of the occasional SoTW or BSC track and the small Follin altars to which GFF members ritually sacrifice small goats. It is nice to see a theme week, though, and even better to see one for a Western composer.

From this sampling, it's clear that Follin can accomodate a wide range of styles, and that he's very good at tinkering with primitive synth to create complicated rhythms. I can appriciate the effort and creativity that went into a lot of these songs, though the NES-era ones eventually gave me headaches from the sheer mass of synthiness.

There was only one track that I saw no merit in at all (Firearm), mainly through its use of dialogue and repetition of that same dialogue ad nauseum. Here's to some more Theme Weeks in the future.

The Point Spread
3 pts - Ecco the Ecconimist
2 pts - Ghouls n' Ghosts n' Ghasts n' Gangsters n' Gemstones
1 pt - Future Bond: The James - James Bond Bond 007

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Drakken

It's nice to hear a slow rock song like this where the lead guitar's not like, "Look at me! Look at me! I can play random notes really fast and not sound good at all!

Quoted for truth. I actually thought the track was supposed to be from TV's The Tick™ rather than the title being a reference to the neat ticking effects.

How ya doing, buddy?

Damn, I can't give points to all of them?

1 point :: Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay
I love the main melody in this. It's too bad that it only appears for a while at the beginning and again partially at the end. The rest of the time, the track is mainly just atmosphere, but that serves a purpose, and nicely so. The samples are awesome and the mood is very peaceful. Yes, this is a long and largely ambient track, but it's great for chilling out to. I'm going to need to download all of the tracks from this game now. =D

1 point :: Firearm (Game Rip) - Title
Well, my brother nominated it, so I had to give it a point. But that aside, I actually like this track. It's groovy, the lyrics are catchy, and the guy on the phone is hilarious. It's the win.

1 point :: Future Tactics: The Uprising (Game Rip) - Enemy Attack II
Straight from my recent rip of this game, comes "Enemy Attack II". While I can say with no certainty that it's my favorite track in the game, it's a great track nonetheless. My favorite part of this is the introduction of the violin and subsequent melody. The later sections could have used some more variation, but it's still a solid track all around. Check out the rip if you haven't already done so; there's more great stuff there.

1 point :: Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title
My nomination. I think the samples are awesome for being from a 1990 game. The whole track has a Country Western flair to it which I feel is rather unique. While the upbeat sections are toe-tapping, my favorite parts are actually the solemn flute-driven melodies that occupy the middle and end of this track. It's a shame that the track just fades out at the end instead of progressing further, but perhaps it works for the better (note that fadeout is part of the actual music, and has nothing to do with how it was ripped).

1 point :: Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (Game Rip) - Title
The melody on this track kicks ass, and there's a lot of variation to boot. I really can't say any more about it. Download Ryan8bit's rockin' rendition of this track which is going to be featured on the Tim Follin Arrangement Project; you won't regret it.

1 point :: www.timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk - The Tick
This track really shows off Tim's talent, and quite simply rocks. I'm going to have to agree with Larry's thoughts on this track. One point being that this track is a bit of a tease in that it basically just leaves me wanting more. It's a shame we won't be hearing more music like this from Tim. =/

Treasure Master (Game Rip) - World 3
I really wanted to give this track a point, but I ran fresh out. Tim goes wild on the NES synths in this track with some crazy breaks and transitions that makes for an fun and energetic ride. If the overall melody were a little better and/or it were longer, it would be in pointsville. As it is, it's still great.

Super Off Road (SNES Game Rip) - Fandango
This track put me off at first, but I grew to tolerate it, and even enjoy certain sections. But on that point, this track seems like a grabbag of different mini-compositions stuck together without much thought. It's not cohesive, and yet it could have been made so without much difficulty. Furthermore, the samples are disappointing both by SNES standards and by Follin standards (Tim and Geoff usually excel at using great quality samples; see Plok!). In the end, it just feels like a monster truck going off a jump to come crashing down into a huge puddle of mud.

Overall, Tim Follin week is great. I would have liked to see some of his other works featured here, but I think the current selection does the job well. Hopefully more people will become Follin fans as a result of this, proving that his career was not in vain.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Great week with a strong dose of quirkiness and fun. Was particularly surprised with the range and diversity. Tim Follin is certainly very versatile and talented. There was even an ambient track (!!!).

(3 points) Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title
Very infectious and nicely developed. Don't quite remember Amiga tracks sounding this good. Easily my top pick.

(2 points) Ecco the Dolphin - Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay
I was quite shocked at the long track length but, thankfully, "Aquamarine Bay" is one very neat ambient piece. Didn't think Follin would venture into composing overtly atmospheric pieces. Very dreamy and soothing. Would be even more shocked if the piece gets placed, though.

(1 point) Solstice - The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (Game Rip) - Title
Surprisingly good and very fun. I dare say it's more sophisticated and complex than a lot of other NES tracks from its time.

And the rest...

Future Tactics - The Uprising (Game Rip) - Enemy Attack II
Nice superspy elements in several places and great groove. I'm reminded of something else but can't quite say what.

Super Off Road (SNES Game Rip) - Fandango
Pretty catchy. Some parts reminded me of Mega Man X, the only MM game I played to near completion.

Treasure Master (Game Rip) - World 3
Follin does not fail to impress me with his mastery over synth. For something so primitive, there's certainly a lot of weight and substance in "World 3." I liked the well integrated sense of urgency and the general flow of the song.

www.timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk - The Tick
Also thought this was supposed to be based on the cartoon series (which I really liked). Nice melody though pity it wasn't further developed.

Firearm (Game Rip) - Title
Very quirky and groovy. Incredibly tempted to give it a point. Got to love the person on the phone.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

The only major disappointment is the complete lack of Black Lamp C64 tunes here. I thought Solstice was a C64 title, until I realized there was no Solstice for it. Isn't Follin most revered for his C64 work?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Not a bad theme week. All tracks were enjoyable one way or another. The only one I was familiar with was Fandango which brought back many fond memories. It was a releif to see no hint of orchestral film music from an American vgm composer. All the other American film-score wannabe vgm composers can learn from Tim's versatility. And now for the points:

3 points - Title
2 points - Title
1 point - Title

Spoiler:

For real now:
3 points - The Tick
2 points - Future Tactics
1 point - Ecco

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by a_G

The only major disappointment is the complete lack of Black Lamp C64 tunes here. I thought Solstice was a C64 title, until I realized there was no Solstice for it. Isn't Follin most revered for his C64 work?

I was thinking about picking a C64 track since no one else did and the system is a big part of his discography, but I really like The Tick.

Originally Posted by _DH_

It was a releif to see no hint of orchestral film music from an American vgm composer. All the other American film-score wannabe vgm composers can learn from Tim's versatility.

Follin's British, actually.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by a_dolf

Follin's British, actually.

Meh, I keep assuming non-Japanese names are Western. I made the same mistake with Grant Kirkhope. I've got to be more careful before labelling people.

FELIPE NO

Well, one could consider Europe to be part of the Western World.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Liontamer

Follin Week will go for 87 extra weeks. The heavens command it.

And on the eighth day, the mighty Kaleb came down and STRUCK VENGEANCE UPON THE NAYSAYERS.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Hee hee. Western.

2 points: Solstice - Staff of Denmos
It's very probable this would've been my nomination of I hadn't been beaten to it. Melodic awesomeness, and unlike some of Tim's other chiptunes, it doesn't feel too short. Like Kaleb said, if you liked this (and shame on the house of You if you didn't. Shame!) go get Ryan8bit's version now.

1 point: Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title
I always get this confused with the Gauntlet 3 title music. Rockin' first half, more dreamy, space rock'y second half. Gotta love both.

1 point: Future Tactics - Enemy Attack
After having listened to the game rip, I wanna play the game. I don't have a clue what kind of game it is, or if it's any good at all, but I wanna play it.

1 point: Treasure Mater - World 3
Had to give myself a point. Follin manages to bring pure, inchoerent-melody-yet-coherent-song prog-rocky craziness to the NES world with this song. Which I feel is a good thing.

1 point: Ecco - Aquamarine Bay
Not the kind of music I normally listen to, but it gets a point for its execution. This is calm ocean in audioform.

Tick
Not bad at all. I'd like to give this a point as well, but then I'd be arrested

Super off road
I like it, but it's a little too short. If only there'd been more of the stuff that starts around 0:20.

Firearm
I like this as well, but like the Super off road song it gets a bit too repititive.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

*last minute voting!* [MY OPINION] I don't really like all of Tim Follin's work... [/MY OPINION]

3 points. Solstice - The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (Game Rip) - Title

2 points. www.timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk - The Tick

1 point. Future Tactics - The Uprising (Game Rip) - Enemy Attack II

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Serious competition this week.


<2 points> Ecco the Dolphin - Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay
<2 points> Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title

<1 point> Future Tactics - The Uprising (Game Rip) - Enemy Attack II
<1 point> www.timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk - The Tick



And my nomination is:
Suite Wizardry III: Knight of Diamonds <Kentaro Haneda> [05] - Boltac's Trading Post III

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Tim Follin's a pimp, it seems.

3 points - Solstice: The Quest for the Staff of Demnos (Game Rip) - Title

1 point - Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title
1 point - Treasure Master (Game Rip) - World 3
1 point - Firearm (Game Rip) - Title

I was speaking idiomatically.

This week was good for the fact that at least I got to hear some Follin tracks outside of the crazy chiptune range. I know the idea is stupid -- like only hearing Uematsu's SNES stuff and assuming that's all he does, but that's the only Follin stuff I had heard before, Plok, Treasure Master and the like. The man's got range, though it seems he's not big on development, at least with the tracks I liked.

(2 points) Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay: I had four tracks worthy of equal points. It's a shame two get put above the rest. Love the atmosphere of this one, even if development is nil. 10-plus minutes is actually a plus here.

(2 points) Firearm (Game Rip) - Title: So is this stuff from the game? Either way, I consider it sampling. A little weird, but other bands have used it to great effect (one example: The Neptunes -- Frontier Psychiatrist). Love the background horns.

(1 point) www.timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk - The Tick: Nice.

(1 point) Ghouls 'N Ghosts (Amiga Game Rip) - Title: Amazing for 1990. Ending is so nice and soft.

Enemy Attack II just missed out on a point. Everything else was decent. Good week.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I have updated the copy of Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay to one with a higher bitrate and sample rate, so I encourage y'all to download the new version, especially if you had a problem with the previous encoding.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by CHz

I have updated the copy of Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (Game Rip) - Aquamarine Bay to one with a higher bitrate and sample rate, so I encourage y'all to download the new version, especially if you had a problem with the previous encoding.

Hooray! :biggrin: Everyone enjoy the lushness and give it 3 points now.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Nice week all around.

Ecco boosts some unique aquatic atmosphere, but I was unable to ignore its length, unfortunately.
Firearm is just a hilarious track in my opinion. "AHHH HELP!!! *BANG BANG*"
Future Tactics was very badass, the violin part is what makes this track a lot more interesting.
Ghoul's and Ghost was surprisingly reminiscent of Carpe Diem in some parts. I also like how it ends with what sounds like something from Plok. It seems that Follin makes use of short outbursting waves of melody quite often.
Solstice would be the typical Follin track in my opinion. The elements seem random, but never really disconnect the track or make it feel incoherent.
Fandango had some good intense moments, but sounded also more generic and was lacking high-pitched tones, which is mostly responsible for a melody to shine out.
World 3 was also not a bad track, but it's one instant where the many elements seem the render the track disjointed.
The tick ironically brings something more ordinary out of Follin. The feels quite wholy, but for that matter also quite plain.
---
2 for Future Tactics
2 for Ghoul's and Soul's
1 for Screaming Man
1 for Soltics

Jam it back in, in the dark.