Ken Hisuag

ZuikakuP - BorderLand Given the original was a concept theme for stage five, I appreciate the tone of this arrangement for fitting so well with the ascetic of first-appearance Yuuka. Cone - Magic Shop of Raspberry Being one of my favorite PC-98 tracks, I was looking for something special for this piece. The baseline and intro tend to define the piece, and this did a nice job balancing them against the melody to give it emphasis. SeriouSecond - Closed Dimension I had hoped for something a bit more hard hitting for an ending, but nothing satisfactory turned up. This arrangement is a bit long, and I worry it may drag for some listeners, but I found I didn't mind it personally. With that, I have successfully featured a remix or arrangement for every musical piece from the PC-98 era of the Touhou Project. It has taken me almost exactly one year. I realize now that I don't know what percentage of Touhou music that actually is; maybe I'll calculate that for next week.

After the LoZ trifecta of soundtracks, it becomes difficult to choose which entries to highlight. I determined to feature Link’s Awakening, because I knew it was well liked by some musicians I respect, and because it was apparently popular enough to get a thorough remake. This was a GameBoy release, and as such its soundtrack is entirely quad-channel 8-bit. I’ve heard this utilized with stunning complexity, but find older soundtracks don’t accomplish those levels. The redeeming quality of said soundtracks tends to be their powerful melodies, which transcend their presentation and endure into nostalgia. In theory, Link’s Awakening is such a soundtrack; however, it’s worth noting the attempts at altering the sounds to differentiate between different instruments. That aside, I think it may also be one of those OSTs better to experience through the game, because I’ve had a difficult time appreciating it without. To many of the motifs sound like other melodies I’ve heard elsewhere, sometimes implying leitmotif but other times simply being atmospheric patterns the composers have used in past projects. Figuring out what counts as s unique motif or otherwise has been rather confusing. Nonetheless, I’m sure there’s something to it; my brief look into the remake’s soundtrack impressed me, and made we wonder about the significance of instrumentation being dependent upon the strength of melody. A query for another day, perhaps.

JerryStuffRo - Lotus Road (TD Arrange) Technically part of a Paradise of Boundaries project, but it's been a while and these last few themes of the era have been surprisingly difficult to find arrangements for (with a notable exception). Plus, it's not often I find a serious take on TD's spirit world gimmick. Wanwan - Tri-pilot This was the exception; Dreamy Pilot is a lot more popular than I thought. Wanwan tends to favor Zunish (understandably; he's among the best), but a more jazz focused arrangement like this isn't too surprising, given his style. Matmax14 - Incomplete Plot The occasional clock effect in the background has a nice effect. Otherwise, there isn't much to say about this one.

16: Pola - Eternal Hades The past returns to haunt me. While the wording hasn't aged well, the sentiment hasn't changed. This piece accomplishes a thoroughly disturbing atmosphere, as intended. I may respect it, even appreciate it, but I do not enjoy it. Regrets. 3/10 17: ShinRa-Bansho - Fairy Song A welcome shift. ShinRa-Bansho's standard of quality goes before them, as does the varied nature of their arrangements. This is a tamer mood than I usually hear from them, which goes along with the more serene progression utilized. The music depicts an epic journey in all its stages, from the instigation to the setting out, the unmet desires and their associated conflicts, their eventually resolutions and the realization of new horizons. Ironically, I can't make much of the lyrics either in consistency or otherwise. Regardless, a thoroughly enjoyable listen (instrumentation is excellent, too). A good sort of different from ShinRa-Banso. 8.5/10 18: GET IN THE RING - ⑨melodies My favorite circle! Speaking of uncharacteristic styles, I did not expect such a serene song from GET IN THE RING. The masterful medley technique, on the other hand, was eagerly anticipated; this circle is on par with DJ the S for constructing full pieces from outsourced motifs. I was in no way disappointed. The song itself is also worth looking up, imo; it fits the music, and is rather sweet. It's interesting to rate this next to Fairy Song, since the two pieces appeal to me in similar but slightly different ways. I haven't yet heard a GITR song I didn't love. 8.5/10 can y'all tell I'm rushed?

I didn't know Bossa Nova originated in Brazil; now I'm wondering about the origins of other genres. I'm a big fan of Irish folk, but I'm not sure if that fits the criteria of this thread (i.e. can I post Irish if I'm not Irish?), so I'll keep it minimal here.

It's St. Patrick's Day! Annual Irish folk incoming! I considered posting over on Mev's new music thread, but I'm not sure of the technical qualifications, so I've saved one for that and kept the rest here.

There were three specific games in the LoZ series I wanted to prioritize this month. The first two were foundational entries which established iconic motifs for future installments, and I was previously familiar with some of what they contained. The third is Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; though not quite as influential in comparison, this soundtrack is nonetheless a highlight of the series. The same spirit of adventure is present, with the advancement of technology enabling a more full sound without losing the charm of its limitations. While leitmotifs were hardly new to the series, they'd begun to take on a fresh aspect at this point; compositions were unique, but included references to past themes to invoke nostalgia and establish an internal consistency. It's difficult for me to tell how prevalent this style was in previous titles post-Ocarina (it was not present in Majora's Mask), but it has certainly been the standard for the series ever since.

Shishimai Brothers - When the Whirlwind Blows No idea what "Tsuji / 辻" translates properly to. I had almost given up on finding a unique arrangement for Winds of Time when I found this track, so it was very much appreciated. saiyoucho - Moonsoul There's a bit of chord alteration in this arrangement; not enough to re-write the piece, but enough to adjust the tone in a way that works exceptionally well with the instrumentation. Gauche - Phantasmagoria I didn't look very long for this one, the irony being too good to pass up. If you know you know; if you don't, the video's description will tell you.

@OkuuFallout The video link didn't stick.

Honestly, this is the ideal approach to an online forum. If you feel obligated to be involved, you can't enjoy it comfortably, nor can you be fully authentic. Better to have the self-assurance that your input is appreciated, but not required (and it is appreciated, btw). I hope this place continues to be an enjoyable and entertaining part of your life, whatever its changes. Shalom!

No LoZ game has quite reached the level of acclaim and esteem of The Ocarina of Time. Still considered among the greatest video games ever made, it has continued to be a foundational influence for the medium as a whole. It's soundtrack is similarly iconic, featuring a wide variety of styles that work surprisingly well with the N64 sound; while the more notable motifs receive frequent reuse, I'd argue there's little significant improvement to be had in the overall presentation. While many of the game's pieces are well known, the soundtrack is surprisingly large (for an older game), and there are still a few rare gems in its tracklist; it's well worth the perusal if one is willing to take the time.

ti - Hakurei Shrine Grounds A not-quite-chiptune arrangement with a surprising degree of personality to it. Fuyuki Seana - atmosphere I'm hoping this doesn't sound too compressed; it's a good arrangement, but the mixing could have been better (to be fair, it's an old track, and the artist seems to have improved since). mixtuti sakuramochi - Youkai-Sealing Finale The filter effect on this keeps me waiting for the drop, but it doesn't. That combined with the ending makes this a most unusually styled remix, but in a way I appreciate the uniqueness.

Because of the way in which I got into VGM, many of the more iconic soundtracks remain unfamiliar to me beyond their most famous tracks. In an attempt to remedy this, I hope to occasionally dedicate a month of features to a specific series, giving me the incentive to check out the more infamous titles. I've already done this with Super Mario; this month, I'd like to familiarize myself further with The Legend of Zelda. To start off, I've chosen A Link to the Past as being one of the more iconic entries. By my understanding, several series-staple motifs were introduced in this game, and it continues to be referenced as among the best in the series. Personally, I tend to struggle with the SNES sound; sometimes it works (Chrono Trigger comes to mind), but sometimes it sounds like the composers wanted an orchestra and weren't willing to adjust. This isn't quite that bad, but I suspect it could have been better. Fortunately, there are many strong melodies to make the soundtrack a memorable experience anyway.

Considering my major hobbies revolve around listening to [a lot of] music, the subject of choosing headphones is an important one to me. Nonetheless, I'm a relatively simple person when it comes to such commodities; I only ask that it "sounds alright" and "doesn't break." Overtime I've become more picky, but not enough so [yet] to research much into the technical aspects. That may change very soon; depends on my finances, and the ever-declining stability of the world. My current headphones are an over-ear wireless set that I only got because I'd been gifted a gift card to a place I avoided shopping at and wanted headphones that had something sturdier than thin plastic in their frame (these are the headphones). My previous pair had cracked, and I was hoping for something that would resist cracking. These has a nice leather-like covering on them, and I hoped that would mean something. To be fair, they held up longer than any of my previous headphones, and even now the covering holds them together in spite of internal damage (which has not effected the audio quality, btw). For whenever I get my next set (assuming I get the chance), I'd like something similarly double-stabilized; I don't expect it to prevent damage, but it may at least mitigate long term effects. Otherwise, I've considered choosing something with noise-cancelling; there's a lot of activity around me on a regular basis, and if it works (I have no prior experience with it) it could be convenient. I tried getting a pair of wireless earbuds (band can't break if there isn't one, eh?), but the sound quality was such a downgrade from what I was used to that I had to return them. I'll have to look into that DankPods channel; I may learn something helpful to my inquires.

I feel the need to clarify a potentially misleadingly vague word in my recent statements, that being "experiential." By this I was referring to experiences only relevant second-hand to the subject, not experiences directly with the subject itself; my intent was to contrast this with first-hand understanding of the subject, implying these as proper "evidences." My point was that a majority of the aversion toward modern Japanese artwork is based on experiences associated to it, but not directly with it. Ironically, few of those with negative opinions based on associated experiences will have actually experienced the subject directly. Again, this is not yet a critique of the conclusion; I'm merely pointing out the inconsistency in the common justification thereof.