Ken Hisuag

Next up for the month is Kirby Super Star, possibly the most important entry in the series. Returning composers revamped many of their old compositions for the new game, the size and style of which lent itself to becoming a musical retrospective of the series to that point. New themes were also introduced, however, leading to an extremely diverse motif selection that has continued to be referenced from both in future Kirby titles and in other franchises.

This game is an excellent example of SNES music the way I prefer it; utilizing the sound available as it is, rather than trying to emulate something beyond its capabilities. The resulting arrangements have a clear separation of layers which reinforce each other without overwhelming the piece.

I love music; it is to me a medium unique in its ability to capture and communicate emotion. In its variety, I perceive the spirit of creativity that I attribute to the imago Dei. In its theory, I learn to appreciate a side of the natural world that seems entirely created for enjoyment, technical aspects and all. In my time on this forum, I've been continuously introduced to new music genres I didn't know existed, while also being given fresh views on genres I'd previously written off. Many of these experiences are still chronicled on the site; you've probably already seen the Share Music You Like thread, but if you haven't I'd recommend you do so. Off the top of my head, I can think of several albums that I either found through posts there or featured there myself.

For instrumental albums, Kitaro's Kojiki, V.K's Our Story, and The Piano Guys' Uncharted are all represented in part on that thread. My personal collection also includes Phil Keaggy's Lights of Madrid and Frank Klepacki's Rocktronic. In some cases, I can't point to a specific album, but would still recommend the general work of Louie Zong or maritumix. Don't discount classical music, either; if one considers the modern album equivalent to a symphony, then Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 and Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik both deserve consideration, to say nothing of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, imo one of the greatest musical accomplishments in history. If you consider soundtracks acceptable for casual listening, then my favorites are Yasunori Nishiki's Octopath Traveler and Pascal Michael Stiefel's A Hat in Time (and perhaps I'll throw in Alkis Livathinos's Hue, too). Finally, I'll list World Beyond's Mindshell separately, because I'm not entirely sure whether to consider it a soundtrack or not.

If you prefer vocal music, the aforementioned thread includes songs from The High Kings' self-named album (I wish the industry didn't do this so often, the resulting albums are always confusing to reference), Masayoshi Oishi's Entertainer, and David Meece's Learning to Trust; Steve Taylor is also there I think, but the specific album I'd recommend from him is On the Fritz. I remember Michael W. Smith's Change Your World fondly, though I don't listen to it as much these days. Some of my favorite artists (for whom no particular album comes to mind) are Michael Card, Steve Camp, and Casting Crowns; I suppose their respective best-of albums would be ideal recommendations, but that seems like cheating.

Make sure you check out the other music threads on the forum as well; Odd Music Discovery and National Music! don't get much traffic, but are ideal for facilitating the discovery of especially obscure music. On the other hand, Other Game Music and Musical Discoveries in Touhou Fandom represent years worth of exploration into the art of music; they may be a bit less personal then you're looking for, but exploring them a little could still be rewarding.

I forgot to post on Saturday, and I'm a bit embarrassed about it because I definitely had the time.

Unionest.NET - Sleepless Night of the Eastern Country
I'm rather fond of the original, so I hoped to find something especially good for this. I'm beginning to think any arrangement that could be classified as hybrid will immediately appeal to me; obviously this is a rock remix, but the light elements of jazz really help bring the whole thing together.

HAPPY I SCREAM!! - Rainbow-colored Rain
Again, this is technically just a rock remix, but how often does one hear a harp riff incorporated into such a piece? Then again, I suppose a lot of rock looks for one-off gimmicks to give it character; maybe that's part of what rock is?

Assaultdoor - Hiroshige No. 36 ～ Neo Super-Express
Part of the charm the original is known for comes from its instrumentation and presentation; as such, a remix often must forgo recapturing that charm. I was surprised by this piano arrangement, because it manages to recapture the original's character simply by pausing at the right moments, and otherwise being as straightforward as possible.

Since I was late, I'll add something else to this feature, though it may be more to my benefit then anyone else's.

Sometimes while I'm seeking out remixes to feature, I come across videos that lack proper documentation and without citation of sources. This essentially renders the accompanying piece useless to me, no matter how much I appreciate it, so I'll often endeavor to hunt down alternative uploads in hopes of getting the metadata I require. Sometimes this hunt is successful, but other times I'm left wondering if I've stumbled upon lost media with no way to know for sure.

This is another remix of Sleepless Night of the Eastern Country, favoring funk; that is the only thing I know about it.

This month, I'm finally going to explore the Kirby franchise. While I'm decently familiar with its more iconic motifs, I'm less informed as to their origins and development over time. Forgotten Land was amazing, and I'm curious as to whether it was exceptional for the series or merely par-for-the-course.

Obviously, one begins at the beginning. Kirby's Dream Land was composed by Jun Ishikawa for the Game Boy, and featured a variety of relatively short loops in chiptune. Despite their limited length, these pieces have surprisingly complex progression, allowing their strong motifs to stand out memorably. I was very surprised to realize just how many of the series's signature themes were established right at the start. It would seem the reuse of old motifs for new soundtracks was fairly common as the franchise developed, which practice would have lent itself to the propagation of its leitmotifs. I look forward to perceiving this development as I continue to explore the series.

Windbreaker - Tengu's Notebook ~ Mysterious Note
It was really tempting to use the Genso Wanderer theme, but I ultimately decided to go for something more low energy. This remix is short, but successfully recreates the atmosphere of the original track.

rythmique - Wind Circulation ~ Wind Tour
For immediate contrast, saxophone and violin over electronic rock! I can't help but get excited about rarer instrumentation combos, and this piece has pretty good range to justify the interest.

EdelSounds - Eyes of the Wind
Finally, something else high energy but with slightly more grounding, accomplished through a surprisingly balanced vocal duet performance.

I remember hearing about Palworld a couple years back, and at the time I was completely sure it was just a joke. Turns out it wasn't, and I can't help but think it one of the most hilarious things to ever exist in the industry. Any description of this game sounds made up for the ridiculousness of its compiled elements; I'm sure no one expected the developers to have any serious intentions with the project, especially given the accusations that followed its release.

That being said, my interest is the same as always, and so I forgo any investment into such considerations if favor of recognizing the very real effort put into its music. Tatsuya Yano's style seems to be ironically emulative of other styles from comparable game series, specifically Monster Hunter, with elements of JRPG. Some pieces seem to indicate a jazz influence, but it doesn't seem overly prevalent yet; perhaps as the game continues to develop, more music will be released?

marasy - Mound Where the Flowers Reflect
This seems to be a sparsely represented one. Granted that it's primarily reliant on atmosphere with technically little motif unique to itself, it's also one of my favorites, and I had hoped for a bit more. A lot of musicians seem to prefer pairing it up with its counterpart pre-conversation theme.

show-jow nico - Reunion
See, this is more what I was looking for; the mood is retained, but the whole piece is overhauled for a uniquely enhanced experience. The more I listen to it, the more impressed I am; definitely a hidden gem.

TKB0111A3 - The Flowers Remain in Fantasy
Have I featured this artist before? I've alluded in the past to the not-so-fine line between a musical "cover" and a remix or "rearrangement." Most PC-98 adaptations I come across are more covers than remixes, but the technical aspect makes them a bit more impressive than the same thing done for piano. This is one of the few tracks I can think of that I can properly call a PC-98 remix; the artist goes beyond merely recreating the piece and adds interpretive flair.

Raccoon Factory - Sagittarius
An extra, both to make up for the hiatus and because it's the only track left in Touhou 9. After arrangements of piano, folk and chiptune, respectively, it seems only fair to finish with something high-energy and intense, though perhaps maintaining a similar mood. This one is probably as ideal as I could have asked for in all respects.

Not sure I've ever taken that long a hiatus since initially becoming active. It was unexpected. I'll leave it at that.

Laurence Chapman provides the compositions for A Highland Song. Without context, I can tell this to be a more heartstrings type game, with the music characterized by rolling motifs kept to low energy with limited escalation. There is light usage of leitmotif, but the focus is clearly atmosphere, so I appreciate it more as a bonus to its intended function. I'm very much reminded of Moss with its instrumentation, but where Moss feels more a physical journey, A Highland Song seems more introspective. It's the kind of music I enjoy listening to quietly and reflectively.

Mascarpone - Loose Flowers
I can't think of another character besides the two primaries who has so many unique themes. IMO, this one's harder to arrange due to the structure of its melody, which doesn't seem like it would lend itself to progression. Despite this, I have heard several remixes that manage it well, usually by turning into jazz.

Cerotte - Dream Bubble
The warning will go unheeded, but for my own conscience's sake I must advise against looking at the video; just listen to the music. Normally inappropriate art is enough for me to scrap a feature, but this tone of folk was exactly what I was looking for, and I couldn't find anything else that fit.

Bullet IX - Equinox Sky - 2019 Demo
I'm not happy with this feature either, but for a different reason. As the title implies, this is an early version of a later more fully realized remix, which is itself unavailable on Youtube despite existing for some time. I couldn't bring myself to buy it just for this feature, but it is essentially that version that secured this spot.

Various Colors - Eastern Judgement in the Sixtieth Year ~ Fate of Sixty Years / Piano Arranged
As something of a consolation to myself, I'm including this as well. Exceptional piano solos are not as easy to come buy as one might expect, requiring a degree of technique either in the player or the programmer to pull off. I can't claim to be able to tell the difference, but I can appreciate the effort.

Now, for the first feature of the year:

It took me a while to get to Inscryption; I've had it on the to-do list for a while, but I wanted to give it proper time out of respect for what it is. On the surface, this soundtrack doesn't sound like the sort of music I usually listen to. The secret behind my appreciation has everything to do with the game itself, and as such I hesitate to say too much. Essentially, this is actually two or three soundtracks at once, each composed with a similar idea in mind but each with a different tone unique to itself. Knowing where one begins and another ends would likely have a significant effect on the listening experience, but also necessitates spoiling some of what makes the game (and by extension the soundtrack, to some degree) so special. So while I have selected these tracks in accordance to what I think best represents the strengths and range of its music, for once I'd encourage the avoidance of further investigation without determining whether the game itself is worth your time.

Only just realized I forgot to post the record for 2023 on Monday, so my apologies for the delay.

In commemoration of the New Year, I have saved this beast of a medley which incorporates motifs from across the series, plus a wide range of fangames, into a base-template of the best Zunish piece I know of:

Kirbio & Tokiko Tatsunagi - Jewel of the Sky-Ruling Dragon Deity ~ Quintessential Fragments (Destroy Star MIX)

Here's to this year, whatever may be brought in it; shalom.

A last hurrah before year's end (so that at least something was posted here before then).

Another year's end tradition that I've been somewhat less established in is featuring some arrangements I'd otherwise reserved for use in remix tournaments. I've collected quite a list of these, and as things stand now they're not likely to see their intended use, so it's a good thing I have this way of utilizing them. Then again, they probably won't stand out as much as they otherwise would have. Just consider these special features as being a look into what I found noteworthy enough to hold onto for a special occasion.

Karasu - Entrusting the World to Idols ~ Idolatrize World
I haven't yet found piano arrangements that quite match up to Dean Nguyen's work, but this is heading in the right direction; playing with the melody and progression to create something almost-but-not-quite unrecognizable, playing to the strengths of the instrument over the piece itself.

Sosop - Millennium Fantasy ~ Dance of the Monster
I've had this one so long that it's gone unlisted. Before I discovered GET IN THE RING, this was my ideal mashup arrangement. The key is integrating the motifs into each other, not simply overlapping them or lining them up next to each other.

maritumix - Memorabilia
Maritumix has continued to be a favorite artist of mine. The large quantity of productions therefrom tend to dampen the novelty of his style, but once in a while an arrangement sticks out to me, and I save it away for later. I still wish he'd compile and sell albums of his remixes, but at least he's publishing his original material more often now.

I won't be here tomorrow, being Sunday, but I'll try and stop in on Monday. Happy New Year!

It's time for the last feature of the year. As usual, this is my personal top five list of this year's VGM. But first, some honorable mentions:

I was not impressed by the Game Award's line up for this years music, and hoped for a better selection from the Steam Awards. For the most part, I wasn't disappointed, though I'd argue some of the nominations shouldn't have qualified (e.g., the game that actually released ten years ago); the one nomination I didn't recognize at all was Chants of Sennaar, and since I'm out of time to give it a proper listen, I'll mention it here in hopes it deserved it.

Another release I didn't get to was Tevi; its composers are the same team behind Rabi-Ribi, so I have reasonable confidence that I'll enjoy the soundtrack when I listen to it.

EDIT: I almost forgot to include Sonic Dream Team. Realistically, this soundtrack was never going to be part of the ranking, but as I enjoyed it more than either Sonic Superstars or even Super Mario Wonder, I thought it deserved to be mentioned.

Now, on to the ranking:

#5:

#4:

#3:

#2:

#1:

For the first time since I started doing this, I've actually played some of the games from which these soundtracks feature. Specifically, I briefly opened Pizza Tower after getting it during a recent sale; I'd already listened through the soundtrack several times, and fully expected it to be included here. I've also been playing Undertale Yellow, though thus far I've not seen past what was in the demo. So I think I can safely say once again that my preferences are based entirely on the merits of the music itself.

Last year I included my favorite featured soundtrack, essentially the discover that stood out the most to me from the year. This year, however, my favorite discoveries were all releases from this year, and as such are already included. Since I'd rather be consistent, though . . .

Bonus Feature (#0):

I always encourage others to post their own recommendations; I will inevitably miss things, and sometimes I intentionally pass over a significant soundtrack for one reason or another. I'd love to hear about what others are listening to, which is, after all, what this thread is for.

Till next year; shalom!

I can't remember if I've shared the Brothers Cazimero in the general music thread before, but given the ideal opportunity I'm choosing to take that risk. Their Hawaiian Christmas covers have been a staple of my seasonal celebrations for years.

LeiYunWolfy - Gangster Rabbit
Maybe I don't hear enough remixes of this piece, but I thought the motif integration was done rather well here. I would recommend turning down your volume, though.

Tenji - Wind Deity Girl
The recorded performance made this stand out; it's a metal arrangement, but from someone I haven't seen before. Make sure to readjust audio after the previous feature, or this'll sound too quiet.

TUMENECO - Melancholic Poison
Something more professional to balance out the post, though I probably should have prioritized a low-energy arrangement somewhere. Reminds me of GET IN THE RING for some reason.

To likely no one's surprise but my own, the week leading up to Christmas has been crazy. I already had this feature planned out, so it was coming one way or another. As of last week, this thread is five years old; it hasn't been consistently active throughout that whole time, but as its existence is rather significant to me personally I desired to commemorate the milestone in some way. While I do not now the exact track used, the first OST featured here was that of A Hat in Time, which is still one of my favorites and is large enough to be refeatured occasionally. The variety of music is exemplary, whether in reference to its instrumentation, its tone, its style, or even its genre. If I had to recommend a single soundtrack to someone without VGM experience, it would be this one.

keiran - Flowering Night
Vocaloid, but for some reason I found this one intriguing. The arrangement doesn't move much, but it also doesn't drag out too long.

LTexLT - Adventure of the Lovestruck Tomboy
It'd be nice if I could find something more akin to mixing the motifs in the tone of Adventure, as opposed to just being a Beloved Tomboyish Girl remix with additional intro. But I acknowledge that to be a bit much to ask for; at least this was easier than the next one.

Jun.A - Deaf to All but the Song ~ Flower Mix
When I chose to treat Reimu and Marisa's Imperishable Night themes as unique, I unintentionally set a standard that required me to seek a feature for this piece as well. Understandably, most musicians interested in the motifs choose to remix the original rather than its barely-different successor. This isn't the style of music I'd hoped for, but it's still a good piece.

So I found out Undertale Yellow was finally releasing about a week before it happened; I don't have social media, so I don't always get such news until late. I was excited, because I've been waiting for this project since shortly after it's demo came out, eagerly following the occasional music drops over the years. Upon having a date, I immediately planned out how to fit a feature in before the end of the year.

However, once I started listening through the soundtrack, I decided I wasn't going to be able to do so properly in time, and chose instead to delay it until next year. Instead, I'm doing a Fracture Feature which includes it and a couple of other games that I want remembered before this year passes. I didn't and don't foresee myself featuring these fully hereafter, so perhaps this is fitting.

When I was growing up, early Christmas morning was often spent with all my siblings in one of our bedrooms as we waited for our parents to finish setting up. To pass the time, we put a CD in the radio and sing along together. Our favorite was a Veggietales album that interspersed traditional carols (and some more obscure songs) with interludes of character interactions that provided a sort of side plot to the experience.

Even today, a lot of those renditions stand out in my memory as my first introduction to the songs, even as I've found other versions that usually serve better. One exception is the performance of Il est né, le divin Enfant, in English He is Born, the Divine Christ Child; traditionally quick but evenly paced song, this version uses creative instrumentation to be much more energetic. It remains a staple of my Christmas listening every season.

I missed Saturday, and since I intended to be here today I decided to wait.

??? - Spring Lane ~ Colorful Path
I have no reason to believe the uploader of this is the artist responsible for it, and I can't find it anywhere else (remember to cite your sources, y'all). I appreciate the energy of the arrangement, and its instrumentation reminds me of Cave Story. To justify its feature, I'm doubling up on this and the next source piece.

n-s-lab - Fantasy, Flowers, Dancing in the Wind
There were a lot of great arrangements for Spring Path. This one is the sort to play with the harmony, teasing discord without actually falling into it. This effect fascinates me, but I can't yet define its technical aspects.

 Arisaki Works - Oriental Dark Flight
The classical approach works surprisingly well for these motifs. I said before this theme was an oft overlooked one for me, and even now I don't know that it holds up well against its Reimu counterpart, but from this I wonder if there's some potential to arranging it more melancholy.

Ganemes - light flight (2023 Mix)
Instead of melancholy, I found this, but it seems fitting somehow. Despite everything, I still can't keep track of the EDM variations, so I'll categorize this with the other hyper energetic styles I've found.

At the moment I'm waiting on the Steam Award nominations to be announced in case there's something to feature from there. So in the meantime, here's Lego Racers for no reason whatsoever; I didn't know this game existed until a week ago. The music is exactly the goofy quality I'd expect from such a title, but I admit there's clearly some care put into it. The motifs are memorable, and while the progression and instrumentation are a bit unorthodox, they work well together.

It's been a crazy day; holiday season hitting full force finally.

itm - Border Between Dreams and Reality
The spacey sound of the instrumentation here fits the title perfectly, as does the serene tone. Sometimes the simple arrangement is best after all.

t+pazolite - Industry in Dust
Normally this would be a bit too much for me. Ironically, the tournaments have made this style somewhat nostalgic. Since it seemed to compliment the motif well, I decided to stick with it.

hakoiri - Flower Reflecting Mound ~ Higan Retour
I'm skipping BAiJR because it would ultimately just be a matter of order. I had another option for this one that's arguably better, but the simplicity of this one appealed to me as especially suitable for the source material.

With the announcement of the GtoY nominations came the anticipated but nonetheless sharp disappointment with what I can only assume is industry/popularity bias. My own tastes are not necessarily indicative of objective quality, but I feel I can name a few soundtracks outside my preferences that still seem better suited than some actually offered. With this idea in mind, I decided to try out Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, knowing full well it was mostly English vocal and thus not made for me. In hindsight, this may be a poor example; I actually enjoyed the genre elements contained herein, and there were far more instrumental options than I expected.

I perceive that much of the soundtrack is compiled from previously existent productions, in keeping with the radio channel effect its meant to replicate. That being said, some of my favorite tracks were consistently from Hideki Naganuma, who apparently composed his contributions specifically for the game. There may be more like this, but I didn't do as much research past the pieces I'd decided on using for the feature. Regardless, I'm glad I checked this soundtrack.