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Musical Discoveries in Touhou Fandom

Hizzy - Magical beast
A bit of a collage in this one, lots of elements that I wouldn't normally associated with each other, but the overall effect isn't bad. The tone is unusually subdued for the genre, in a good way.

Artemis - ĐÆmon∀tA
Not sure how to type that without copy-paste. This is the kind of hard-synth that I think goes on too long in the intro, but does a decent job once it gets past that.

NyxTheShield - Tiny Shangri-La
Hard to pick for this one; torn between something that retains the most iconic marks of the original, versus something more distinct from the original. Went with this as a fair balance between the two.
 
Nemurenai ∞ Ongaku Genzou - Be brave, Immortal Kerberos
More inclined to take TouhouDB's translation, even if it seems a bit elaborate; at any rate, it fits the arrangement. I'm not sure I've ever heard an arrangement balancing Zunish elements against a different genre to such a degree as this; strong as they are, they're matched by the orchestral, resulting in a sort of "enhanced Zunish" sound.

K2E†Cradle - Transformed Beast / Vampiric Cryptid Chupacabra
That two for two on circle names I couldn't cite without copy+paste. The sinister tone of the original invites similarly sinister arrangements, but there's still room for some fun within that parameter; in this case, a couple twists incorporated into eurobeat, with spectacular results.

Tsubutsubu Ensemble (T.T.E.) - The Swing of Yomi Where None Turn Back
Title doesn't technically make sense, but there's little arguing with it. What a pleasant surprise electro-swing always manages to be! Also perfect to cap off this heavy feature, eh?
 
Alright, I'm breaking a bit with the format this week due to indecision over "The Deviants' Unobstructed Light ~ Kingdom of Nothingness." (period is in the original title?). I found a decent remix from an unfamiliar name, highlights of which were a strong baseline and unique intro (I'll also admit the halfway visuals were funny). But before getting there, I'd listened to a few arrangements from more familiar artists, and appreciated the creative contrast between them. Looking ahead didn't help; options for the rest of the entry are rather sparse. So instead of haggling over the options, I'm using the feature to share the top three.

GORENOODLEZ - The Deviants' Unobstructed Light ~ Kingdom of Nothingness
Again, decent remix. Doesn't stray too much from the original in form, but the chosen genre's tone is adapted to adeptly.

ssbbmaster - The Deviants' Unobstructed Light ~ Kingdom of Nothingness
By "creative contrast," I refer to the willingness of an artist to explore beyond the original's form, exercising their composition skills. From their comments, I get the impression ssbb isn't satisfied with their own efforts, but their work has never failed to impress me no matter how familiar I am with their style (I would be confidently posting all their stuff as it came out if not for this project lol).

LENK64 - Kingdom of Nothingness
I love the flow across these three, with this one being the most unapologetically intense right off the bat. I wonder if Miki would ever consider remixing her original compositions (as opposed to her ongoing remasters), considering her strengths in various genres?
 
As a sort of balancing out from last week, just gonna finish off T19. These are all the more obscure compositions anyway, so might as well.

Pizuya's Cell - The Beast Kings' Rest
Sometimes you see a familiar circle name and think you know what the arrangement's gonna be like, only for it to be something else. Can't complain though; it is an ending theme after all, so the solo piano fits quite well actually.

chronondecay - Do Beasts Have Intelligence?
Yeah it's a MIDI, and on the heels of a piano solo too, but it's still competently accomplished, and that was more than I expected to find for this piece (there's simply not enough distinguishing it from the earlier instance of the motifs).

Yumi Sakata - Pre-Battle Conversation Theme
I was fully prepared for these last two to be the only ZUN compositions without any coverage. As it turns out, that is not the case; while the existent coverage is admittedly minimal, both have at least one decently high production value performance each.

SilentBird of Gensokyo - Pre-Battle Conversation Theme 2
Been quite some time since I featured SilentBird, but I've continued to see the name frequently through this project, and glad I am of it.


With that, I think I only have two entries left to cover, and with the T6R announcement it's liable to stay that way until I can get there!
 
Low-energy emphasis this week.

Touhou Gengaku Kyo - Kalanchoe
Knew I'd seen that name before, but it took some reflection to remember just where. This is a different kind of "build-up," one without payout in exchange for unmatched melancholy. I don't look these sorts up much by virtue of poignancy, but whenever I happen across them I'm reminded of how incredible music can be.

Oranju-Teiryujo - Knock Down
The "high-energy" pick for this trio; not a piano solo, but not far off from one. Kinda fitting; as of now I still consider "Tinkerbell" to be the most unorthodox composition ZUN's ever done.

Kaiken - Dream Energy ~ Taboo Marionette
Translation iffiness aside. I initially though this was too close to the original, but upon review I was much more impressed. The instrumentation changes are the most immediately noticeable, but the impact this factor has on the tone is more subtle.
 
As things fell, I ended up with a zunish theme for this week. They're not what I'd consider exemplary, but there's reasoning for each respectively.

Kisen Sagetsu - The Lonely Road of Hitachi
Last time I found something from this artist, it did not cite the instrumentation the way this performance does; whatever the reason for this change, I appreciate the insight into what produces that definitive Touhou sound.

MiragEden - Ghosts Exist Even When It's Not Night (MoF Style)
It's been far too long since I shared Eban's work; not for lack of availability, as I regularly see the name among my search results, but usually something else just happens to take priority. This isn't even the best I've heard from the circle, but that would include their original compositions.

PinadeMakesMusic (Pinade) - Maiden of Mineralogy ~ Shrine Maiden Crowned with Glory
This one also showcases the instrument tracks, and the artist's comment had me reflecting on the odd relationship between zunish and orchestral. Many of ZUN's instrument tracks were intended to resemble real instruments, yet his manner of arrangement is so distinct as to be largely incomparable in a one-to-one recreation. Not that this is unique to zunish (technically true of 16-bit chiptune to a lesser extent), just an interesting factor of what makes them special.
 
Late due to power outages; been rough out here over the weekend. Had some excellent Independence Day celebrations though. :)

maritumix - Dust Dwelling
Tried and true maritumix continues to be a favorite of mine. But the point of this project was to dig up artists I didn't already know; there was another option, but I'm more hesitant these days to share excessively experimental or unorthodox performances for fear of sending the wrong message. Once this is done, it should be easier.

FanTouhouMusic - Even if it's Forgotten by the World
Have I featured Fan before? In any case, this is an excellent example of their zunish work, which tends more towards reinterpretation as opposed to stylistic shift.

Tamashī gu - Sacred Forest
Pipe organ solo! Vindication for ol' Jssf! Strangely enough one of the more exciting finds for me in a while. Live performance organ tends to suffer in sound quality, whereas simulated performance lacks authentic arrangement nuance; somehow, this avoids those pitfalls!

In other news, Gensokyo Retro Carnival is out, and I'm very excited!
 
Benji Tunez - There's A Monster In The Woods (Look Outside Remix)
Obvious choice for this one; haven't had the chance yet to feature Tunez's remix work, and this was by far the most unique adaptation of the theme available anyway. I hope to do an OGM feature on Look Outside eventually, but the OST isn't the easiest to work with.

Germination Ice - Goldan Land of Prester John
So. Many. Options. Completely deserved too, but much more difficult to pick. This one edges out for some creative twists from a new name; particular attention to the cutoff ending, which normally doesn't work but somehow adds to this arrangement's overall effect.

Lummin - Might as Well Stake your Life to Solve the Riddle (Cumbia)
Again, superb coverage on this track (wish we could get this kind of attention consistent across the board). I went with this one because it's the first time I can think of seeing cumbia from someone other than Someone45356, and IMO it holds up well.
 
Sequencer's Synth - 4 Color Jazz Piece
What fun! I half expected the style to change for each color, but instead it's just a generally charming tone throughout.

POLTANEST - Jumbled Memories
The unique tone of the original has cultivated an impressive quantity of noteworthy arrangements. Said tone is skillfully adapted to style in this instance, and the progression is excellent as well.

nninn - The Maiden Sinking into the Deep Sea of Memory
Once upon a New Year's past I just searched up a slew of acoustic guitar solos, and I still remember that adventure fondly. Most takes on this piece favor either a melancholy or uneasy tone, whereas this more casual sound contrasts well with the previous piece.
 
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Keithon - Watatuki's Spell Card ~ Divine Sea Battle
I swear I wasn't looking for this, but once I saw it I somehow knew it was the final choice. Call me crazy, but something about this particular track seems to lend itself to this idea; not in theme, but in progression and arrangement. It somehow just fits, and far be it from me to deny it. why IDOL at the end though?

YOTproject - pyramid
I wasn't terribly impressed by the overall coverage of this track, most of which was zunish style shifts; this arrangement was among the few doing something actually imaginative. Some stage 6 tracks seem cursed with under-appreciation (but then, some are just preambles to their boss themes, so . . .)

Althaea - ETERNAL STONE
Of course, this one had much more impressive coverage, but mostly from artists I consider well-recognized. It came down to three; this one won out for being more cohesive with the rest of the feature, but all of them made excellent use of the exceptional motifs.
 
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BIG FINDS!

KALANCHOE RECORDS - Fantastic Drift!
I strongly suspect I've heard this vocalist featured elsewhere, but it's hard enough to keep track of the circles themselves, and I don't feel like checking. Actually came across a different track from this EP initially, but further checks ended up favoring this one. Couldn't ask for better!

hell raven - IS THIS TRUE?
This artist was already on my radar, and I'm glad this track lined up with my intentions. I want to commend the heavy-hectic approach here, which makes the piece feel akin to "Hartmann's" or "U.N. Owen" even though the original isn't quite as close.

osoumen - entropy
I very nearly gave up on this one entirely; the only stuff coming up in my searchings were basic midi covers and recreations, and none were catching my attention. Then I just so happened to hear this on Gensokyo Retro Carnival, which I just received through the mail earlier this week; so that settled that, and here we are!
 
The end approaches . . .

Comfique Harmony - Transient Resonance
What a fitting contrast to the "Unchanging Daily Life" remix! Perhaps a bit short, but makes good use of its time. Might share more from this circle later to give a better impression of what they've got.

IshiNoUra (Inami & BigarMusic) - Shining in Everlasting Radiance
Vocal-focused arrangements are usually more elaborate, so at first I didn't even recognize this as a remix. Once it set in, though, I found I appreciated it greatly; the brevity and straightforward mixing contribute to a rather unique tone perfect for the subject.

For another couple weeks, that marks the most recent composition of the series . . .

However, several tracks had to be skipped along the way, and with the passage of time came new publications and fresh experience. Two elements are worth noting: First, I belated realized that TouhouDB's formatting system could be used to reverse-source, allowing me to identify arrangements that wouldn't turn up in my regular searchings, sometimes more effectively than even TAC. Of course, in both cases I'd still run into psuedo-"lost media," whereby the original sources had long ago dried up. Which brings me to the second element: I finally figured out how to use the TLMC! Together, these factors allowed me to cut down on missing tracks by approximately half, starting with one of my personal favorites . . .

Antares Enigma - Dark Magic Tragedy
For the record, this particular arrangement didn't exist when I would initially have been searching for it. I'm inclined to consider it worth the wait though; not only is Antares Enigma hitherto unrepresented here and very much deserving of attention, their style is also arguably perfect for the adaptation of this piece!
 
Masashi Okagaki & Friends - Untitled-03TS
Proof that the most obscure tracks of the franchise can still become foundations for impressive arrangements. For that matter, I'd argue the artists that dare to seek inspiration in the less popular tracks demonstrate their skills all the more poignantly thereby.

Yonder Voice - A Song Buried in the Dust
I'm unsure as to why this didn't turn up when I initially sought out remixes for the track; upload date indicates it was available, and the necessary keywords seem to be there. I'll probably continue pinging out for the remaining unrepresented, so there'll be opportunity to try out different tactics.

Susumu Takajima - Meanwhile at the Scarlet Devil Mansion...
This guy's library is actually quite impressive; Bandcamp hosts a multitude of his retro chiptune arrangements and compositions that he's done for his various fan projects. I'm glad he covered this particular track, as I'd be unlikely to have come across him otherwise.
 
Pearls Before Swine - Dissatisfied Happiness
Another that must have slipped through the cracks (or else I wasn't searching well enough; it's been years now, can't be sure). Something about the language blend stands out to me more in this performance; while far from the first example I've come across, I admire the attention to accent within the meter here.

Stas Gavrik - Solitary Place (Ambient Ver.)
Stas stands beside Usami Kagen and SilentBird as the insurances of this project. This particular performance came out after when I would have been searching for it, so it's a true addendum.

Earl Gray - Encountering 'Kappa's Sea Drift'
This one took some digging, and I'm quite pleased with it. I admit my guidelines for defining unique source tracks becomes a significant obstacle in the case of Akiyama's variations, but on the other hand the twist of a given variant often influences the derivative, and that makes it worth seeking out in my opinion (plus I can't imagine trying to decide which is the original version, the lot of them coming together).
 
HertzDevil - Last Word Unleashed
This album was in my library before I embarked on this venture; how did I not dig it up when initially searching for it? In any case, this is the only arrangement TouhouDB has on record for the track. Anything I've said about HertzDevil in the past still applies, and I'm much obliged to 'em.

BUTAOTOME - ETSU
Less surprised I missed this one. At a certain point, I got into the habit of passing over familiar circles during an initial search, and then forgetting to backtrack to them if nothing else turned up. The point was to find normally overlooked performances, after all.

K2E†Cradle - POM-POCO Disco
Comedic-type song? Strangely intense, and I can't help but question the assertion of "disco" in what is clearly eurobeat, but it's an undeniably fun performance. A case where the vocalist does an objectively excellent job, but whose tone may arguably be at odds with that intended.
 
CielArc - Kanshou Memorize
Topic channel uploads are often automatic, and lack the usual keywork metadata that my usual tactics rely on. I'm especially glad to cut down on unrepresented variants of the "possession blossoms" motif. The obvious question behind them is, why a particular one over another? In this case, it's the ending theme, and I'd argue the tone of this performance can be associated to that.

Structure Sound & Mad Hatter Tea - Memorable Day ~ Adventure
This one, on the other hand, is from the staff roll theme, and I think it fits very well. 'Course I wouldn't be likely to ignore celtic folk even if I didn't think it fit, but thematic cohesion does help. Far as I know there hasn't been any addition volumes to the "Celtic Realm" collection, which while understandable does make the initial album's numerical designation a bit confusing.

IRON ATTACK! - Soul Trigger
"Immortal Red Soul" has risen in my estimation to become one of my favorite Akiyama performances, and its apparent lack of sufficient fandom attention was equally bothersome to that of "Bell of the Antipodes" or "Our Hisoutensoku" (not nonexistent, but far from satisfactory). This is a step in the right direction though; the theme seems tailor made for IRON ATTACK! to begin with!
 
ChocoFan - FOLKLORE ILLUSION
Ironically ChocoFan is commonly at the top of search results for many pieces; the only reason this wasn't initially is because it wasn't published through the circle's official channel. This one in particular reminds me of a "Plain Asia" remix from CrazyBeats featured in one of the tournaments.

Zōu Fǎng Yún Zòu - Possession Flower
Chinese translation barriers are strong on this one; if anybody can give me better, I'd be most appreciative. I labeled this "folk," but there's something charmingly casual about the performance that distinguishes it from the norm. Really glad to get something for this particular piece, which I'd rank with top three of Akiyama's performances.

That's technically it, but there's a lot to cover in the roundup, so I'm saving that for next week and filling the gap by remedying an incomplete feature from earlier.

AQUA STYLE - The Legendary Titan
Thanks to TLMC, I can now share this arrangement properly, the way it deserves. Part of me wanted a picture of the great catfish instead for the funnies, but the tone befits the robot so much better.
 
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