Zauls Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 That was oddly melodic. Remove the screamed vocals, and maybe replace the chugging guitar with cellos, and you've got a video game theme right there. Symphonic metal guys really love their Romantic composers, don't they? Wouldn't be out of place in a Wagner opera (basically think of the Harry Potter theme and you've got his style in one) (who, after checking the Wikipedia page, seem to cite as an influence as well as Dvorak and Chopin; expected). I do wish these bands would hire real orchestras instead of synthesising them though. I'm not well-versed in metal, but I always feel like interesting drum rhythms never crop up. Compared to pop and rock where people are always experimenting with African rhythms and Japanese taiko rhythms and whatever else, it seems a bit of a shame that the go-to metal thing is "drum a tom relentlessly". Actually, Dimmu did use real a orchestra for this. Perhaps not on the recording, but in their live performances: [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an2gn3GYq3Y[/video] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8x0kFa3yho if you can only do one, the one on the top takes priority for this post. No fucking way, I refuse to believe you made that. That track is beyond gorgeous, I'm working on a piece right now and have had this playing in the background on repeat for like an hour. I don't know shit about musical composition so I can't offer anything in regards to a proper critique, but what I do know is that you need to pop out another dozen tracks and allow me to make the album art for you. Seriously, really top notch work. Please keep it up, and keep us updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madsen Posted June 29, 2014 Report Share Posted June 29, 2014 Can we take a moment to appreciate how awesome this topic is? Good job Rai, actual insight into music by someone who isn't a pretentious douche. Anyway, currently listening to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzh6hTYpb8 Figured I might as well :3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Rai Posted June 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Finished up the posts I missed, and all the new stuff. Super glad Night's found some cool music. That's what this thread is about. Music appreciation's at its heart.[spoiler=GOGOGO RESPONSES]http://youtu.be/q6yyWKzPBCM http://youtu.be/t6tfTJ4I31g I'm sorry, all I know of music(Excluding animu/gaems) are the so-old-its-famous bands...Ah, The Eagles. I'm not incredibly familiar with their work, but they're a pretty recognisable name. Certainly though, The Eagles have written some of the more impressive guitar parts of the past few decades. Songs posted give me the classic West Coast rock feel. They definitely have a sense of groove that rock has lost recently. The soft rock era in general was a great one; songs that showed off songwriters' skill without being obnoxious or over-the-top. Also, multilayered 4-part harmonies: there's something that deserves to come back in style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHdFTxu5M38I'll just leave this here before I leave to go do other stuff.Let's talk about meter. Don't know anything about the band, but this is pretty skilled use of weird meters. And layering several on top of another in a polyrhythmic style. You get it a bit in weirder metal bands, and obviously maths rock bands (which is their entire schtick). I wouldn't willingly listen to a lot of metal, but it's often meticulously written. This song sounds like each part (drums, guitar + bass, vocals) are vaguely out of sync, but of course they sync up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=xXpeN5-v48A Cowbell ayepeople love other people's opinions on things they like [spoiler two more]other post neglected. I promise I'll stop after these. sorry for having a garbage taste in music ;_;http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=PHT4S2AbEvE http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-Q0ETZl5Rws[/spoiler] [spoiler=a little dumb OST romp of a song]http://myfreemp3.eu/l/ebvw26rn0ed1/ couldn't find it on youtube, aside form a piano version that someone made[/spoiler]I had to do some research about this band beforehand, because I wasn't sure on this. Christian rock, judging by reviews, but the band doesn't describe themselves as such. Before moving onto the music, I kinda want to talk about 'Christian rock' a little, just since it came up while listening to this. This video is vaguely relevant, if you're interested. A whole genre coming out of faith within lyricism. Anyway… The tracks are on the poppy side of rock, I will say. Production's a little watery and thin, but their melodies overall are solid as heck. They probably could do with a good lick of paint most of all, because they suffer from that generic sound that so many bands suffer from. Amped up guitar leads, and cymbal-heavy, slightly washy drum kit in the background. Their chord progressions are really theatrical though, I thought I'd note. Oh, but cowbell in that first track. *thumbs up*The OST track was fun. Romantic striding stromping thing right there. In general, this is just classic composing. The weird off-beat jagged violins and trumpets are just like daggers poking you constantly; brilliant though. The melody's key here though. It's built on pentatonic scales, so it's got this hint of Asian flavour; Dvorak (which was my first stylistic comparison to this track) did it too in his New World Symphony to evoke America (American culture was foreign to Europeans back then). Side note on Dvorak: Here's a video of the last movement of the New World Symphony accompanied by a South Korean dance group twerking. The symphony represents a cultural renaissance, back then, the 'New World' was America. The 21st century interpretation sees the 'New World' as the developing East. And of course the symbolism goes deeper: what better way to show the changing modern world than via the power of a YouTube based dance group, with a viral dance trend (twerking), in a music video format.Sorry I went on a tangent, but you know, it's fun. I'm back for more commentary. 8D hithere I'm gonna ask for you to go in-depth for the song from the Gatchaman OST like you did for the last one. The other two, just your normal comments are fine. [spoiler="Gatchaman OST one"]It was gonna happen one way or another. That main chorus is just too catchy. Dubstep part felt awkward the first time I listened to it, but it starts to sound better the more you expect it, so I dunno. (story note: The song makes sense when you consider that it was first used as a kinda body-armor-transformation theme a-la-sailor-moon (though faster and less glamorized). Though it played both alongside when the first gatchaman made an appearance through the end of the fight he transformed for) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ0I9LQ2EOA[/spoiler] [spoiler="Other 2"]1. That guitar. Ending theme kinda puts the whole show in perspective. Visuals are f***ing heartbreaking if you've seen the show like halfway through. Music just makes it worse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV31EHwtayo 2. That creepy children choir. (story note: story's about a dystopian japan where children have akira powers, and the society has some dark secrets about its foundation and its past. this theme plays during basically any point where something dark about the history of their civilization is revealed or when something tragic or important happens. Because of course it does.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1LpZ5I8Iks[/spoiler]That was a romp and a half. Gonna quickly mention that the first 10 seconds have an uncanny resemblance to Avril Lavigne's Hello Kitty right down to the panning. And they're obviously both the most Japanese things ever. Coincidence? I THINK NOT. Right, mostly, it's a straight up disco track, that first track. The constant moving strings are pretty much the disco factor, even though it's missing the classic guitar riffs ('chickachickachicka', or see Get Lucky). The melody's based on this funky chromaticism (for the vocab-unsavvy, it's notes going up in small steps, or those out-of-key notes). Here, it's adding a sense of tension, admittedly basically only as a theatrical device. Melodies in theatre and anime tend to be either lengthy or emphasised like your life depends on it. What happens after the first GATCHAMAAAAAAN? You get another one. And etcetera. Until it climaxes into the last one: syncopated, and jagged. There's chromaticism used in tons of famous tunes for this exact reason (although obviously it's much more serious): Jaws, Mission Impossible, James Bond. Notice that they all climax in similar ways. The track's otherwise being torn in these two weird directions: straight into the club with those Scissor Sisters-esque spoken interludes and straight out 4-to-the-floor beat, then you have these odd orchestral textures as well and the dubstep. Dubstep is a fairly new sound in the Japanese industry, with famous producers like Yasutaka Nakata only just experimenting with it. They do it well, but the differences are obvious: American dubstep or brostep, as it should be called, is dirty and bass-heavy. The Japanese producers are taking it in this cute, contained route (just another weapon in the arsenal of pastiche). Prime example is here, but see that, immediately after the dubstep is straight back into piano-led j-pop (although it's quirky even for j-pop, check her out because it's musically amazing and catchy as hell).Shinsekai Yori was interesting, because that was the most explicit use of sampling I've heard in a while in an anime. For something so melodically lyrical and meant to tear emotion from you, it's got a massive amount of funk. The Song of Shadows thing which seems to be from the same anime is cool too. Cohesive choir is cohesive. I like the taiko-esque drum textures going on. It's dark and hollow. Taiko or other big drums have that nice echoing, hollow timbre that suits creepy songs and epic songs at their best. Actually, Dimmu did use real a orchestra for this. Perhaps not on the recording, but in their live performances: [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an2gn3GYq3Y[/video] I'm misinformed about the orchestra then. Props to them if they did, although it sounds a little lost in the mix, which is where my fears came from. Can we take a moment to appreciate how awesome this topic is? Good job Rai, actual insight into music by someone who isn't a pretentious douche.Anyway, currently listening to:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzh6hTYpb8 Figured I might as well :3Helena Beat's a good-ass song. One of my favourites from Foster the People (who otherwise tend to be hit-and-miss; their psychedelic pop's quirky, but sometimes so hollow that it just never sticks, as good pop should). Foster the People add the appropriate amount of edge to their pop though. They are the supposed middle-line between alt-rock and dance music. It's a great spot to be in. They have all the cool bits of dance, and often ramp them up even more (really, the best part of this song are those whirring intro synths [about 30 seconds in] that stick throughout); yet they never cop out to lazy dance beats, and put these jittery, rock patterns in. Oh, and there's that drum break halfway through. Still, they're handclap-heavy, which is a sign of a band that is distinctly uncool, or in my minds, awesome. As soon as Coldplay stuck handclaps on the entirety of the Viva la Vida album, they went all bonkers good. Oh, and the Helena Beat video's a modern interpretation of Lord of the Flies. Props.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodrigo Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 I don't know if anyone here knows this channel, but I like the songs he posts. I've always liked electro songs in general, but this style is my favorite. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp5eS3IGCq0fm3NEhFcy_uQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 http://youtu.be/9qstMjEH5pk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunn O))) Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 [spoiler=Drone] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfkGc_Ky7x8 [/spoiler] [spoiler=Jazz/Metal] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkgXyaTD1gs [/spoiler] [spoiler=Neofolk] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkUv_4WTVdE [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elijah~ Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 Sir James Galway is one of the many renowned flute players in the world. Everyday when I practice my flute, I always listen to him. His tone is so resonant and clear. This one of his famous performances of the song called, "Annie's Song" by John Denver. http://youtu.be/BkUpto_ohEc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makο Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 [spoiler=Ok, I can't get out without this (Road to White Sands)] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ywhYuiQ9CAw[/spoiler] My favorite track from a game that was completely underplayed, despite being a great game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agro Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 [spoiler='GATCHAMAN OF THE DAY'] two 'lighter' ones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e74VOTqmLME https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA3wB03BKqA [/spoiler] [spoiler='And because all I've been posting is from anime, simple comments for this one'] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWpxWnDYwbI [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simping For Hina Posted July 2, 2014 Report Share Posted July 2, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoyMvE5g7f8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Rai Posted July 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Post-Coldplay responding to music.[spoiler=I WENT TO A CONCERT AND NOW I'M RESPONDING]I don't know if anyone here knows this channel, but I like the songs he posts. I've always liked electro songs in general, but this style is my favorite. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp5eS3IGCq0fm3NEhFcy_uQI love these sort of channels. Bound to find a good producer or two, and the general quality of remixes is pretty high. http://youtu.be/9qstMjEH5pk Chill. Absolute sucker for these reverb-heavy electronica tracks. Chill beats, chill sampling. Find me more, Night. I like it. Production just feels so relaxed, yet so sharp at the same time. A lot of the time in EDM, you have producers trying to pull out every trick in the book and polishing songs to wit's end. Chillwave producers and such, less so. [spoiler=Drone]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfkGc_Ky7x8[/spoiler][spoiler=Jazz/Metal]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkgXyaTD1gs[/spoiler][spoiler=Neofolk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkUv_4WTVdE[/spoiler] The drone wasn't really my thing, if only because I like a bit of elegance in my music. Can see why people like it though. Always thought of it as the yin to ambient music's proverbial yang. Both lack or forego melody in favour of texture and atmosphere. Ambient's pretty light, then drone's heavy as heck.The jazz-metal hybrid was awesome. Post-bop, jazz-fusion things going on there. Odd meters, brilliant prog drumming, and that saxophone. Both jazz and metal are incredibly experimental genres in general and have a lot in common, so you get the best of both here.That neofolk was odd. Possibly the vocals throwing me off. These thick layered voices seem at odds with the traditional folk accompaniment, since you'd expect a solo voice. Seems a little out-of-key at times, but I assume they're untrained singers. A very palatable tune though. Pretty classic folk structure here, nice repeated phrases. Sir James Galway is one of the many renowned flute players in the world. Everyday when I practice my flute, I always listen to him. His tone is so resonant and clear. This one of his famous performances of the song called, "Annie's Song" by John Denver.http://youtu.be/BkUpto_ohEc Do love a good bit of flute. Got a few friends who play the flute so I've always appreciated the instrument. I do agree, his flute tone is incredibly clear. Very lyrical too. It's a pretty Classical way of playing the flute; obviously, technique varies a lot in contemporary music using the flute. Annie's Song is a classic, so that was pretty nice.[spoiler=Ok, I can't get out without this (Road to White Sands)]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ywhYuiQ9CAw[/spoiler] My favorite track from a game that was completely underplayed, despite being a great game.Pretty classic soundtrack writing here. Introduce a melody, and proceed to let various instruments play it in turn. Some of the instrumentation is somewhat generic, but I do like the guitars and flutes coming through as soloists. And maybe a banjo or something in the texture? That's kinda funky.[spoiler="GATCHAMAN OF THE DAY"]two 'lighter' ones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e74VOTqmLME https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA3wB03BKqA[/spoiler] [spoiler="And because all I" ve been posting is from anime, simple comments for this one']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWpxWnDYwbI[/spoiler]Right, Gatchaman. Milestone is one of those textural pieces. Nothing in the way of melody really, but just throwing a lot of ideas around as exploration. That electronic beep is pretty much down throughout the track except some weird dubstep-inspired bits (what's with the brostep in this soundtrack?). Horns and strings have, in turn, little segments that just play and don't really repeat. Definitely textural. Tutu was cool too. Some old-school funk and jazz textures going on here. Interesting, but basically looped for the two minutes. Except for that odd mid-noughties techno thing going on in the middle. Dunno what that's about. Cheeky. I never know what to expect with these tracks, since they genre-jump so much, even within tracks.There's something crazy cheesy about Theopilus London. Interesting seeing those electropop textures and strummed guitar, Wild West-style, and old-style bass, but it just seems…I dunno, dated? Sounds like something from 1998. Like off of Madonna's Ray of Light (it pretty much sounds like Ray of Light). I'm so used to more electronic, glitchier textures in rap that this doesn't sound right to me. Very New York hipster. Still, decent poppy rap tune. Probably a lot of filler verse in his rap, but, you know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoyMvE5g7f8I thought I recognised this guy from somewhere. He's in a lot of British dramas and stuff. And he's in Game of Thrones. Probably not amongst the best regarding his music, but that's just because the British soul pop scene is super-saturated. Decent voice, but if all you have to offer is standard string arrangements and thumping drums, there's unfortunately another thirty just like you. Most artists sound like this in the UK. He does have this grime sound to him though, which is cool. Checking him out, he says that his influences include Erykah Badu and David Bowie. This song couldn't sound further from that, but sure. Song wouldn't be out of place on Plan B's iLL Manors, if you wanna check that out. Basically this song, but replacing the primary vocals with rap.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agro Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 Yesh. NOW THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES [spoiler="Last one from Gatchaman (for now) because variety"] I'd say it's pretty weird I call it 'dropera' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzNvQDgFuHw&list=PLvjSIVKwyeXzauCDsPfmNzZJxAaXXJDwG&index=17[/spoiler] Go in depth on this one too~ :'D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgjjOq4YMXs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Βyakuya Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzyNWyZhUS0 Take a stab at this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Rai Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Here's something new. I might go through a few songs of my own that I think are great. Still gonna do the normal stuff of going through everyone's tracks, but I'm throwing things in the mix. So, HERE'S WHY I LIKE LANA DEL REY. BUT ONLY HER OLD STUFF. BECAUSE THE REST OF IT'S UNCATCHY.[spoiler=Why Lana Del Rey's Video Games Is A Cool Song, Bro][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6wxDqdOV0[/media]This song was simply a phenomenon and a half, practically dominating 2011's mainstream pop and rock scene in Lana Del Rey's odd 'I'm Nancy Sinatra…but gangsta blud' image.Forget her as a celebrity for a bit, and you have one heck of a pop song. I consider it Lana Del Rey's finest moment, having liked only fragments of her material since then. Time to explain why I think this was a brilliant song!The first few seconds help set the mood. Bell tolls, a plodding piano, gorgeous harp glissandos, and then a helping of tumultuous strings. Lana Del Rey's whole shtick is recalling the golden era of America, classic 50s stuff going on, and that accomplishes it lovely. Even the cynical amongst YCM would have to be silly not to like that intro, especially since it's so stylistically similar to all those soundtracks we like round here. Then throughout the song, you have timpani rolls, electronic details and all sorts of fun. It's a very different sort of orchestral texture to what you see today, which is all about big horns and soppy string melodies. This song is soppy, but in its simplicity, rather than in its "FEEL GODDAMNIT".Even though the song is pretty richly orchestrated (although with surprising subtlety that doesn't come across in some of her more bombastic songs), the entire melody is this simple entity that I'm pretty sure is just one of the more genius melodies written in the past few years. Most of the melody lies precisely on notes of the chord progression. If the chord goes up three, so does the note in the melody. It's almost note-for-note. The only time this really differs is when she employs a 4-3 suspension ('take that body' is the 4th that finally, finally resolves into the 'town' of 'downtown' which is the 3rd; it just makes the melody a bit more interesting). If you like HAIM, they really like using 4-3 suspensions to get that 90s R&B feel.What about that chord progression? The first six chords of the song are the most important; the first four are steady and dirge-like, the last two leave each line of the verse unresolved and ready to lead on into the next. To really cash in on this tension that comes from the end of the chord progression, you have these massive pauses in the lyrics at the end of each line, which is not a coincidence. Time to breath in the tension and the nostalgic scent of Del Rey's blend of Americana. Not that there's any swing in the song at all, but the melody has this swinging feel. I sort of think of a pendulum ticking endlessly and that's the vibe that comes across here. Funerally, hypnotic on repeat. There's a couple of other tricks like that out-of-key chord during the middle of "They say that the world was built for two" which is just to make the chords and the melody fall more dramatically. Everything's falling in that bit, so it's all a bit tragic.Oh, and the song is mostly syncopation-free, so the beat's falling at the same time as the melody and the chords. Everything syncs up pretty perfectly here. It's just one lyrical idea echoed as closely as possible through the rhythm, harmony, and melody all at the same time. It also makes it incredibly singable. Actually, now I think about it, most ballads do this trick because otherwise it's too busy and silly.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Crouton Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 [spoiler=Where the Truth Lies] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg_D9g6ib_s [/spoiler] [spoiler='Til the Last Teardrop Falls] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIa9bWmPJ3o [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Crouton Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Also, [spoiler=Tonight] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvWK_Skd9kU [/spoiler] [spoiler=One Dream] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3E7X7BHpz4 [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makο Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 [spoiler=Awakening of the Valkyria] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=c978-6BgEtk [/spoiler] [spoiler=OLDIES BUT HAPPIES] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=20u6sif6JjM [/spoiler] ...I like soundtrack. It's 80% of my iTunes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 listening to The Kills right now, so i might as well leave one of their songs here [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT4OWvOERHs[/media] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sage Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KbxzqTyFZ8 I can't quite make out the instrumentation, some kind of strings. I could also attempt to translate this, but it is quite a complex poem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elijah~ Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 http://youtu.be/cvOeDWynY4o I believe that Enya in this song is singing in Irish Gaelic. I did my research and the English name for this song is,"Father In Heaven". This song is what I listen to either when I'm in deep thought or when I'm really sleepy as it has a soothing melody to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Rai Posted July 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 A little late, but it's here! Edit: I realise I've missed the track Raito-kun posted. I'll get to that next time, I promise.[spoiler=MORE MORE AND MORE]Yesh. NOW THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES[spoiler="Last one from Gatchaman (for now) because variety"]I'd say it's pretty weird I call it 'dropera'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzNvQDgFuHw&list=PLvjSIVKwyeXzauCDsPfmNzZJxAaXXJDwG&index=17[/spoiler]Go in depth on this one too~ :'Dhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgjjOq4YMXsI was so confused for the first 15 seconds, since it didn't sound like anything you've given me out of this soundtrack. Then it turned into brostep opera. Literally, what. You did warn me, so I can't complain. I have to say that's actually a really clever combination. Opera's definitely a format all about bombast, especially when you get to the Romantic-era operas (and definitely Wagner). You all know Wagner, he did the Ride of the Valkyries from a giant opera about Vikings and gods and Ragnarok. It's brilliant. Wagner's also a terrible man. Great composer though. Anyway, brostep is definitely about the same thing: less focus on the power of the voice, but it's definitely meant to be evocative, to inspire dance and euphoria. I can't necessarily go too in-depth with this, because I'm not particularly good with the more complex melodic themes. It's definitely more poppy than its Romantic counterpart through having shorter phrases just because modern people have short attention spans. It's an aria though, so it's traditionally meant to feature a voice. Expressive melodies and loads of drama. Everyone knows a few (O Mio Babbino Caro as that one that's overused everywhere). I do like that the drops only really happen between the vocal parts; staying true to the form there.Second one was odd. Why does it sound like contemporary country music? It's pretty much a pop-country song. In Japanese obviously, but I could easily see this being sung by Taylor Swift or Lady Antebellum. A poppy, mostly four-chord chord progression and loads of sliding guitar (chord progressions in straight up pop tend to be ascending as you enter the chorus to build the tension until you climax). It does have a weird jig bit towards the middle, and then absolutely accelerates the tempo, but I guess this is an anime soundtrack. I have to expect something weird. Catchy as hell.[spoiler=Where the Truth Lies]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg_D9g6ib_s[/spoiler] [spoiler='Til the Last Teardrop Falls]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIa9bWmPJ3o[/spoiler]Also, [spoiler=Tonight]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvWK_Skd9kU[/spoiler] [spoiler=One Dream]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3E7X7BHpz4[/spoiler]Won't lie, absolutely obscure as hell. I have absolutely no clue how this fits into a TV show, but I assume you know. For some reason, it sounds like it's come out of the 80s. Guess the 80s didn't wear off until the mid 90s. I feel like the only way to describe these songs is as if someone had boiled down the essence of the rock slow jam. Half time drums, loads of big chords on an amped up guitar, and tons of lovely four-chord pop-rock progressions and structure. Totally coincidentally, the second song has a little bit that sounds exactly like a Yazoo song. I guess 80s familiarity helps. Also, what's a slow jam without classic overdubbed harmonies? Ah, glorious beauty. This was an enjoyable foray into the slow jam.I've also put the second two songs into the same category because they're equally as unapologetically cheesy, also firmly out of the 90s. A bit more improv in the melody from the lead tends be a clue. Sort of the 90s rock version of those lovely R&B vocal runs. Also, the decade marks the return of the cheesy guitar fills (which I have no qualms against; I love a good cheesy guitar fill). I always wonder how people went through this part of the 90s without feeling total guilt. Also, Highlander 2, what is is this hell.[spoiler=Awakening of the Valkyria]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=c978-6BgEtk[/spoiler][spoiler=OLDIES BUT HAPPIES]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=20u6sif6JjM[/spoiler] ...I like soundtrack. It's 80% of my iTunes.I only ever buy soundtracks if they've been curated into an album format. If they're ripped straight from game/whatever, it's always a bit odd. The modern trend with game composers is to make the game versions of the track (which usually has to be looped etcetera) and then deconstruct the song and make an album friendly version of it that doesn't need the context of the game. Austin Wintory's a legend at this. Also, Disasterpeace. Two good American game composers whose albums work perfectly outside of game because they don't sound like slightly boring loops. But anyway! Onto the songs!Valkyria Chronicles track. Seems pretty solid to me. Perhaps pretty generic, since it has the things I'm fairly indifferent to: neo-Romantic orchestration and a choir. People should give me context to these tracks, since game tracks should really exist in a game context. Still, nice. Pretty much dramatic, exotic theme then variations of it through the voices, strings and horns. Timpani seems firmly unrealistic, but timpani's never uncool.Jet Set Radio is a good franchise. I think Jet Set Radio Future firmly brings the Japanese school of composing into a decidedly modern style. Still retains that charming sense of pastiche, but borrows from slightly more interesting genres: funk, jazz, gospel, and obviously hip hop. Interesting that the composer has worked on the more Westernised games like Sonic and Super Monkey Ball and such. Also, the soundtrack does seem to have a lot of Western artists on it, which would explain the stylistic shift. Despite having come from, what, 2002, it sounds surprisingly fresh. Maybe it's because this sample-heavy, funk/hip-hop fusion is starting to come in style (I blame The Great Gatsby partially and mostly the hipster movement). Trumpets were also pretty popular early 2000s (and are having a comeback in modern pop). And, for goodness sake, those disc scratches are cheesy as hell. It's a good track overall. listening to The Kills right now, so i might as well leave one of their songs here[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT4OWvOERHs[/media]Indifferent to The Kills, but they're not bad. It's this sort of stomp-heavy, minimalistic take on the guitar-heavy rock going on. This track does kinda sound like a rock cover of some reggae track, with the stomp and all those downstroke guitars going on. Quite restrained, considering how desperately that poppy melody wants to break out somewhere. Very unorthodox way of approaching a melody and a song in general. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KbxzqTyFZ8I can't quite make out the instrumentation, some kind of strings.I could also attempt to translate this, but it is quite a complex poem.Staccato strings and a timpani in the background complimenting the bass. Don't understand a word of Swedish, despite going there soon. Brilliant! Anyway, it seems quite nice. I've always associated the tradition of song to fairly stark music with lieder, or the German tradition of Romantic song. Usually a piano and voice in a casual environment, but this fits some of those traditions. Folky, Romantic tune, and I do like how simple the accompaniment was. Boom. Pluck. Boom. Pluck. And so on. Not as bombastic as most German lieder, very minimal in comparison. http://youtu.be/cvOeDWynY4oI believe that Enya in this song is singing in Irish Gaelic. I did my research and the English name for this song is,"Father In Heaven".This song is what I listen to either when I'm in deep thought or when I'm really sleepy as it has a soothing melody to it.I'm not a big fan of this sort of strand of ethereal folk-pop. Always feels a bit late 90s, and a bit Middle Earth. Take that genre with an electronic twist and it becomes really interesting (Imogen Heap as the big example). Not to say that this wasn't listenable. You sum it up, soothing melody and enough reverb to throw a cat in. Chimes and lots of soft synth pads always help. Also, Picardy third at the end. Or to get even more pretentious, a Tierce de Picardie as the French would call it. Liking that. For those who don't understand the technobabble, it's when you expect something to end in a minor chord, but it goes all sunshiny and ends in a major chord instead. Very French, very folky. Sort of the ending you'd expect with a bard's lute song in some fantasy inn.If you want some music to ponder to or to sleep to, may I recommend various tracks by Imogen Heap, Coldplay and Brian Eno. The second of these tracks has been scientifically tested as a calming song in a study. Also feel free to reject these tracks, if they're not your stuff.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makο Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 [spoiler=It's time to make you SUFFER! (And Then There Was Silence)] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjAxCx95mO8 14 minute songs, amirite[/spoiler] [spoiler=And also this. (Curse My Name)] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=eEi2Ik3I-uo[/spoiler] it's not soundtrack for once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunn O))) Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 This is going to be a long list, mostly because Ulver has gone through many changes over the years. Just going to post stuff from their studio albums, plus Terrestrials, which is their collab with Sunn O))). Also, I'm going to use the genres Wikipedia gives them, because it's easier. Also, skipping their ninth album, Childhood's End, because it's a cover album. [spoiler=Bergtatt - Folk Meta, Black Metal] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Ubctz2ywA [/spoiler] [spoiler=Kveldssanger - Neofolk] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPOsFpLPprM [/spoiler] [spoiler=Nattens madrigal - Black Metal] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57pPK9LIa34 [/spoiler] [spoiler=Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell - Experimental, Avant-garde metal] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIZkNK0_3ZM [/spoiler] [spoiler=Perdition City - Avant-garde, Electronic, Trip Hop, Ambient] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ35jTtJpSQ [/spoiler] [spoiler=Blood Inside - Experimental Rock] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avmqHBULjTw [/spoiler] [spoiler=Shadows of the Sun - Dark Ambient, Experimental] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-_SMW-PTvs [/spoiler] [spoiler=War of the Roses - Art Rock, Electronic, Dark Ambient] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQJT8eHJl3I [/spoiler] [spoiler=Messe I.X-VI.X - Experimental, Dark Ambient, Classical] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLldYpW9G5s [/spoiler] [spoiler=Terrestrials (with Sunn O))) ) - Ambient, Drone, Experimental Metal] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRwt3JJnRQg [/spoiler] Should listen to all their stuff, it's really good, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Crouton Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 BGM hype. [spoiler=The Final Countdown] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc98TP5eDgA [/spoiler] [spoiler=Altar] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKfyOnL6hQE [/spoiler] [spoiler=Arm & Eye Surgery] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL4U7Yy_UNw [/spoiler] [spoiler=Breath of Horror] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF3Z_qOcEQM [/spoiler] [spoiler=Mind Massacre] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OehZk8_8G48 [/spoiler] Because, I also like dark ambiance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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