#that the spotify versions of all the themes are all bits and pieces of the dynamic soundtrack glued together. And they STILL sound wonderfu

[cacturne]

literally though austin wintory has to be the composer of all time

[sciencelings-arts]

Kill your demons, Kill 'em dead in your mirror, in your bed, in your heart, in your head Don't you look good in red Slay your devils, Kill 'em all, Take your throne, Paint the walls, And if you make it out alive, Hold that bloody head up high

Good in Red

-The Midnights

Artists commentary below the cut

First off, here's the song:

Red version, anyway let's speedrun the symbolisms:

The sword of justice is Apollo and Trucy flavored with the eyes and the diamonds, also the guard is supposed to resemble the scales of justice. There's also Apollo's bracelet and Kazuma's hachamaki, I felt like including a bit of him for the vibes. The halo of stars is used as a crown of immortality which goes with Phoenix's whole thing.

different version of the halo, more sharp and stabby and feathery. Anyway, I wanna ramble about what I was going to do with the background. So, with the theme of 'Kill your demons' I was going to try to include the silhouettes of heads on spears of the people that Phoenix dethroned, like Redd White, Manfred von Karma, Damon Gant, Matt Engarde, and Dahlia Hawthorne. As you can tell, that didn't pan out and no matter how I tried to work it, it didn't look good so I just didn't do it lol. Also, I guess the heads on spears would've gone past the point of being a little too gruesome for me, just in general.

This whole piece is based on one of the many paintings of Judith slaying Holofernes, which is why this specifically takes place in my Fem!Phoenix AU, I thought it hit harder, especially after learning about the version by Artemisia Gentileschi that's implied to be inspired by her own sexual assault. While I followed the versions where it's mostly just 'pretty lady holding a head', her version was more brutal and actually depicting the act of beheading Holofernes which was rad as hell. I just liked the Perseus and Medusa-esque pose of triumph more in the end.

My initial inspiration was Perseus and Medusa but then I stumbled upon the absolute tsunami of Baroque and Renaissance art depicting Judith and Holofernes and I just went crazy. Sure there's the whole vibe of 'cutting off the head of the snake' but there's like one statue of Perseus and it's not very interesting but people really went off on Judith. I love you women committing righteous acts of violence, and obviously, so many painters had the same thought bc holy shit.

And I drew the whole sword of justice and was only a little lazy with the blade because I knew it would be completely hidden

[doctornerdington]

Daniel Hart, composer for the IWTV score, did an AMA on Reddit. Posting some interesting bits I want to remember.

Oftentimes, instrumentation is dictated by the scenes themselves: things like the dialogue, the timbre of people's voices when they speak, the lighting, the set design, how fast actors are moving, how fast the camera is moving...certain instruments behave better in certain situations. BUT, that being said, a lot of Lestat's scenes revolve around piano, a lot of Louis revolves around strings in S1 AND we specifically made tenor saxophone his instrument for S2. Armand gets the cor anglais playing the melody under his monologue about the "Amadeo" painting in the museum in S2, and I think Claudia gets the whole orchestra! But we did often incorporate celesta when it made sense for Claudia themes.

It did not occur to me that the timbre of the actors' speaking voices would impact instrumentation. Or how integrated all the various technical elements are. Wowwwww this team is on fire.

Also! Armand! Gets! The! Cor! Anglais! If you don't think I could write an entire meta about Armand being represented by a transposing instrument (and for that monologue), hahaha you don't know meeeeee.

More under the cut.

How much historical research do I do? As much as possible, given the information available, and the time constraints of a project. I spent a lot of time with Gershwin and Ravel before and during IWTV S2. I spent a lot of time with their music (which I would do anyway, because I loooooove it), but I also spent time learning more about those composers, and yes, analyzing some of their musical structures more fully than I had before.

S2 influences: Henry Cowell, Meredith Monk, Howlin' Wolf, Shirley Temple, Jason Lindner Big Band, The Teeth, Carlos Salzedo and Alice Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, David Lang, Caroline Shaw.

Because there's a lot of piano in the score for S1 and S2, I'm moving things around on the piano all the time, to find the right register both for the piece itself, and for the voice in the scene, which can be a very tricky balance. There's a piece of piano music which goes for quite some time under Lestat's longest monologue during the trial in S2. Almost all of it is pretty high on the keyboard, leaving all that lower space for Sam's baritone to shine through. I think that was one of our most successful balances of dialogue and score.

Re: "The Whole World was Ready to Return" It's a very difficult piece to perform, and both the version I made at home (with me on violins and violas) and the version we recorded with the orchestra in Vienna took a long time to make. That kind of minimalism - short, repetitive phrases - can be hard to maintain over time. Thank you all for listening to it and enjoying it.

[It's on Spotify btw, and it's gorrrrgeous.]

[felassan]

DRAGON AGE: SOUNDTRACK 4LP BOX SET - DISC 4 SIDE A (BONUS DLC TRACKS) 1. I AM THE ONE (DARK FANTASY VERSION) [DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS] (4:10) 2. MAIN THEME [DAI DESCENT DLC] (2:58) 3. AFTERMATH [DAI DESCENT DLC] (1:29) 4. DARK SOLAS THEME [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (3:01) 5. QUNARI ATMOSPHERE [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (2:41) 6. LOST ELF THEME [DAI TRESPASSER DLC] (3:58) 7. D'READ KODA (1:08) [HIDDEN TRACK]

I find the arrangement of the tracks on Disc 4 Side A "Bonus DLC Tracks" in the Dragon Age OST vinyl interesting. it's called "Bonus DLC Tracks" but the first track it features is "I Am The One (Dark Fantasy Version)", which isn't from DLC, it's from basegame DA:O, and ofc the last track is new. this disc is the only one of the discs to include songs from multiple games (and not even just two, but three: DA:O, DA:I and DA:D, assuming that "D'Read Koda" is from or tied to DA:D). and the order the Trespasser tracks are included in is different to the order they appear in on the Trespasser OST, at least going by the Trevor Morris album (on there it's Dark Solas Theme, Lost Elf Theme, Qunari Atmosphere). I wanna say that the way it was arranged was intentional, like the specific arrangement of the tracks on this disc is like hinting at telling a sort of a story or a tease. he's lost, and then things come to an end (his story and.. something else?). a passage of music that brings the music to a close (coda), that brings a piece or movement to an end. I think of when Flemythal said

Alas, so long as the music plays, we dance.

and when Solas said

 I walk the dinan'shiral. There is only death on this journey. [death is an end, and it can be a metaphor for the end of something too]

my eye is also drawn to:

I am the One (Dark fantasy version) [...] Dark Solas theme

especially since there's a different version of I Am The One ("High fantasy version") that could have gone in there instead (which as the second song on the DA:O OST, the high fantasy version is more of a 'where this all began' song).

the idea that "I Am The One" is about Solas/Fen'Harel and what happened in ancient Elvhenan (and what his intention is in the future) is a common fan theory, and not a new one. [link to English translation of the lyrics] the lyrics could be applied to a lot of things, or nothing at all, but back then there was a war (both within the Evanuris and one they fought before that), a divide between the gods, the sky was held back/there was great destruction when the Veil was raised (but despite that there was a flicker of hope in that the elves were freed from the Evanuris), the nature of time for the ancient elves was changed (elven immortality/mortality), he references the potential for the world now to burn in the raw chaos if he succeeds, In Your Heart Shall Burn/From The Ashes etc. he ended up being one of the only survivors who lived on from the event and fears dying alone, is one of the only elves in modern Thedas who remembers, he's asked for and turned to for guidance at various points (Lasa ghilan / Ma ghilana mir din'an / Ma ghilana, vhenan / Fen'Harel ma ghilana), he believes he's the only one who can fix it now in the modern day, etc.

listening again to D'Read Koda, the echo-y, pulsing aspect and how it rises to a crescendo reminds me of the music in the Dread Wolf Rises teaser (which is still such a banger). and the discordant notes remind me of the same here and here in the 2020 trailer music. the 'discordant note' hook is also present here in the in-game cinematic (also at the start and throughout it sort of underpinning it), and the general ominous atmosphere of the 'koda' also echoes that of the various bits of music we've heard in trailers and the in-game cinematic before.

anyways, since I don't have a vinyl player I made the tracks as a lil playlist for myself on Spotify and have been listening to that then playing one of the videos with the D'Read Koda audio in it (since ofc it isn't on Spotify rn) to have the same effect, and it's interesting.

[skitskatdacat63]

As per usual you’re taste in classical is 🔥. Not good at putting it to words but the symphony felt vibrant and I enjoyed listening to it all come together. Favourite piece had to be ‘Adagio – Largo – Moderato risoluto – Largo – Adagio’ made me jealous that I couldn’t witness it live 😔.

— Penalanon (also seeing the side by side with the conductor on yt , I can see the resemblance lol)

Hehe you don't know much it means to me everytime you tell me you've listened to my reccs!!! <3 Also omg, I would literally die if I ever got to see this one live. I's my absolute favorite right now!! I think though, thankfully, I'll get to hear one of his other symphonies, the 5th, which is also pretty great! He really does look so much like Shostakovich, doesn't he??? So funny.

I love the whole piece dearly, but my favorite is definitely the first movement, because the way it ramps up is so adrenaline filled and makes me feel so much palpable emotion. Also the context behind it, which was what the book I was reading was about(Symphony of the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson, which I highly recommend!!) It's just crazy to think he was writing the first two movements while the Siege of Leningrad was actively getting worse and worse(thus why it's referred to as "Leningrad.") I think he even marked the original score every time he had to go into the bomb shelter, which is so insane. Knowing that context, the whole first movement makes my heart drop and I can just FEEL the tension he probably did writing this. That repeated melody, which is basically Shostakovich's version of Ravel's Bolero, in the beginning is referred to as the "Invasion Theme," so it's really so easy to picture the approaching of the army, getting more and more tense until it comes to a fever pitch(though you can also interpret this piece as being about fascism/authoritatianism in general, i.e. Stalin and The Great Purge OR Hitler and Operation Barbossa.)

AGHHHH god, and thinking about how when he finally finished it, the city of Leningrad itself(which he thankfully managed to evacuate from before it got too bad) was desperate to play it, even though everyone was dying from starvation. They were collecting literally anyone who could play an instrument to be able to play it, even though it required a huge orchestra and was long as hell. I want to cry just thinking about that premiere, how everyone was so grateful to finally feel human and creative again in some tangible way through music(lol so you can see why I'm so enthralled with this piece.) And the fact they even played it over loudspeakers as a sign of resistance to the Germans !!!! It's a very emotional piece to think about, and I start tearing up every time I listen to it, thinking about all of this. Every bit is packed with emotion so it's hard to even express what parts I like specifically, cause I love all of it! Though here's a fun fact, they almost lost this piece!! Shostakovich and his family were evacuated further East from Moscow, and in the confusion, they lost the score he had composed so far(I think the first two movements), but managed to find it on the train, miraculously unscathed. It stresses me out to even think about.

Also since I've got you here, here are some more reccs >:)

Jazz Suite No. 1 & No. 2 - Shostakovich

These are so whimsical and fun! But they also kinda make me sad when I remember this is the kind of fun music he liked to compose before the government practically beat all the fun and whimsy out of him. But, still, the duality of man, I guess?

Piano Concerto No. 2 - Shostakovich

Spotify link this time, sorry lmao. I wanted to share this recording specifically because there's a lot of signifigance in it. The fact that it's his compositon, which his son is conducting and who it was written for in the first place, and his grandson is the one playing the piano!!! The second movement is especially so good omg

Scherezade - Rimsky-Korsakov

Soooooo incredibly cinematic for its time!!

Symphony No. 3 "Organ Symphony" - Saint-Saëns

I saw this one in concert the other day, so I should link it lol. I'm so happy when the organ gets used, there's nothing like it, it's so loud!!

La valse - Ravel

Ma mère l’Oye - Ravel

I've been listening to Ravel the past few days, and wow, his music is so magical so I thought I should link some!!

Dies Irae - Verdi

Piece I am going to tomorrow !! Requiems are so cool, you should also listen to Mozart's, but I'm sure you're familar with some of it. This kind of chorael singing rips at something deep in me

Japanese Suite - Holst

*adding this late so I hope you see it! Literally randomly heard this rn and I had no idea it existed. It's crazy how good Holst is at giving the vibe of something. This was composed while he was working on the Planets, so it still has a space vibe but also reminds me SOOOOOOO MUCH of Inazuma's soundtrack, it's insane. I know it's probably because they're both based on traditional Japanese music, but still, wow. Holst truly is the creator of the modern soundtrack imo.

[randomvarious]

1990s Trip Hop Playlist

Been six months since I added anything to this fly-as-fuck playlist, and this week I've got a bunch of heady, spaced-out, and super stoned treats for you all. For this update, I ended up drawing from three separate releases: Ninja Cuts: Flexistentialism, a terrific comp from 1996 that was put out by premier UK trip hop, hip hop, downtempo, and future jazz label Ninja Tune; French native Kid Loco's brilliant DJ-Kicks mix from 1999 that was put out by Germany's !K7 label; and a varied South African comp that was put out by national indie label Fresh Records in 1998 called ReRooted: Beatz From da Ground Up.

So let's highlight some sweet goodies from all of these then. First up, "Junkies Bad Trip" by London Funk Allstars, a quintessential piece of head-nodding mid-90s boom bap dope that sounds like it's waiting for your favorite New York rapper's favorite New York rapper to spit some crazy fire over it. When it comes to instrumental trip hop and hip hop-type shit, there's really nothing in my mind that tops something like this tune right here; a big sonic bluntski with two pretty iconic samples in it: one from Baby Huey's "Hard Times," which gives the song its frenzied, metallic, whistling stabs, and has been used in a whole bunch of other rap tunes too; and a funky guitar riff from James Brown's "Blind Men Can See It," which was also famously used in Das EFX's 1992 classic, "They Want EFX" as well. Currently at around 252K plays on Spotify.

Next, something really cool from that ReRooted comp by a band from Cape Town called Naked, who only ever put out one album, 1998's Bone Needs Flesh. Here they offer up a tune called "Wash Your Hands (Stone Cold remix)," which employs this really unique blend of chopped-up vocals, heavy breathing, and sharp, acidic bass stabs, as a couple different effects are applied to frontwoman Kaolin Thompson's voice. This one seems pretty damn obscure, as it's currently sitting at under 1,000 plays on Spotify. It's terrific, though.

And for some pure fuckin' THC-induced nuttery, there's "Attitude Adjuster" by Essex, England's own Tom Tyler. Appearing on Kid Loco's DJ-Kicks mix, this 1999 leftfield stunner's marked by a very imposing, dissonantly wobbly, and bleating horn sound, with a dubbed-out drumbeat beneath it, and all of it anchored by a super chill and steady synth pad to mellow and balance the whole thing out. A simply bananas piece of music that was made to satiate your crusty-eyed inner insomniac at 3:46 in the morning. Currently at a little over 4,000 Spotify plays.

9 Lazy 9 - "Turn Me Loose" Jazz Con Bazz - "Wayz of Life" Luke Vibert - "Get Your Head Down" Up, Bustle & Out - "Ninja's Principality" London Funk Allstars - "Junkies Bad Trip" DJ Vadim - "Theme From Conquest of the Irrational (Remix by The Prunes)" Pelding - "One" Naked - "Wash Your Hands (Stone Cold remix)" Boards of Canada - "Happy Cycling" Tom Tyler - "Attitude Adjuster" Kid Loco - "Flyin' on 747"

Now, something else I should mention is that the YouTube version of this playlist includes all of these songs too, but a bunch of the versions that are specifically from Kid Loco's DJ-KIcks mix are as they appear on the mix itself, which is a little different from how they sound unmixed on Spotify, except for the set's sweet and serene closer, "Flyin' on 747."

But in addition to that, this YouTube update also comes with some songs from that DJ-Kicks mix that aren't on Spotify at all too, like something from a London collective called Common Ground, whose 1998 song, "Dark Soul," has some piano-and-string bits that might remind you a little of something like the theme song from Succession—a show that came 20 years after this very song dropped—but this tune, like so many others in this update, is also very fucking stoned; it has this Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells-like opening, some plonking xylo, and some slow and incremental, scale-climbing vocals to mark its 'chorus' too. An absolute, unheralded banger as far as I'm concerned, and currently only nearing 1,900 plays on YouTube across a couple different uploads.

Emperors New Clothes - "Dark Light (Underdog Mix)" Grantby - "Grimble" Tongue - "Culture Consumers" Common Ground - "Dark Soul" Stereotyp - "Slo Jo"

And this playlist is also on YouTube Music.

So with this update we're now at 46 songs that clock in at 4 hours and 5 minutes on Spotify, but over on YouTube, we've got 76 songs that clock in at 7 hours and 2 minutes! So if you want more dank 90s trip hop than you know what to do with, then do yourself a favor and pick the YouTube one.

And if 7 hours and change or 4 hours and change sounds like way too overwhelming of an amount of trip hop for you to handle, I've got a bunch of this broken down by year too:

1994 Trip Hop: YouTube / YouTube Music 1996 Trip Hop: Spotify / YouTube / YouTube Music 1997 Trip Hop: YouTube / YouTube Music 1998 Trip Hop: YouTube / YouTube Music 1999 Trip Hop: YouTube / YouTube Music

More trip hop next week, but from a certain locality 😎.

Enjoy!

More to come, eventually. Stay tuned!

Like what you hear? Follow me on Spotify and YouTube for more cool playlists and uploads!

[synthshenanigans]

woah hey a year has been passed wowie :0

First two weren't posted here cos they were too long ago & not CJish related but love the way he took up 70% of the year lol

[ Full images + templates below :} ]

[TW for Bright Colors, maybe blood & very very vague themes of depression/suicide for like 2 drawings I believe]

Long text about the arts if anyones actually curious!!

January: An old OC I completely forgot about until making this. He's based on old radio like things :}

February: Played Person 5 Royal last year & drew Joker cos idk he's neat. Fun fact, the same day I fully finished the game was the day Storm & a Spring came out. Also while grinding in the game, I had his Bidding & VoaC covers on repeat. Which was a bit annoying to do since they weren't on Spotify yet & YT on mobile didn't have looping then.

March: The Hawaii Part ii album cover :} I did post that eventually but that's the time I actually made it. Had listened to TME a couple of months before then which got me into the album, so months later I drew it cos why not? [Also the month Vol.1 fully released on everything. What's funny is my gallery for that day was a handful of memes I saved at 4am before I fell asleep. And then the next image saved is when I woke up which was a screenshot of the whiteboard in TfaR lol]

April: First main Jash art !!! And its not even with any of the songs from Vol. 1 lol. I had his Moss cover on repeat again & now that all of Vol. 1 was out, I drew Heart in some moss. Or really in the image from the video.

May: Lil animation I made of Heart with the song Don't Hit the Lights! Link to my post & the song can be found here :}. Still really like the song & even the drawings. Might remake em eventually idk

June: Sky/socialc1imb's Clue AU! I like murder mysteries & this one was real interesting so I drew it a lot lol. Might remake that one or one of the others I made at somepoint? It'll be a bit later if I do but ye

July: A redraw of a HMS piece I originally made back in May, based on the Three Wise Monkeys thing. I like the idea of it so I keep wanting to remake it.

August: I honestly can't remember if I posted that art or not. Actually yea I don't think I ever did PFFT. It's one of the few drawings I did of myself this year & its from CJs Not Perfect cover [as you can tell by the lyrics on it]. Also one of the very very few vent-ish arts I made. I like the background more than anything but its still neat ig?

September: Art for one of the best songs ever. I love Fine, I'm Fine its so good & I listened to it for like 70% of the 20+ hours it took me to make the drawing. Still proud of it so there's the sketch I drew on paper, the one on my tablet & then the final versions.

October: There was a lot from this month due to Jashtober. I still like this one lot & it wasn't insanely rushed so I picked this one to show lol.

November: I have no idea why I made a fun lil soul. I was having an identity crisis over my art style & ig decided to draw the guy who is a walking identity crisis/j

December: Same as September. One of my favorite songs ever was covered & released, so I made a drawing like everyone else lol.

[digitsofpie]

Ok crazed metropolis soundtrack rant below

So like. I made that post about the intricacies of the Metropolis leitmotifs but I didn't really go in much detail on any of the songs, so... for the hell of it here's an analysis on the leitmotifs of Der Tanz (The Dance)

Now I'm no expert on music theory, but this... THIS... this song is truly a sight to behold.

I was lucky enough to find an ACTUAL FULL VERSION of the sheet music for the entire score! Imslp.org is a lovely site full of public domain sheet music for people to download for free! Hopeful me wanted to see if there was any chance that Huppertz's score was on there, and it is! You can check out the full thing here. Since it's such a long score and there are so many parts, it's written like a piano piece with other specific parts written in at times. It follows the full length 2 hour long score on Spotify, and not the condensed one hour long version. Anyway here we go!!!!

I want to start by saying that this piece, Der Tanz, is very, very intricate! It is pretty much a culmination of many recurring leitmotifs already present in the score, and is like a big hurrah at the end of the Zwischenspiel.

It starts with this:

Those first two measures are devoid of any other instruments besides the steady bounce of the wood block. It seems like a trivial choice, but I found that it is a deliberate one!

Elsewhere in the movie, when Georgy (11811) switches lives with Freder and rides in a car through the city, he encounters the Yoshiwara, the red-light district full of that 1920s glamour and excess. There, you can hear these things: the wood block, the bells/glockenspiel. and a rhythm of two sixteenth notes and three eighth notes (we'll encounter those later).

Both the wood block and the bells give off a vibe of whimsy and carefreeness/carelessness (depending on how you see it), so I find it a wonderful choice in the context of the movie.

Moving on, we encounter what I call the Dance motif/ False Maria motif:

That pattern of descending sixteenth/eighth notes is what characterizes False Maria. You hear it in practically every other scene she's in. such as the scene in which Joh Fredersen commands her to ruin Maria's efforts:

Same pattern, right? It also shows up in "Im Laboratorium - Verwandlung" and in "In Rotwangs Salon," as well as plenty of other songs.

It's a careless, playful motif that I think perfectly symbolizes False Maria, and when twisted right (like in the image above), is sinister as well.

Soon after this motif appears, we get another theme that occurs a LOT throughout the entire score: the Machine Man motif.

See the smaller staff, at the very top? That motif shows up in many places, usually to do with the Machine Man, such as "Der Maschineman," "Im Laboratorium," "Der Aufstand der Arbeiter," Der Scheiterhaufen," and many, many more!

It is a hypnotic and beautiful theme, not unlike False Maria herself. She/ the Machine Man are almost ethereal but unnerving in the way they act, and the theme itself, though graceful, seems to veil the unknown.

At the same time this motif is playing, a rhythm played in the Yoshiwara theme (Die Autofahrt) also plays!

It may be a bit of a stretch, and although the two are in different time signatures (one is cut time (2/2) and the other is 2/4), you can still see a resemblance! All it does is solidify that this is the same area, an upbeat and lively club.

Next is something I only discovered recently! The next motif is what I previously called the Desolation motif, and it shows up here:

In the top part, a series of half notes plays ominously in the background. It not only shows up throughout the Metropolis score, but in other classical music, as well! I was listening to Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique when I noticed that familiar ominous pattern, so I looked it up, and found this:

It's an old pattern found in Gregorian chants, often referenced in classical music to convey death, danger, or as the name goes, an "angry god." I even found that Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age from Holst's the Planets (my favorite movement from my favorite piece) also uses this!

Of course, with all the religious imagery throughout Metropolis, from Moloch to Death itself, you can't really have a soundtrack without referencing this once.

During this sequence, the song plays through the Machine Man motif quietly, then picks up the pace by repeating the False Maria motif with the Yoshiwara rhythm. Then, I heard something interesting!

During rehearsal 48, the Dies Irae motif plays again, harsher and louder, but over that, on the smaller staff, you can hear a piccolo. In the song after this, Der Tod, Death himself plays a piccolo (well, a bone) and it is the primary instrument you hear in that specific song. Even before he shows himself, the score sort of leads up to that by having the piccolo play during the Dies Irae motif.

The song gets louder and faster, culminating in a blast of Dies Irae with a trumpet in the lead. Then, in the center of desolation, it goes right into Der Tod.

That's all the leitmotifs I could pick up, but a song doesn't have to HAVE leitmotifs to tell you something. In fact, the ABSENCE of leitmotifs also speaks just as loudly as having them.

What's something that we, the audience, know that most of the characters don't? That's right: that the woman dancing before them is not Maria, but a robot, a puppet, a mockery of her. So what do you let the audience know through the music? By NOT having any of the real Maria's motifs present!

While listening, I could pinpoint a few of Maria's themes.

(Found in Die Predigt Marias and Freder und Maria, respectively)

As seen in the smaller, upper staffs, Maria's themes are slow, flowing, gentle, majestic, showing her understanding and kind nature. To have these themes not show up at all subconsciously hammers it in how different the two characters are, and when you can't tell which is which, all you have to do is listen to the music. Even when you can't remember what scene happened during whatever track you're listening to, if you recognize the motifs, you can certainly take a wild guess.

Oooookay I've completely run out of things to say about Der Tanz, so. Thanks for reading (if anyone reading this can't read music, im. sorry)

[residentraccoon]

Ok we have all the songs, time to make a top, with comments even 😳

1. Norway - I love love love this one, this eerie, thrilling melody mixed with the medieval theme and old norwegian language just makes this song perfect and no other song of this year can come any closer to it. Very unique, true to their homeland, absolute masterpiece. I'm definitely following more of Gåte's discography from now on!

2. Estonia - Well they're singing about drugs here and this song is exactly like a drug - addictive. What sells it is their awesome, slightly batshit crazy energy (I absolutely love it) and let's not forget the traditional instruments. I can see a Trenulețul scenario with this one tbh.

3. Slovenia - Absolutely magical, the structure of this song is pretty uncommon and the lil RRAH sounds are interesting, love how it takes a while to build-up and I just get chills all over. This one is a piece of art.

4. San Marino - This song is destroying my Spotify wrapped and it's not even funny, there's something about this one that makes it instantly addictive. I've listened to Megara since last year when they were at Spain's NF with Arcadia and all I can say is that I love their style. Sassy pink and punk rock with a touch of Spanish traditional sounds during the bridge, they just mesh together so well. I don't understand why it's so underrated (currently last in the odds lmfao) and I'm looking forward to their live performance.

5. Denmark - Generic pop song my beloved, why is it so catchy though? I've said it in a previous post, I just reminds me of songs I'd hear in 2013 or so and I love the "Oh-Oh" parts. Lovely

6. Lithuania - The beat hits, it's just awesome fr. Lovely staging and colors, Lithuanian sounds so pretty and melodic as well as his voice.

7. Belgium - Wonderful build-up, the song at first sounds very chill and gives me Blanche vibes (I looked it up and they have the same composer so not surprised lmao) but man, the climax is greaaaaat!! Especially with that choir in the backing. My only gripe would be that he keeps repeating the title over and over again, which can become a bit tiring. But just a bit. It's still a great song!

8. Switzerland - I don't know whose idea was to mix opera and drum n bass together but they're a genius, this is really cool, like absolutely nuts. I love how the bridge is very soft and quiet, opposing the loud and dramatic chorus, I feel like the song itself is pretty messy and inconsistent but I really like that, it's very out of the box and innovative. Genius entry.

9. Latvia - Underrated, I can see why it might fail to grab an audience in the fandom but I really like this one, especially his voice. The song flows nicely too, I only wish the staging would be a bit more...dynamic though? I really want Latvia to qualify for once, felt like it might have a chance since it could attract some casual viewers (some of my casual friend watchers really liked it!) but seeing how brutal semifinal 2 is (and one spot will be inevitably taken by...yeah won't elaborate) I'm afraid Latvia's out for this year as well. I hope at least for a surprise or who knows. That's only how I feel at this moment.

10. Spain - My biggest grower of this year and a total banger, I don't understand why it slaps so hard it has no business to, the message is SO real and it's so unapologetically sassy.

11. Czechia - Same story as with Latvia, underrated to hell and back, I know the live version is...a lil terrible but the studio one I really like. Love how you can feel the frustration through her shouty lyrics and how she's blaming herself for not loving herself more instead (also the beginning might or might not remind me of Aijā I mean the intro with the drums makes me think of it-) ANYWAY

12. Croatia - Listen I'm very happy for Croatia being seen as a most likely winner of this year, they deserve it, Baby Lasagna is an amazing man and the message is on point, even if it's not exactly my favorite I definitely root for him!! Please meow back if you agree. Besides this, the glam ethno rock sound is just 👌 chef's kiss

13. Armenia - Love love love that they brought something ethnic!! The girl's energy is infectious and she's such a joy to watch, the music video is very pretty and describes their culture so well, overall I adore this.

14. Netherlands - GREAT I relistened to it so I can rank it and now I have Europapapapapapa stuck in my head how wonderful. This tells me already that this is such an infectious bop that will never leave your head. Possible televote winner, love the quirkiness and Joost is really goofy we stan.

15. Greece - Welcome to Greece, everyone who visits the country is obligated to listen to this the moment they step out of the plane- /j It's so Greek, so fun, so ethnic, geez what's happening with everyone being so diverse and true to their culture this year? This song screams summer vacation in Greece and I'm here for it.

16. France - The raw emotions in this...he sings with his heart and soul, his voice is very deep and gruff which feels a bit unusual to hear such an intimate and emotional ballad from him, but this is what makes the song special.

17. Italy - Love her attitude and how she sells the song, it's very sassy and fun, won't be surprised to see Italy get yet another Top 5 finish with this.

18. Ukraine - Interesting mix of melancholic pop and energetic chanting and rap. Alyona just nails the rap part perfectly. Overall nice song, grew off me but still great.

19. Ireland - This makes me have chills all over my body. It's very haunting and suspenseful, I love the uncommon unique sound and how they recite the lyrics as they are a poem/creating a curse, I simply love how avant-garde Ireland are this year! Finally they're taking a risk and even if the song is unconventional i hope it will have a following that will help them get through the semi! 🤞

20. Poland - Oh look another grower, it's such a cute song for some reason and her voice is so pleasant to the ears.

21. Serbia - At first I thought it's a bit boring but now I find myself mumbling "Lila Ramondaaaa", like it has a hook even if it's a melancholic ballad.

22. Portugal - The emotions in this are immaculate, she conveys all her struggles in life so well into a ballad that's somewhat soft-sounding. Epic.

23. Australia - For some reason this song takes me back to 2015-2016 and I don't get why?? Maybe I heard music that's similar to this in that period, who knows. That chorus slaps immensely, as well as the didgeridoo(I hope that's the instrument), but I'm not extremely head over heels about it. It's enjoyable still!

24. Malta - Contrary to popular belief I enjoyed the revamp, she made it easier to sing live and it just has more oomph, good job, Malta.

25. Finland - The whole 3 minutes are absolutely batshit insane and I love it fr, these dudes are a delight to watch. The song tbh I like it but not that much to rank it higher, but I appreciate the craziness, the message, what sells it is definitely the staging and the guys' stage persona.

26. Austria - Mmmmm I know it's a fan favorite but I'm not a big fan of this, like I've said before in some other posts. The hype at first was highly irritating (especially on twitter, dear god 💀) for such a...just okay/good song? First of all I appreciate the throwback to the late 90s/early 00s eurodance/synthpop music that was popular back then, I think it does a great job imitating the vibes of it, but at the same time is it just me or this song feels so...calculated and has this eurovision-specific formula in its structure/sound? It was definitely made for it being performed live and to pander to the yass queen slay ate and left no crumbs-side of the fandom? Which honestly kinda drags it down a lot for me.

27. Sweden - I can't unhear parts of Air in this, well actually that's their style, neat electro pop tbh, I can bop to this, pretty enjoyable.

28. Moldova - Falls flat but what makes it a bit stronger is the vocalisations in the chorus, as well as the lil ethnic sounds. That drum is also quite catchy. They have to pull out a wonder-staging for this to qualify.

29. Georgia - If Georgia isn't qualifying with this one then that means their only hope is borrowing Loreen at this point. It's a competent girl bop with powerful vocals, that has a dedicated following, but I appreciate that even if it's a girl bop it's not so aggressively in your face like...other examples I've seen before. I'm personally not big on it, but it's nice.

30. Azerbaijan - Oh? Azerbaijan sends something in their language, what is this 2050? And not with a melfest reject? For the 2nd year in a row? I'm very impressed, but even with all these I don't feel that attached to the song, just glad they took a risk instead of renting a swede for safe qualification like they did in the past years. I love the ethnic touches though.

31. Luxembourg - Cute and peppy french bop, although a bit generic and that's about it, no strong feelings.

32. Cyprus - Mmm your regular girlie pop of the year, unsurprisingly from Cyprus as well. Pretty catchy, has a cool vibe but I'm not feeling anything about it.

33. United Kingdom - Just a competent mid-tempo boy bop, honestly nothing much to say since it kinda failed to impress me. Good effort though.

34. Albania - I don't get why they changed it into english, why they turned it more upbeat (I liked the balladier version more) and the rap part feels disjointed. Albania wanted to relive their 2016-2017 era I see.

35. Germany - I'm sorry but this song bores me to death and can't listen to it without zoning out which is a shame because he's a competent singer (his voice is the best thing about Germany this year) and I'm afraid they're again heading for a bottom 3 finish 💀

36. Iceland - Mmm this isn't is, Iceland. Very sorry. Sounds like it would get 13th in 2004, it's a very by-the-letters eurodance.

I will not rank Israel here. It's still mind-boggling that they're still allowed to participate.

[danceofthephilos]

Thus Fate Knocks at the Door - Adam, Eve, and Beethoven's 5th Symphony

SK8 as a series almost exclusively utilizes its (excellent) bespoke soundtrack for its music, but there are a few conspicuous exceptions, all to do with Adam. Specifically, there are two notable scenes in episodes 1 and 5 that make use of Beethoven's 5th Symphony—as music that he is, in-universe, listening and humming along to as he watches Langa skate for the first time, and as the score to the scene where he first declares Langa his "Eve."

This isn't an arbitrary choice of a famous piece of classical music, but representative of a consistent theme in Adam's characterization, especially in regards to his feelings toward Langa: his preoccupation with fate and the idea that they were destined to be together.

One doesn't have to look very far to draw a connection between this and Beethoven's 5th Symphony; there are a variety of unconfirmed stories about the origin of the famous four-note motif at the beginning of the piece, but the most famous comes from an account by Beethoven's secretary, Anton Schindler.

The composer himself provided the key to these depths when one day, in this author's presence, he pointed to the beginning of the first movement and expressed in these words the fundamental idea of his work: "Thus Fate knocks at the door!"

Schindler's writings on Beethoven after his death are... unreliable, to say the least, with many of his stories about the composer known to be outright fabricated, so it's very likely that this story is apocryphal. Nonetheless, it's one that's ingrained in public consciousness, and the influence of this particular account is especially obvious in Japan, where the whole symphony is known by the title "運命", or "Fate". It could even be said to be better known by this title than just its real name; if you search "交響曲第5番" on Youtube, Spotify, or even look at Japanese CD jackets, it is invariably referred to as 運命.

運命 is a word Adam himself uses in the show, in the preview at the end of episode 4, translated here as "destiny":

This concept of fate/destiny is one that permeates Adam's entire search for "Eve"—a desire to find someone "just for him", as he puts it in the flashback in episode 8.

The title for episode 8 itself refers to fate, albeit with the word 宿命 rather than 運命—with the title first being shown over the shot revealing the "fated tournament" in question being named "White Eden Wedding Beef".

There's a bit of nuance to 宿命 and 運命—strictly speaking, 運命 refers to fate that can change in one's lifetime, while 宿命 refers to fate set in stone before one is even born. Regardless, they're near-synonymous; the tournament named for the Garden of Eden, that Adam holds for the specific purpose of skating with Langa again, is called fated.

Both words for fate/destiny also appear in the lyrics to the Japanese version of Behind the Mask:

The boundary line of fate, an unseen answer To that unfulfilled love Gotta feel it, the never-ending thrill

Sparks spread high Let's go to the depths of the colored rainbow and speed Yes, now, dancing in the midst of destiny I devote my love

The first uses 宿命, while the second uses 運命 (though pronounced "sadame" rather than "unmei" as it usually is here; this is a common enough affectation in lyrics, though さだめ does typically have the same implication of totally fixed fate as 宿命.) The first chorus also has the same line about "dancing in the midst of destiny" in it, but I chose this one for the fact that the direct reference to the Zone ("the depths of the colored rainbow") makes clearest that this version of the song, presented as being sung by Adam, is also directed at Langa.

Even the Chill Out! manga, lighthearted as the comics are, zero in on this fixation on fate/destiny in two different comics showing Adam's inner thoughts.

There's Line∞6, where, in his daydreams, Adam imagines Langa saying "この気持ち… もしかして愛抱夢が… 俺の運命のアダム…?" ("This feeling... Could Adam be... my destined Adam...?", using katakana for the biblical Adam to distinguish from Adam's S name in kanji), as though Langa has been searching for "his Adam" in the same way:

And Line∞8, where Adam refers to himself as Langa's "運命の伴侶"—soulmate, or literally "destined partner":

So it's this throughline, specifically in regards to Langa, that's reflected in the choice of music in episodes 1 and 5. The very first time he lays eyes on Langa, and when his heart is really set on Langa being his Eve—his "destined partner"—Adam truly does believe it's fate that they met, and the crew chose a song with such a heavy link to fate to represent his state of mind.

[flash-the-readies]

Pink Floyd Songs I recommend that are not “Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2″, “Money”, “Wish You Were Here”, and so on

So I was inspired by @afemalesebastian​ ‘s post about the Kinks and decided to do the same with a band that I have spent extensive time with and feel confident saying that I know their catalogue fairly well. Anyways, go check out all the Kink’s bangers they mentioned.

This is my personal list and isn’t based on anything other than “I really love this song”. I tried to stay away from the big four concept albums of “Dark Side”, “Wish You Were Here”, “Animals”, “The Wall”... the only advice that can be given for those is: listen to the whole album. One last thing, all songs are best experienced through headphones.

The Entire “Hour With Pink Floyd” KQED radio set

Setlist: Atom Heart Mother Suite; Cymbaline; Grantchester Meadows; Green is the Colour; Careful With that Axe, Eugene; Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

I Attached a link to the Youtube playlist because I don’t think Spotify has these versions, and also it’s great fun to watch. This setlist includes a. lot of early 70s Pink Floyd concert staples. Early 70s live Floyd was unmatched, the studio versions do not compare. You never realise how beautiful a song Green is the Colour is until you listen to it live. I have so many words for this set nghhhh. Also, Grantchester Meadows is one of my favourite songs. It’s straight up pastoral poetry and is steeped in nostalgia. I like this version best, and I love when Roger and David share vocals

If - Atom Heart Mother

Here’s a theme for you: I’m a whore for Roger’s folksy songs, whoops. The three “solo” songs on the album are so worth it (If, Summer ‘68, Fat Old Sun), but I personally have to pick this one. It’s so fucking tragic and simplistically beautiful. Got some of that introspection and isolation, good tea. Inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s poem by the same name. Also the slide electric guitar is a real treat... also, Roger’s voice is so soft ;-;

Point Me at the Sky - Single

I like it, okay. It’s like a little novelty song, okay, back when Pink Floyd was still trying to write singles. Also holds some themes on the passage of time and blah blah which is seen extensively in Pink Floyd’s catalogue

Biding My Time - Relics

Okay.. It’s kitschy, I know. It’s got that jazzy feel (curtesy of Rick and his trombone) and that blues feel. Once again with that wacky jam session in the middle that defines early Pink Floyd. Also go off Nick with the drums!

Pow R. Toc H. - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

I’m a whore for weird mouth noises, and this has an abundance of them. Once again with the quintessential Floyd jam session. I’d say mono is best here since stereo is a bit mind-fucky (y’know early stereo is a struggle.. although I wouldn’t say it was too horrible with Pink Floyd), anyways, if you’re in the mood for weird sensory stuff, then stereo is great... this song is just a sensory nightmare, so tread carefully.

“The Pink Jungle” from their “Man and the Journey” suite, 17. September 1969 Amsterdam show, is EXTRA demonic and chaotic. Warning tho, there’s some slurping noises at the end. Nick carrying the band fr

Pillow of Winds - Meddle

although to be honest, the entirety of Meddle is where it’s at. Considering I listen to this song every night I had to include it. A love song :D, and it’s really pretty and drowsy. Again with the pastoral poetry, a very ambient piece (that’s just Pink Floyd in general) and the ever present themes of anxiety

Here’s some definitions since I’ve been asked a couple of times:

eiderdown: a quilt filled with down (originally from the eider) or some other soft material.

eider: small, soft feathers from the breast of the female eider duck

Wot’s...Uh the Deal - Obscured by Clouds

Another fan favourite. It’s just so beautiful. The whole album is really pleasant listen and has so many hidden gems. Again with the passage of time, steeped in a deep sense of melancholia with a sprinkle of wistfulness. The steel guitar solo is also a real treat. I also like Burning Bridges, Stay, Childhood’s End, Free Four a great deal and,... I’m giving Free Four it’s own spot on this list. 

Free Four - Obscured by Clouds

this is the cheery song about death an the passage of time. The Hand-clapping just gets me, y’know. And the EMS VCS 3 synth is so crunchy, It’s great. If you you’re one of those people tired of Roger “whining” about his dad, then here’s an alternate take on that. Me? I’ll take any number of songs about Roger’s dad and trauma though

Nobody Home - The Wall

Okay okay, I chose a Wall song, BUT I would call this one a Wall Deep Cut, and It’s one of the most beautiful songs in their catalogue. There’s just this overwhelming sadness to it. You’ve got your nods to Syd, you’ve got your empty comforts, isolation, a non-ending, just a beautiful string of words

What Shall We Do Now - The Wall

THIS song. Yep, the one most people prefer to Empty spaces and... It rocks SO HARD. Added a link to the audio on Youtube since it’s not on spotify. Roger has a version of it from his Wall tour, but I prefer the one from the original Pink Floyd shows. The drums are phenomenal, the aggressiveness (not often associated with Pink Floyd), the flow of the lyrics, the deep growl of the guitar and the vocals (particularly in “shall we drive a more powerful car”). The animation that accompanies it in the film is one of my favourites. Talk about coping in unhealthy ways 

The Gunner’s Dream - The Final Cut

Yes yes yes it’s that infamous album...I get it.. love it or hate it, I personally adore it. If there’s one song on the album I think you should listen to, it’s this one right here... I’d also say it’s one of THE SADDEST songs in their catalogue. This bloody song has made me cry multiple times. Again with the dissolution of the post war dream and an anti-war anthem. Makes reference to the famous lines:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England

 from Rupert Brooke’s poem, “The Soldier”. 

I’ll say, Roger’s vocals really go with this one, they’re so raw and oozing of emotion. Also that sax solo??? mmm yum

Not Now John - The Final Cut

Another uncharacteristically aggressive song. But oh man, the field noises in this are SO GOOD it makes me cry (in a happy way this time). You have to have to have to listen to this with headphones. Whoops I included two Final Cut songs, but I love that album

Poles Apart - Division Bell  

I’ll say, this is my favourite song on the album. Also David talking to Syd and Roger, so hey. I love his voice on this album, and the wistfulness in this song speaks to my heart. There’s also this chaotic instrumental ambiance bit in the middle that’s giving haunted merry-go-round lost childhood kind of vibes, and I love that.

Take it Back - Division Bell

Big fan. It’s like a tragic, wistful environmentalist love song. Note the nurse rhyme “Ring a Ring O’Roses at 3:02).

Embryo

specifically the 30. September 1971 BBC Radio session. But “Picnic” is also a classic version, and shorter. The jam session goes so hard!  And then you feel like you’re just chilling, floating in embryonic fluids. I can’t stress enough how much I love this song, I have been working on learning it on bass. This other version includes children laughing and such as well as the same feedback on Echoes (16. July 1970) ... wow, turns out I just like creepy haunted children field sounds.

Okay, this was a lot longer than I was expecting and it took ... way too long to complete. But that’s my list! ... I have concluded that I just like sad songs, whoops. Here’s a spotify playlist. Not all of the versions I mentioned here are available, so I put alternate picks.

[rudojudo]

Giant of Light Playlists

Inspired by some posts I saw, I put together a playlist of music for the GoL experience. Then I split it in two, because of the duality built into the game. They might not be perfect for background music, since they're a bit lyric heavy in a way that might distract from the table, but there are some connections I'm happy with. Also, they work on shuffle, but the order is intended to make a rough sketch of an Episode of play from either perspective. They're on Spotify:

Side A: Heroes

Side B: Kaiju

And of course you can buy the game here.

If you don't use Spotify (I don't blame you), there's a track listing below, along with commentary, because I love to explain myself.

Side A: Heroes

-Goshowa Kudasai Ware no Na wo! (Endo Masaki)

This is the opening theme to Ultraman Z. Obviously, I was going to include some music from the franchise, but I didn't want it to be the whole playlist. I chose this one because the title and opening line translates to "I ask that you chant my name," which is a wonderful bit of poetry asking for faith.

-The Legend of Chavo Guerrero (The Mountain Goats)

This is about that faith from the other side, a song about having a hero. "The telecast's in Spanish, I can understand some / and I need justice in my life, here it comes," devastates me every time.

-Starman (David Bowie)

Maybe a bit obvious, but all the same, Ultraman is full of visitors from space whose differences from humanity leave them alienated, but still capable of seeing the beauty and value of the Earth.

-Hands (Oishi Masayoshi)

Theme to Ultraman R/B and my personal favorite theme in the whole franchise. The leads in this series have no experience or training and are thrown into the deep end and I like the way this track reflects the drive to stay positive. "These are the things we shouldn't have to protect."

-Pump it Up (Elvis Costello and the Attractions)

This represents the rising tension in the "Episode" happening here. The thumping, elegant bass line and lyrics about matching intensity always begged for an action scene in my mind.

-Brave Love, TIGA (Kagaku Tokusoutai, not the original version, this is a group that does covers of tokusatsu songs)

This is the ending theme to Ultraman Tiga and it's a bit of a parallel to Legend of Chavo Guerrero, since it's a plea to the title character. It's a child, asking their hero, please, do the things I can't. Protect the world. Show me how to be brave.

-X Gon' Give It To Ya (DMX)

Am I guilty of coming to the same conclusion as the writers of the Deadpool movie? Yes. But as a Millennial, I defy you to find a track that more powerfully says that shit is about to go down.

-Veridis Quo (Daft Punk)

Something wholly without lyrics to depict the final fight. I've always thought that the melody of this song implied a situation that's rapidly becoming more complicated.

-Dare (Stan Bush)

Come the man, cometh the hour, this is the personal theme of Hot Rod from The Transformers: The Movie (1986). Hot Rod is the chosen one, even if he doesn't know it until the end, but his theme is all about being brave enough to become the person needed. Also, the sample character Ultraman Giant Hero Cadmium is a direct reference to Hot Rod, including the piece of character art he's in.

-Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (ABBA)

I think the transition from the last track to this one is the best thing I do in either playlist. Again, this is a song about who you want around when things get bad. Also feels final, like the fight can be won here.

-BRAND NEW WORLD (Miura Jam BR)

This is the opening theme to my favorite arc of One Piece (Enies Lobby), but that's incidental. Here, the track represents the "new world" created by the Main Characters in saving the day, and the moment of joy together after it happens.

-Ultraman 80 (Kagaku Tokusoutai, again a cover)

"He came to us from the stars." Nothing more than a moment of gratitude for this immense power that joins together with us to protect our world. Ultraman gets a bit religious (by design, the life of the original creator Tsuburaya Eiji was often defined by faith). Also a relaxing end to represent the "end credits."

Side B- Kaiju

-Trigger (Sakuma Takao)

This side's less optimistic, more conflicted, but I still wanted to open with a theme, this time from Ultraman Trigger. It's a bit more aggressive, all about letting loose. Doesn't connect to that show much, but it's exactly what's happening here.

-When You're Evil (Aurelio Voltaire)

Being self-consciously "evil" is mostly the provenance of teenagers, but there's a sort of immaturity to a lot of the Kaiju Users I took inspiration from when writing the game. There's a certain kind of person who says to themself "no, I'm bad, really, I'm dangerous, watch out!"

-Wolf Like Me (TV on the Radio)

Another approach to playing a Kaiju User is to have werewolf vibes: "this is something inside me and when I let it out, you should run." This is a good song to depict prowling around town, looking for trouble.

-Life on Mars? (David Bowie)

An intentional parallel to Side A, another Bowie track using aliens as a metaphor for alienation. This one's a bit grittier, more critical of society, and more explicitly Queer, which is why it's on this side.

-Werewolf Gimmick (The Mountain Goats)

Like I said, this vibe is strong. The theme of performance (and taking that performance too far) is also a good link to the way a Kaiju User might play with their public image.

-V: The Stand (Man or Machine) (The Protomen)

This song ruled my college years. With a fight imminent, two people who would rather not fight argue, proving why they have to. In your games, the primary Kaiju User can even be either side of the fight, depending on how you've built things up.

-It Has To Be This Way - Platinum Mix (Jimmy Gnecco)

Meme music it may be, but this is great for being the next phase of that argument as the fists start flying. It's only from one perspective, which is fun, because the speaker might be completely off-base about the similarities between the two fighters (which is the case in the game it's written for, a lot of the memes and such overlook that).

-Foreign Object (The Mountain Goats)

Kaiju Users are often at a disadvantage, and this song really captures the spirit of fighting uphill because you're meaner and even if you can't win, you'll make your opponent regret it.

-KARATE (BABYMETAL)

This is the song for the main fight here, picked mostly for sheer kinetic energy. BABYMETAL's trademark pop idol/heavy metal contrast here is the symbol for the fact that a lot of Kaiju may be city-destroying beasts, but people on the internet will still look at them and say "what a good dog!"

-Light Up The Night (The Protomen)

Sometimes, winning means being willing to burn yourself up.

-Hero (The Verve Pipe)

The mirror spot to When You're Evil for a reason. This is the truth at the core of that facade, that underneath the way they scorn humanity and embrace their outcast status with mischief, they really long to be accepted. And something that GoL tries to say is that you can be, even if your powers are scary and destructive, you can still be a hero, no matter what your self-loathing says.

-ZERO to INFINITY (Miyano Mamoru)

Another track from the franchise, this is the theme to the web series Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy, which is mostly a big crossover punch-em-up. But here, I like the optimism of saying you can get to the end of your path as long as you keep pushing, which can be applied to Kaiju Users of many different moral orientations.

Whew! So I started out trying to not repeat artists at all, let alone on the same playlist, but it couldn't be helped, Beat The Champ by The Mountain Goats is the best album about wrestling ever (not a high bar, mind, but it's very good), and the parallels between pro wrestling and tokusatsu are very deep. Anyway, have fun, let me know your thoughts on the listening experience, and play the game!

[lexiklecksi]

Shuffle your favorite playlist and post the first five songs that come up. Then copy/paste this ask to your favorite mutuals. 🎶🎧💜💙🤗

Cool, thanks for thinking of me! Though this will be a wild mix of 5 songs from my favourites playlist with over 2000 songs ... The only common theme might be that I love live music and mash-ups.

This is a genius collaboration of a German rapper with a string quartet and an Arabic poem in the end (a great first song for my wild mix)

I have loved this song since my sister played it for me and I still like it, even though I'm not really into metal, but it slaps. It is truly unique how complex the musical arrangements are!

Dan Reynolds is right for acknowledging Taylor Swift's melody writing of Blanc Space. Stand by Me is a beautiful love song and Imagine Dragons performing a mash-up of both love songs is just genius. Can we all appreciate how smooth this sounds?

Another live mash-up: Miley Cyrus singing her song "We can't stop" with Pixie's "Where is my mind?" is just epic!

You have to listen to this! I have no words for this amazing piece of music; it's pure bliss for your ears. I am so jealous of every person who had the luck to experience this live performance. In a way, Michael Patrick Kelly is a bit underrated for the pop songs he made. After all, he is a musical genius.

[blushinggray]

Omfg I’m??? Going nuts???? Anyway Fourth Wing spoilers ahead in case you’re reading/planning on reading it

First of all… BRENNAN???????? Are you one piece sabo in another life???? (Like i mean come on, the big brother who disappeared only to turn up again as a revolutionary officer?) Omg there are just so many questions going through my head rn. Like how long has he supposedly been dead again? At least six years or smth by now??? And he’s been here working on the revolution the entire time???

Also how long/often has he been in contact with xaden and co.??? Has he known that xaden has been training his little sister??? I originally found it hard to believe that xaden had such a strong impression/liking to violet at the beginning when he was supposed to hate her for the death of his father. But he’s known this whole time that her brother was alive and that she had the potential to be a great asset to them, then that would make a lot more sense of how quickly he grew to like her

The storytelling is just!!!! So intentional and well thought out!!! I can see every hint being dropped and i can’t stop for a single second from taking mental notes bc i just might need that later to confirm the foreshadowing!!! Like i saw a few things coming, even smth like Brennan coming back/being alive, but the story was told and paced so well that i didn’t expect it at all when it finally came!!!!! But the lightning being hinted all the way back during their first kiss?? This i gotta go back and reread at some point.

But this writing is like a whole ass tapestry, with how yarros (the author) weaved everything together with so much detail, and pacing, and building. I really need to take a few steps back to look at the whole thing and then dissect every part of it just so i can really appreciate it. I was really rereading so many pages in the moment just to let them settle in a little more. My brain really needed to take its time to appreciate every detail and let it settle in. Which is kinda why I’m writing out this whole ramble of a post rn lmao (I was originally kinda just using it to share a couple thoughts without spoiling anyone/creating a whole thread on twitter but now that I’m here i just gotta get this all out)

Anyway, let it be known that i have, once again, fallen for the himbo side character — ridoc will now be my chosen bf of the series, until i meet someone new/more interesting. I mean, look at this golden-hearted doofus

Also? He is dtf? Do i have to line up somewhere? Bc i will

(Lol pls disregard the fact that these are all different light/dark themes. I read across different devices and have different bg lighting themes for each of them)

Though i can’t lie… i really did love Liam too 😭😭😭 he could be so sweet and funny in those moments that he let himself be young

He didn’t deserve the end he got 😔 but he will be in my heart always. Perhaps in some sort of happy au where i can give him all my love and build him shelves for his wood carving hobby/collection 😭

Speaking of scenarios though, i have been drawn to listening to NIKI quite a bit while reading this and i have a few dedicated songs to xaden/violet from her (an underdog woman with something to tell the world; quite fitting for violet, no?)

And i also imagining a scenario of [character] (ridoc? Possibly Brennan depending on how brotherly he ends up feeling to me) and maybe rider!reader or even civilian!reader where the riders come in to save them and they’re all kind of just gathered after an attack, sheltering together and reader is comforting some younger kids or teens or smth and sings them a song to just calm them down, and it ends up calming down a few of the riders too. Just reminding them to take a breath and take the time to feel comforted, even in all the chaos

(I love you Phil Collins, but this version is just a little more chill)

Lots of thoughts… lots and lots of them. It was literally 600 pages of thought provoking stuff. Also, i am really curious about how dragons fuck/get intimate now??? But it is more than i have the bandwidth to write out at 11pm after a full day’s work and another few hours of a night class. But I finished the book and i just had to put some of my thoughts out there while i still had them simmering in my mind (and before I started iron flame). Book 2 Ridoc, and brennan, here i come!!!!

[musicarenagh]

Jarre Acoustique: NiMO’s Journey from Synths to Piano I recently had the chance to dive into NiMO's latest album, "Jarre Acoustique," and it's quite an interesting project. NiMO, whose real name is Jeroen van der Wiel, released this album on August 24th as a tribute to Jean-Michel Jarre, the legendary electronic composer. What struck me about this album is how NiMO has taken these iconic electronic tracks and reimagined them for solo piano. It's a bold move, especially considering NiMO's background in rock music. He's been in the industry for over 25 years, working with artists like John Hayes and Ian Parry, so this acoustic approach is quite a departure from his usual style. The album features 11 tracks, all acoustic piano renditions of Jarre's work. It's fascinating to hear these electronic compositions stripped down to their essence. NiMO's approach really brings out the core melodies and harmonies in a way that reveals the "soul" of Jarre's music. One of the standout tracks for me is "Chronologie Part 3," which features Patrick Rondat, Jarre's long-time guitarist. It's a nice touch that adds an extra layer of authenticity to the project. I had the opportunity to chat with NiMO about the album, and it was interesting to hear about his creative process. He's a self-taught keyboard player and composer, and his career has spanned multiple genres, from progressive rock with his band Odyssice to experimental electronic music. This project, though, is something entirely different. NiMO shared some insights into the challenges he faced during production, particularly in adapting these complex electronic compositions for solo piano. It's clear that this was a labor of love for him, combining his passion for Jarre's music with his own innovative approach. For fans of Jean-Michel Jarre or anyone interested in the intersection of electronic and acoustic music, I'd definitely recommend giving "Jarre Acoustique" a listen. It's a unique take on some classic compositions, and it showcases NiMO's versatility as a musician. Listen to Jarre Acoustique https://open.spotify.com/album/5FU4SGOwB8lIrRMaMCt6DL Follow NiMO on Spotify Instagram   "Jarre Acoustique" has a unique title and sound. What inspired the concept behind this album, and how did you choose the direction for its acoustic elements? Well, in the late '90s, I started to fantasize about what it would sound like when tracks like Enthicolor or Second Rendez-Vous would be adapted and performed by a symphony orchestra. In 2006 we saw the release of the Symphonic Jean Michel Jarre by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, and to me, this was a bit of a disappointment to me, the arrangements weren’t dramatic enough. I would have completely re-approached the song as a real classical piece. Now they did an easy one-on-one transfer to orchestra, and I see it as a missed opportunity. So I dismissed that fantasy. Fast forward to 2018 when I saw this video on YouTube by a classically trained pianist performing his interpretation of the first four Oxygen parts. And that intrigued me. That was done exactly the way I expected to be done. And amazingly enough, the Jarre tunes were still strong in that stripped-down piano version, without all the layers of synths and effects. Just one pure analog piano. And that planted the seed. Is there a particular narrative or theme that runs through "Jarre Acoustique"? How do the tracks connect to each other to tell a cohesive story? No, there is no such concept used. When selecting songs for this project I did try to avoid the obvious ’hits’ and choose in the first place the already dramatic songs. Further in the process, I raised the bar a little higher and selected the less obvious songs, that were more challenging, such as Stardust and Oxygene 17. This album places a strong emphasis on acoustic sounds. What motivated you to explore this stripped-down approach, and how does it differ from your previous work? Electronic music is commonly regarded as machine music.

No soul, no depth, just programmed notes. But I noticed this was different in the music by Jean-Michel Jarre. By reducing the many layers of sounds to one analog piano, I tried to expose the soul in his music. This is in total contrast of my other work. With Odyssice, I wrote and played progressive rock, with Thirteen and my work for Ian Parry my sound became more heavy and bombastic. My latest other work is more experimental EDM, again with multiple layers of sounds and synths. But I love the contrast with this piano album, and I really loved working on this project because of its simplicity and beauty. [caption id="attachment_57104" align="alignnone" width="2000"] With Odyssice I wrote and played progressive rock, with Thirteen and my work for Ian Parry my sound became more heavy and bombastic.[/caption] Could you take us through your songwriting process for this album? Were there any specific moments or experiences that heavily influenced the lyrics and melodies? First I had to learn the core melodies, discover the harmonies, and understand the accompanying chords and rhythms. And then transfer this to one single piano, played by only two hands but without losing sight of the essence of the song. That was also an interesting challenge. Only with the track Second Rendez-Vous, it was impossible to reduce the playing to just two hands without leaving out major melody lines, so I decided to arrange it for four hands (à quatre mains). I’ve always been an admirer of the piano works by Claude Debussy, especially songs like Clair De Lune, Reverie, and Arabesque I + II and I few years back I discovered the works of Dustin O’Halloran and Yann Tierssen. These pianists influenced me to choose for a romantic direction for the arrangements because I think the piano has it’s best moments in that style. Plus tracks like Souvenir Of China and Gloria Lonely Boy fit this style perfectly. Who were the key collaborators on "Jarre Acoustique," and how did their contributions shape the final sound of the album? When the recordings were done and I was working on the mixes, the green light came from Jarre and his management. So the whole thing became really serious from that point on. And I started to realize that I wanted something special on the album, something that would surprise the fans. So one morning I got the idea of inviting Patrick Rondat to play acoustic guitar on one track. Patrick was Jarre’s live guitarist from 1993 until 2005 and he happened to play on two of my songs, which I wrote for Ian Parry’s ’In Flangrante Delicto’ album back in 2020. So there was an almost direct line although I’ve never met or spoke with Patrick and I had no idea what his response would be to my proposal. Well he turned out the be a great guy. He loved my version of Chronolgie 3, which I’d sent to him. He told me that the song is very special to him since it was the very first song he worked on when he was invited by Jarre to participate on the Chronologie album in 1993. It took him no more than two weeks to find time and re-arrange his parts from the heavy electric guitar to the gentle acoustic strings of his Ovation guitar. He even did more playing than I asked for and that gave me the ability to let the acoustic guitar shine in that song and, at one point, created a beautiful question-answer play between the piano and guitar. The instrumentation on "Jarre Acoustique" seems thoughtfully curated. How did you decide on the instruments and arrangements for each track? The choice of instruments was obvious, since it’s a piano album. I choose the Yahama CFX Concert Grand Piano for not only its warm sound but also for its fresh and clear sound, especially in the high notes. Once working on a song I could ’hear’ the arrangement, I could hear the right bassline melody to accompany the leading melody. I’m not classically trained, I never took piano lessons, I can’t read notes, it was like the arrangements were just floating around me and I only had to catch them.

What were the biggest challenges you faced while creating this album, and how did you overcome them? I had some trouble with the piano sound. It had a soft crackling sound in the high frequencies, especially when playing soft passages. It wasn’t loud but during the playback of the recordings it annoyed me. I had no idea where it came from and it took me a while to find the causative agent. It turned out to be a result of the mechanism of the piano, as with any piano. Eventually, I managed to ’fix’ it using some de-cracking plugins in order to make the annoying cracklings go away or at least soften them strongly. https://open.spotify.com/artist/3KoTKGCLJqMLhKIjvl884c How does "Jarre Acoustique" reflect your personal growth as an artist? Are there any particular tracks that hold a special meaning to you? To be honest, when I started the project, it was just something I wanted to do for myself. I had no idea if I was capable of rearranging a existing song to purely piano, I never wrote a kind of classical piano piece before! The interplay between Patrick and me on Chronologie 3 is for me one of the highlights of the album. But also tracks as Gloria Lonely Boy and Souvenir Of China move me. And let’s not forget the beautiful versions of the originally dance tracks Stardust and Oxygene 17, it’s just amazing how they turned out to these beautiful songs. With the release of "Jarre Acoustique," where do you see your musical journey heading next? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you can share with us? Like I said earlier, I really enjoyed making this album, so there might be another Jarre Acoustique (part two) but that’s all depending on the success of this one. And I’m also looking into the idea of doing the same with the music by Kraftwerk, although that probably turn into a more experimental piano album. Besides the piano album project, I want to further develop my experimental EDM sound. I have two tracks out on the streaming services, but I’m still not there yet, I’m considering adding some heavy guitars, but I haven’t had the time to actually to down that path yet. How did you approach the visual and artistic presentation of "Jarre Acoustique"? Did the album's concept influence its cover art and promotional materials? Regarding the sleeve designs, there’s one name very strongly connected to Jarre’s albums: Michel Granger. I love his work and I wanted the artwork for the Jarre Acoustique album also to be a tribute to Granger. I found an intriguing picture online that formed the base for the artwork. I added some details to the concept and asked my wife to do a commission painting. So she painted the long, tall dark figures and added the coloured auras as a wink to Granges work for the Chronologie album. But the twist for me was that when you look at the artwork from a distance, you can see that the figures actually form a row of keys of a piano, and that was the perfect link to the piano recordings. Do you have any plans to perform the tracks from "Jarre Acoustique" live? If so, how do you envision translating the acoustic essence of the album to a live setting? At this moment, there are no intentions to perform this work live. If there would be a number of interesting requests, I might consider to create a project for it, but to be honest I did retire from playing live a few years a go.

[randomvarious]

1990s German Techno Playlist (YouTube)

Started putting together a small playlist of some of my personal 90s German techno favorites for you all to enjoy for this week 😎. It's not definitive by any means, but with this first iteration, I think this thing still presents a pretty nice range of different types of techno, from the deep and rumbling, hypnotic basement kind to the main-room-of-the-club floor-stomping kind 😤. And despite the fact that most of these selections come from a small handful of Germany's most well-established dance and techno labels—Harthouse, Tresor, and the qualitative-over-quantitative Chain Reaction—I'd say that, given the YouTube play counts for a lot of these tracks, that most of them are a tad bit obscure too 👍.

Ich und meine buddies vibing to ze German 90s tekno

But while almost all of these tunes are by German acts that were released by German labels, the track that we happen to kick off with here, an eleven-plus minute piece of acid-drenched sci-fi psychosis from 1993 called "Blanche," by a short-lived duo from Mainz who called themselves Purple Plejade, is not from a German label at all, but is instead from a Dutch label called Djax-Up-Beats. Purple Plejade was made up of a couple notable German techno names in Holger Wick and Thomas P. Heckmann, but the two of them together only put out a couple of 12-inches, and "Blanche" was their first. Now, there's a scratchy ten-minute version of this song that's already on YouTube, that I think was uploaded back when the maximum length of your video could only be ten minutes, and that thing has over 41,000 plays on it. But this *full,* extra-minute-plus affair, as Gott originally intended it to be heard, only has under 11,000 plays across a bunch of different YouTube uploads, by comparison.

Now let's talk about a couple other favorites on here: one floor-stomper and one that's headily sublime. The floor-stomper comes courtesy of Bad Nauheim's Patrick Lindsey, who in 1996 released a 12-inch called The Phat Jive on Harthouse. And the title track on that release is what you get when you pair some melody that's reminiscent of a theme song from one of those syndicated reality court shows that airs on TV in the afternoons with some snaky, beeping synths and smacking four-on-the-floor percussion to then overwhelm it. A unique fucking banger that's sitting at over 1,300 plays.

And for that headily sublime one, which closes us out, we have a tune from Berlin's DisX3, aka Alexander Kowalski, who in 1999 put out a 12-inch on Tresor called Sequenzed_Function E.P., which kicked off its b-side with "Bored Meat." This stunner's loaded up with a fuck-ton of Richter scale-registering drums to form its rhythmic foundation, but where it really kills is with its weakly plonking, contrastingly high-pitched synth melody that gets placed atop of it all, while including a bunch of jingling hi-hats too. Basically, if you really love yourself some techno music, this is a track that should simply pierce your mechanically-made soul 🤤. And it's only been listened to less than ten thousand times on YouTube!

This playlist is ordered as chronologically as possible:

Purple Plejade - "Blanche" Patrick Lindsey - "Prepare to Jam" Patrick Lindsey - "The Phat Jive" Porter Ricks - "Port of Transition" Alter Ego vs. David Holmes - "The Evil Needle" Pacou - "T.4" Continuous Mode - "Direct Drive Mode 1" DisX3 - "The Wide Theatre" DisX3 - "Bored Meat"

And this playlist is also on YouTube Music.

So with the introduction of this playlist, we start out with a total of ten songs that run for 68 minutes. Altogether, a good and eclectic clip of stuff here to get us started that's not very well known.

And next week we'll be staying put in Germany, but we'll be getting into some much chillier stuff! 🥶

Enjoy!

More to come, eventually. Stay tuned!

Like what you hear? Follow me on Spotify and YouTube for more cool playlists and uploads!