Song Contest 153 (Results posted!)

[Aristophanes]

~Reserved for ego~

[Aristophanes]

Oh shit this is today gdi

[Aristophanes]

As a change of pace, I really enjoyed this contest and ended up having to cut some songs I enjoyed!
Good work everyone!

Also, trying out a new style for commentary and I hope it looks good

Spoiler:

The Netherlands: Sven Wunder - Hibiscus

Ooooo! What an intriguing start to this contest!
I really like the instrumentation and the varying intensities of the different parts kept me captivated the entire time.
I feel like I've played a game where this is featured and I have no clue if that's true or not but I think it's the right song for it.

Isle of Man: All Time Low - Trouble Is

What is this, Alt-Rock? I never know how to classify Rock and Rock-adjacent songs.
Regardless, this is exactly the style I like and I really enjoyed the song! It made me lightly think of Marianas Trench and that is a huge plus to it!

Norway: KEiiNO - Roar Like A Lion

Another song with an intriguing entrance!
Oh, the vocals just went from Dolly Parton to Fergie in seconds WTF!
I actually really like so much about this, from the chanting to the

Latvia: Shinji Hosoe - Q

Hmm...this sounds like it's from a scary level of a vidya and I'm totally not great with scary levels in vidya.
Like I can feel an anxious tension increasing in my body the more this progresses. Especially this highly stripped down midsection. Do not like!
For reference, I couldn't have the sound on in Lavender town when playing the original Pokemon games because the music was too much for me.

Estonia: CombatPlayer - Terminus

Okay so I have no clue what this is from (yes I can read, I mean I am unfamiliar). But being called terminus, I got a crazy mental story from this piece!
I'm picturing a young lady on her death bed after some tragic accident, her life fading with the distortion at the beginning. As she starts to close her eyes, it goes to a flashback of her best friend, who is there at her side holding her hand, and launched into flashbacks. Happy, good memories that turn into tragic as she starts to fade. It flashes back to the room with her fighting for that last breath, and they lock eyes. She smiles her last smile knowing she's always had a friend, and then just like that, she is gone.

Fuck I almost made myself cry. This was beautiful!
Thank you.

Hinamizawa: CunninLynguists ft Tonedeff - Enemies with Benefits

Preemptive Lol at the band name. We once nicknamed a friend Cunning Linguist when we all had to have codenames for Frosh week at Uni. I didn't get the joke then tbh.
Not big on the feedback in the song's entry. Not big on the rapping either. I love some lyrics tho, like "in my phone like she's AT&T" Amazing!
ALso "Sexplay". WTF is "Sexplay"!? (Don't answer that) And onesie shaming SMH.

Ankh-Morpork: Therapy? - Screamager

I found this pretty average and forgettable and their use of the single repeated note didn't seem to have any big effect despite it having so much potential as a musical device.
Overall Meh. Nothing I'd avoid but not something I'd listen to.

Flavortown: ERRA - Skyline

I was just waiting for the throat singing or whatever that is called to come in. Sometimes you just know.
It's not bad as it fits into that genre but it's a no for me Dawg.

Seleucid Kingdom: Camila Cabello - Consequences

I'm trying to decide on an ancient kingdom to use here and the Seleucids seemed like a good start. I'll stick with them for a bit I think!

As for the song, I adore it. I love her vocals. I love the video. I love the orchestral instrumentation. I love the imagery. It's just so good imo!
I see most of you disagree but that's fine.
I'm a sucker for the 3/4 time signature and I know I've mentioned this before. It just gives such beautiful potential to pieces and creates such a nice movement to them that I just want to dance to them. This song is no exception and I hope you can feel it too!

France: Hua Chen Yu - Contra in the wild - 荒野魂斗罗

Wait is this a cover of Hurt by NIN/Johnny Cash?
Oh, it's definitely not! This is cool tho!
Yeah, this was really awesome! I love the vocals and the delivery is perfect!

Anguilla: ROSALÍA - PIENSO EN TU MIRÁ

Okay wtf is this video!?
Why are there vampires? Why are people bleeding out from the chest? Why are her PANTS SPLIT ALONG THE SEAMS!?!?
I have no many other questions, like who thought it was a good idea to put entire olives into a shotgun!?
But ya know what, I'm just not going to ask them. Not about the mounted bull bust or the weird cult she is in or where the truckers fit into any of this!
They obviously wanted a shock factor to this video and I mean, they drove into a wall at the beginning so I should have expected it. Kudos to that i guess.
They should have used a truck tire in the scene with the oranges tho because that was clearly the tire off of a Chrysler or something and I can't believe they tried to pass it off as a truck tire!
LMFAO they Texted the Credits at the end and this is CANADIAN!?!? I am at a loss for words. #Shook

Oh, right. I have to rate the song.
Average.
That video was a fucking ride though!

Llanowar: FamilyJules7x - Heart of the Flame

Oh, this is an easy no. Sorry but not my style.
It's not as abrasive as many though, so I appreciate that and maybe could enjoy it.
Yeah, this was very okay, which is saying a lot when you consider the source! I might actually give it points! :O

Nepal: 霜月はるか (Haruka Shimotsuki) - EXEC_VIENA/.

Absolutely beautiful! Soaring and Uplifting!
I really want to know what language this is in because there are some words that were definitely French (ciel) and it had such a Latin feel to it while being obviously not-latin.
If anyone knows please enlighten me!

Ireland: Sidney Gish - Sin Triangle

Now this is my style!
The personal feel of the vocals and the progressive flow of the instrumentals is such a nice mix and Iunno, I just like it!
Her slides into and out of the higher notes are really nice and I like the voiceover in the solo.

USA: Mick Gordon - BFG Division

Okay so you know how I mentioned earlier in this contest that I don't like anxiety ridden songs.
And you know how I mention an awful lot that I don't like aggressive electric guitar.
Wellllllllll
This is 8 minutes long and I'm calling it at 4. Sorry.

Monaco: Avicii - The Nights

Okay this is fun!!!
I love the sound and the drive and the chanting! And I lol'd at the accordion coming in. It actually fit so well!
Oh God what did they do to that poor car!? Why are you welding the doors closed!? Who makeshifts a convertible and then doesn't paint it?? Is it even a convertible if it is always top down?? And why would you drive it in the rain like that!?!? Simply foolish. Nice beat tho! I don't miss going to the clubs but I miss club music.

Iraq: Chon - Pitch Dark

Oh I thought the VR headsets were gas masks at first but then I realized this was from 2019 not 2020.
Very artistic with the weird time signatures and I believe some polyrhythms. Very good at keeping the unexpected unease of battle in the song's imagery.
I didn't like it on a listening level because of that though. It was a good art piece but meh.

New Zealand: Kodaline - All I Want

Very strong Mumford vibes to start off with. This should be interesting.
There's the stomping! Perfect!
I like how calming this is, yet how much emotion is in it.
I was waiting for the increase in intensity in the inevitable instrumental break and it delivered beautifully!
The final note felt out of place and that's unfortunate because overall the song was awesome and it sucks to leave on such a weird note.

Central African Republic: Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)

Yup, this is a classic style.
He sang it well. But while it wasn't bad it's not going to place. There's something odd in his voice that lost me. Like his nose is plugged or something.
Anyway, this was alright and might have placed in another contest but not this one.

Poland: Saint Motel - A Good Song Never Dies

This is good! His vocals are an awesome fit for it and I like the constantly changing parts of it! They keep it interesting throughout.
Nice builds and drops. I jive with it!

Armenia: Kovacs - 50 Shades of Black

Oooooo I expected neither her voice nor the bossa nova beat! Great start!
Shit yes, this is perfect! The song lyrics just go so perfectly with the whole thing and the eerie styling is amazingly done!
Mixed with the vocals that are like a mixture of Amy Winehouse and Macy Gray and I am sold!

The Underground: Toby Fox - Field of Hopes and Dreams

This is a light and fun vidya song.
I'm not sure if that is synth sax or ottamatone and I am okay not knowing because I'm just going to assume it;s ottamatone and lol about it

Chad: Imminence - Infectious

Oh no this is going to get hardcore isn't it...
Yup there it is. Tho the violin is a nice touch and it's actually not really what I expected. His vocals are nice and as mentioned, so is the violin!
It's just still a little much for me overall.
Gah, he went screamy at 2:30ish. That's what I was expecting and thought we had avoided. Oh well!

Niger: Bombino - Amidinine

This is a good "out driving" song.
I don't drive.

Indonesia: J Dilla - U-Love

My record keeps skipping.
Those donuts look great though!

Canada: American Football (feat. Hayley Williams) - Uncomfortably Numb

Is it safe to call this Owl City with depression?
That's not a jab btw, I like this. It's just the feel I got immediately!

[Aristophanes]

TEAM FIFTY SHADES OF YOUNG, WILD, AND FREE

This would make a good sequel to the series!