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OCRA-0013 - Tales: Summoning of Spirits


KyleJCrb
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Thanks Rexy, did you know the project file for that song was "standingthepainintheass" lol...

Also thanks Prizm, this is what I was talking about anyway, it's not about my taste anymore, I could dislike my own song, but it's out there for other people to listen to.

So picking your favorites, everyone's is gonna be different. Which is why I think this project works in the first place, there's so much to choose from.

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Came here to see what other people think about the album... must say I didn't expect this much downside critics.

Unfortunately for me, the overall style doesn't appeal to me that much... even for songs with a more calm/sad nature (like Freeze and Mint), it seems like the emotion on the song is partially gone. Maybe it's just me...

Someone also said about the absence of different styles... it seems to me the biggest flaw in the project. I like he project style, but most songs like that makes me tired. Guess could be more enjoyable if it wasn't so homogeneous, even if for some that is somehow conflicting with the idea of an album.

But for sure it is well executed project, congratulations to those involved!

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Someone also said about the absence of different styles... it seems to me the biggest flaw in the project. I like he project style, but most songs like that makes me tired. Guess could be more enjoyable if it wasn't so homogeneous, even if for some that is somehow conflicting with the idea of an album.

Are you sure you listened to the right album? Your complaint of it being too homogeneous doesn't make a whole lot of sense, seeing as how we pretty much ran the gamut of styles: Orchestral, rock, new age, trance, industrial, piano solos, even disco and funk. I suppose there is a lot of rock, and maybe that's not your thing, but it is interspersed among many other types of music. You can have your opinion of the album, that's fine; I'm just confused about your "homogeneous" criticism, because honestly I don't see it, and I think you are actually the first person to point it out. I think homogeneous would apply more to an album like Chrono Symphonic, or Relics of the Chozo, as both were designed that way.

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Yeah, pretty much echoing what Kyle said... you don't have to like it, but I really can't see where you get "homogeneous" from, or how "that style" puts you to sleep when there is no singular "album style" here. Listen to just about any handful of songs - say, Go the Distance to This Fate to City of Vigor to Continental Divide to Frozen Heart to Café Mantra to Desert Nights to Altar Perception to Strike to Gentry and so on - and there's no stylistic similarity. Even the tracks that do fall under similar instrumentation or genre still sound distinct - compare Airborne to Dream Traveler to My Secret Forest, or Chaotic Heart to Antegenesis to On the Edge. Sorry, but I really don't understand where you're coming from.

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Unfortunately for me, the overall style doesn't appeal to me that much... even for songs with a more calm/sad nature (like Freeze and Mint), it seems like the emotion on the song is partially gone. Maybe it's just me...

I'm guessing it might sound samey because there is so much stuff to absorb. The sequencing (there are lot of good transitions there, which put similarly styled pieces, or pieces with fitting ending/beginning pairs next to each other) might also create a sense of unified feel to the albums. I find the whole surprisingly consistent in overall feel (though I've only had a couple of full listen-throughs so that's to be taken with a pinch of salt).

--Eino

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I'm guessing it might sound samey because there is so much stuff to absorb. The sequencing (there are lot of good transitions there, which put similarly styled pieces, or pieces with fitting ending/beginning pairs next to each other) might also create a sense of unified feel to the albums. I find the whole surprisingly consistent in overall feel (though I've only had a couple of full listen-throughs so that's to be taken with a pinch of salt).

--Eino

I honestly don't know... just said what I feel, moreover I just listen, I can't analyse a dust about music.

And I just listened to discs 1 and 2 (just played ToP)... yeah, I know, I'm absolutely missing awesome stuff from games I never played, my fault.

Anyway, sorry for my empty criticism! :tomatoface:

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It didn't stop me from listening to "Rise of the Star" before I played Kirby's Adventure, or even listening to "The Dark Side of Phobos" whilst having never played Doom... or even taking part in this particular remix project.

My personal view on this is that while we accomplished a mammoth project together, I feel that there are more highlights on the Symphonia side than there are on the Phantasia side. It's disappointing that you aren't prepared to listen to it without knowledge on the games themselves :\

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My personal view on this is that while we accomplished a mammoth project together, I feel that there are more highlights on the Symphonia side than there are on the Phantasia side. It's disappointing that you aren't prepared to listen to it without knowledge on the games themselves :\

I listen some of these songs now and then... but it's not like thinking "will Fighting of the Spirit rock? And Freeze? Mint? Arche? The Dream? The Cross?". I'm already very selective even with remixes of songs known to me, and with unknown ones I won't have any "emotive/nostalgic link" to it.

But sometime soon I'll take my time to listen carefully the last 2 discs, hope you're right! :wink: Sadly I lost my pacience for lengthy playing... guess I'll not try ToS :|

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I never was a good reviewer, but I feel bad that I haven't been able to think of anything indepth to say about this project. There's not much I really can!

It's a remix project from one of my favorite game series featuring a whole slew of remixers I already know and love to listen to.

I haven't even been able to really pick out my favorites after all the listening. I really love it, guys.

I just can't seem to settle this craving for Eternia and Abyss remixes now though. :<

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Hmmm... congratulations on releasing humongous project!

That being said, I have yet to solidly devote a chunk of time to really digging into the tracks individually. I listened to the album straight through a few times, but then it was lost in shuffle. Initial impressions were something along the lines of "w00t, new album! mad guitars! thank you for lyrics! epic orchestral moments! poignant pianos! so many collaborations ; ;". Or something along those lines if I recall. I also haven't actually played a Tales game to its ending, I am usually put off by the battle system.

Initial standout tracks were:

No Better Time Than Now (This Isn't the Time) - the vocals brought the track some immediate attention, but the beat and mixture of lighter instruments over heavier synthesized sounds/samples/instruments is what really sold me on it.

Deity (Martel) - I think this might be my favorite track on the album. A little bit of melancholy, a lot of beat, excellent flow. Just damn. I think that it was really the song that jumped out at me on my first listen as something that I would need to favorite.

Go the Distance (I'll Go) - Cool. I think that covers everything.

Chronometrical (Stream of Time) - Wow. Love the track. The clock was a nice touch, the whole thing is really pretty. Piano made the finale really great.

Simplified Design (Take Up the Cross) - This track is such a driving guitar track. I swear there was some sort of accident when this ended up on my exercise playlist and I started kicking my own ass. Actually, the little break sections are really funny because they bring this creepy vibe to what otherwise seems like a straight up angry piece of work. Also, not something to play when expecting calm music. Very jarring.

Riddles in the Dark (Morlia Gallery) - God damn, it reminds me of how music used to double-speed when you hit low life. A lot of different pieces here, it's sort of like a group of related musical pieces that bridge together. I dunno if the source does that too, but nice work.

Altar Perception (Search a Seal) - Another group of connecting pieces, though this one seems more intertwined and convoluted.

Hmmm... other positive tracks of note: Beyond Absentminded, Mirror Image, Frozen Heart, Antegenesis, The Koan of Drums, Airborne (I think this was my favorite piano piece actually), Crisis Healing Salve, as time goes on (purely instrumental this strikes me, the vocals seem to cast a shadow over most of the song), Sweet Dreams (pretty sax), and Gentry Is a Five Letter Word.

Didn't care for Arche Angel or Momentary. Songs just didn't click.

Lots of other songs, but I couldn't really do them justice right now. The Symphonia discs seem very nicely put together, and it definitely hits a climax immediately after My Secret Forest. Phantasia was interesting, since I haven't actually played that game, but a few standouts made me really enjoy those discs. Album that is so huge is difficult to absorb in anything but small amounts though. Thank you all very much for this wonderful album.

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Kyle, you've done a good job with the first post, I definitely like to read all those and it also shows you're quite proud of the project, as you all should be, collecting all the little blips and bleeps SoS makes around in everybody's radars.

Why I'm posting is this post by Roz, where he mentions Gentry is a Five Letter Word is in 5/4. What?! I didn't even realize that! And I have an annoying habit of counting unusual time signatures and pointing them out and whatever. Nice work there Rexy!

--Eino

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What, someone actually reads my blog? Don't you people have lives? :D

But yep, Gentry is a Five Letter Word is one of my favorites from the album, along with Sweet Dreams, Setting Sail, Go the Distance, Smile and Forgive, Airborne, Desert Nights... argh, so many!

Lotta good stuff on this album, and I bet there are tracks that'll grow on me so I'll suddenly realize "hey this is an awesome track too". Great work, everybody involved.

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