Inspiration truly can come from everywhere. TCB Built this fantastic tune around a sample that GeekBrony posted to Twitter, and it’s astounding that a 15 second clip posted on Twitter would spawn such an epic tune! The song emerges from the ether, whirring to life with some spacey and textured synths, slowly coalescing until the remixed sample kicks in, and then it hits with a wagonload of TCB goodness. The glitches are as scrumptious as cider, and the vocal chops from “Applejack’s Lullaby” mix beautifully with the synth melody. Then the strings kick in with some impactful drum beats adding a wonderful emotional weight as they are combined with a longer chop. The build up to the drop is delightfully subtle, but the drop is full-on, adding a new, high synth melody that ups the emotional amplitude. The cider really starts to hit after the drop as the arrangement thins out and distorts like a bad day at a carnival. Kudos to the artists for this fantastic creative effort!
[PF] Dandelion – The Alicorn Amulet | Drum & Bass
This dark and groovy drum & bass track from Dandelion is coming at you from the latest Pony Family album Busy Having Fun! If you haven’t downloaded the album yet, then definitely head here and get it! The nicely textured bass rumbles to life and soon pairs with ambient synths and terrific D&B percussion to form a moody and unsettling arrangement. A high synth joins in for classic ominous effect, and there’s some really nice movement in the track overall that evokes burbling dark power and corruption. The high synth bridge and switched up arrangement towards the end is a great moment that pushes the narrative of the song and ensures that the listener never gets too comfortable before the track rumbles to its dark conclusion.
Darksoma – Let Me Be A Hero (Power of the Crystal) | Soundtrack
There’s nothing quite like an intensely emotional track with an awesome backstory! Opening with somber strings and piano, the song (also featuring art by the musician!) kicks into high gear with the addition of some skittering, tinkling percussion and sharp strings. There are some really nice effects applied to the instruments that give the song depth and ambiance, and the pairing of dark piano with the strings creates a pleasing intensity. Overall, there’s a really strong OST vibe running throughout the track, and, paired with the fantastic description, it’s easy to get immersed in this tense moment for the character. I’ll definitely be looking forward to more of this story and accompanying music!
Nyancat380 – Clear My Head | Glitch-Hop
What a cool song and lyrics video! The video opens with the viewer flying down a train track with some terrific Rarity art (that Nyancat380 made themself!) in the foreground with a clean but spicy arrangement of synths and percussion that create a classic hip hop vibe in a totally original way. The melancholy atmosphere is reinforced by the lyrics, which tell an unhappy story of Rarity struggling with self-doubt. Things really start to feel out of control when the tempo picks up, and the fantastic instrumental section after the drop is full of glitchy goodness and ends with a perfect vocal chop. All of the song’s elements are then fantastically spliced together in the following section in a way that fits the theme of the song so well. The song finishes dramatically, a fitting end to the psychological storm.
My Little Remix – Brony vs. Brony Remix War X: 10th Anniversary Invitational | Compilation Album | Multi-Genre
Welcome one and all to a truly auspicious event: The latest installment in the My Little Remix series! For those that don’t know (which included me before this album), MLR began in 2011 when the pony music scene was absolutely exploding as a way of pulling artists together into a more cohesive community. There have been nine albums featuring some of the best talent of their respective times, and though the creative mayhem of the early days has come and gone, the songs that those artists and others who took up the horse music banner produced left an indelible impression on the fandom music landscape. What a wonderful delight, then, that the time-honored tradition of remixing has returned for yet another glorious compilation of fandom talent! This album is a really fantastic musical journey full of lovingly produced music, and it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to its track along with my co-conspirator, Simon. So go download the album, kick back, and join us in this beautiful appreciation of horse music achievement! Also, how great is it that the tracks are labeled “befriends”? Whomever came up with that deserves a hearty huzzah! Alright, let’s get into it!
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[PF] Avery – Avery Mare-ry Medley | Acoustic / Acapella
Okay, everypony, I’m so happy that I can finally say this: I present to you the first song of the Pony Family album, “Busy Having Fun“! This absolute beauty is by the amazing Avery, and yes, this is a six and a half minute song about ponies and the fandom!
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One Track Mind – Ends EP | Darkwave / Synthwave
This album is packed with emotion, vibes, bops and bangers, and great songs, and everything else one would need for a brilliant album! The music covers a lot of ground, from quick, energetic hard-hitting electronic songs, like Love & Tolerate, G1GGL3, and Tartarus, to a more chill and trance-y sound, like in tracks like Intermittence and Interlude. The different tracks mix well together, and give the album a unique feel and sound. With seven epic tracks on here, there’s something that everypony can enjoy. I absolutely loved this album, and I’m sure you will as well!
CAPT – Rest | Drum & Bass
The vibes! This track honestly surprised me: it’s simultaneously chill and energetic! Inspired by the fantastic art piece in the video, it starts with rain sound effects as the music builds up, which sets the tone as nice and chill. But once the music picks up, it gets more energetic, and I couldn’t help but tap my foot to it! These two elements compliment each other very well, and make for a great song!
Vale & Fl0 – Hyper! Twilight-chan | Happy Hardcore
This track is a great example of one of my favorite types of pony music! It’s a short and sweet happy hardcore song focusing on the Princess of Friendship herself, Twilight, and it has that classic pony song sound/vibe that I just love, complete with Twilight voice samples from the show (and a few anime ones too)! Overall, it’s a wonderful song and fun to listen to!
Kallo Skull – Sands of Somnambula | Orchestral
OH, OH! Check this piece out, my bronies. Something very, very different for your tastes. A track with more of a worldly and cultural feel. Yes, yes, come on in and listen to this wonderous tale from the Sands of Somnambula! Yes, you know the name. The pony of hope became a legend and pillar of Equestria. But what about her home, its culture. This is a taste of it! Would you please sit down and listen to these melodies that let you feel the energy of ancient land. It is filled with themes and elements that are sure to please it with its exotic percussion, mythic choirs, and mindbending composition. It’s a real pleasure that Kallo Skull has put together! As always, This Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
Horse Music Herald 