Paying tribute to both the divine composer Nobuo Uematsu and the story behind that artwork by Yakovlev-vad, the passionate Kallo Skull crafted a new 8-minutes masterpiece, and his own To Zanarkand. Emotional melodies and a delicate progression made with love are here to take you into a dimensional vortex while telling you “This is your story.”
Original
RedSpark – Winter Dream | Epic Orchestral
He is back everypony, and sweet Celestia, his return is sweeter than ever! After a period of silence RedSpark returns and brings us yet another of his amazing epic orchestral pieces. The piece starts out with the slow and calming sounds of a harp, accompanied by a beautiful piano; soon strings take over and we get a part where the song is silent only interrupted by the occasional up and down of the strings until the strings are joined by other instruments giving the whole piece this regal vibe. After that we are treated to a slight change of theme as the strings take over once more and give this deeper, epic vibe which is soon supported by several horns and trumpets, once more giving off this regal sound which is ultimately filled out even more by additional strings to an effect that I cannot even describe. Later on most instruments leave us again only to return in a darker, more intense variant with drums and everything. Here the intensity of the strings is accompanied by the lighter sounds of trumpets, making for a fascinating dynamic. A bit later some strings also join the brass instruments until this battle of the darker sounds and the happy upbeat ones eclipses in a beautiful harmony, again fulfilled as can be and indescribably stunning. The piece ends on a beautiful piano solo.
Thanks to thecanderson for proofreading this!
Bridull – Cold Brew Coffee | Album | Lo-fi / Chillout
This might seem like an odd suggestion for such a subdued album, but you might want to turn the volume up a little on this one, because it would be a shame to miss any parts of the delicate arrangements on these tracks! This lo-fi/chillout offering follows Applejack as she works her way through a substantial lineup of caffeinated beverages. Bridull (a.k.a. Noizzer) uses a wide array of samples that were created by a group that’s listed in the Bandcamp credits, which I love. It’s apparent from the album’s art and the concern of the barista in the Bandcamp description that Applejack is a little worse for wear, and the introspective nature of these songs certainly reflects that. Let’s take a look at what she’s drinking and hope that she works through whatever is wrong soon!
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[VibePoniez] The Empty Tomb – Between Dreams | Future Bass
A new compilation album has just been released, and with it comes this beautifully chill, yet simultaneously epic track from The Empty Tomb. Starting out with a very cool, wintry melody that carries throughout the song, there’s also some crackly sounds that give the feel of peacefully resting in front of an open fire. This contrast very much depicts the idea of Luna watching over our dreams; the refreshing cool of the night is complimented by the warm feelings of the gentle princess watching over us in our slumbers. This track also carries a wonderful progression throughout, beginning with cool chords that lead into a drop with some sweet bass work. Finally, all elements of the track coalesce into an awesome Future Bass crescendo. As the track is titled “Between Dreams,” I imagine Luna is taking a short respite from her “dream-hopping” as she battles nightmares in the dark. She’s not merely idling, however; she is gathering courage to get back up and leap back into the fight! Join her on her epic quest in this refreshing piece, which is also one of many equally fun tracks on VibePoniez’ new compilation album, Overcast!
Rubber – Dragonshy (feat. ItsJustAustin) | Hip-Hop
Based on and featuring vocal chops from the S01E07 episode “Dragonshy”, this song spits more fire than a full-sized dragon! Rubber and ItsJustAustin flex their lyrical and vocal muscles on this track that recognizes what fans of the show know well: If you mess with Fluttershy you just might get Mean Fluttershy, especially when it comes to defending her friends! I loved this hip hop rendition of the story of Fluttershy taking on the dragon and its recognition of how satisfying it is watching Flutters throw down. Rubber really knows how to tell a story, and their usual slick beats and thematically effective melody accompany a great Rubber-made pic of our favorite soft spoken badass.
Ricardofr-200 – Applejack’s Lullaby Remix | Chillhop
The original version of this song, from the episode “Bloom and Gloom“, is a short, sweet reassurance from Applejack to Apple Bloom that she will always be loved by her friends. Ricardofr-200 takes that 20 second song and morphs it into a listening experience akin to wrapping yourself up in a warm blanket pulled straight from the dryer. Fantastic vocal chops are layered in with synth elaborations on the vocal melody, and there’s a really nice progression through a couple of different styles of that melody. Simple but effective percussion and pitched vocal effects add a nice dynamic to the song. If you’re having a down day, let AJ sing your troubles away!
Various Artists – PINKピンカメナ – ピンカヒズミ | Compilation Album | Multi-Genre
Ok, so before we get into this I have to warn you that this is an album that includes darker themes (as you may have guessed from the cover). Some songs include language that is not kid friendly, and I outright put a warning in front of two songs, so proceed through this album with caution.
Today we’ve got ourselves an album hosted by Nyancat and also featuring a few other artists, but let’s cut down on the chatter and get right to it!
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Thunder Dash – The Zebra’s Domain | Electronic Orchestra
Ok, let me tell you, this is only the second Thunder Dash piece I have heard, and my word, this musician has my attention. You’ve got to have something special to tell a story this deep and emotional in just over 8 minutes. I love it when bronies, especially musicians, get so creative! In this piece Thunder Dash uses a full tool list of melodies and harmonies to tell the story of the Zebras, their homeland, how they live, and their beliefs and culture. Thunder Dash says it better than I could in the video description, so I will for once focus on the music. The song is all about one thing–atmosphere! The track immerses you in its musical narrative, and you are pulled into its comparison of Zebra life with Equestrian pony life. You can feel the joy when those calling to the spirits are answered! It’s all told with a full arsenal of awesome musical storytelling, and Thunder Dash needs to be shown some love for this! As always, this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself.
SpinScissor – Goodbye | Drum & Bass
I don’t think I’ve heard a track about “Tanks for the Memories” before! I’ve got to the say, SpinScissor, you did the episode justice with the mood of this track. As you listen to the flow of the track, if you listen closely to the vocal chops from “I’ll Fly” with the awesome pounding beats with the speed effects, you hear them flow like the harmonics of the track. The pace is perfect for a Rainbow Dash track; the drums are a nice touch to a beat that I’m sure is going to get you out of your seat movin’ around. Then there are the heartwarming parts of the song with the vocal chops of Rainbow Dash expressing her feelings about Tank needing to go away for the winter… Those chops give the song such great depth and feeling. SpinScissor, please keep working on your craft–you got this! As always this Qilin asks you to judge for yourself. On a personal note, that episode is one of better (and underrated) Rainbow Dash ones because it shows that she is not just this super powerful and confident pony! Rainbow DASH fans, am I right!?
MC-Arch – You got me, I got us II: Our Brave New World! | Album | Multi-Genre / Audio Drama
BIG BIG BIG THANK YOU! to Blackened Blue for proofreading and editing this article, can’t not be more thankful my friend.
(If you have not checked out the first YGMIGU album, you can do that here. I strongly suggest it for story reasons)
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Horse Music Herald 