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Thank you so much. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Late to reply, but I appreciate your comment - thanks for listening!

Thanks for listening and for your comment! The instrument I used is bandoneon!

This was an enjoyable soundtrack to listen to! There is great variety while staying cohesive and true to the Celtic style. I enjoyed the rhythmic energy in Ascending Starlight Bluff, the style switch and mysteriousness of The Origin Pool, and the orchestration and development of Called Home. All around awesome work on this soundtrack!

I love the sound design and ear candy in The Long Drive Back. But I Got This was the highlight track for me though—the sounds used in the build are interesting, and the drop is simultaneously filthy and emotionally gut wrenching. Really cool submission!

Surface Level - Beautiful opening theme with a vast, spacious mix.

Familiar Faces - Quite the switch up from the first track but still feels cohesive. I like the high frequency information from the starting guitar, so when it transfers to the piano at 0:35, it feels like something’s missing. Nice development at 1:00!

A Lively Catch - I absolutely love the groove and chords in this track!

Run it Back - An intriguing and mysterious ambient piece.

Please Don’t Touch the Electronics - Another extremely groovy track! Love the development at 1:35 - I felt like it was needed!

Of all the Buttons to Press - Just an all around masterful application of a techno track in a game soundtrack.

There’s Nothing in the Water - Really great use of mixing, low frequencies, and dissonance to convey danger.

A Really Big Shadow - Builds nicely on the previous track with well placed orchestral elements.

The Benthic Hour - Good job bringing the guitar back for this track. Nice combination of orchestra with the chopped up breakbeat for this epic final encounter!

This definitely feels like a complete soundtrack with high quality composition, storytelling, and production. While I felt that the soundtrack is ultimately more cohesive than not (especially considering the different styles needed for this type of game), I think there might be room to add guitar to a few more tracks for extra cohesion. However, I did not think it was enough to detract from the spectacular writing and production of the soundtrack—the grooves and glitched sounds were highlights for me. This was a wonderful submission that I enjoyed listening to!

An intriguing and bone-chilling soundtrack here. I especially love the electronic elements—track 3 is definitely the highlight for me. I’m also curious to know what kind of gameplay or game genre could accompany this soundtrack. This is a cool submission with a detailed story!

A very charming soundtrack that is quite cohesive, including an enjoyable blend of Mediterranean elements with orchestra. I especially loved the melodies and countermelodies of the soundtrack - well done!

The Stars We See - I love the build/swell with synth at 2:30, then the repeating arp during the break at 3:08. Really beautiful sense of pacing and sound design.

Comet Strokes - Very nice harmonies, voicings, and piano melody. The percussive groove that occurs throughout the track is subtle but adds so much.

I appreciate how your take on ambient music breathes and evolves, considers form, melody, harmony, and rhythm. In addition, this particular soundtrack conveys warmth, nostalgia, and an overall friendly feeling that makes it a treat to listen to. Beautiful work!

The use of chime/bell arpeggios throughout the soundtrack strongly contributes to a cohesively magical and relaxing vibe. And while Starry Sea, to me, feels like the best, most complete version of that vibe, I especially liked the ways you surprised or somewhat strayed from that, like with the vocaloid in One Summer Night or the percussion in Shooting Star—I think they fit quite well in the sound world you’ve created. On top of everything, there is a compositional momentum with how the tracks develop which is essential. Great work here!

I absolutely love the sound design and storytelling in this soundtrack! Some moments that stood out for me were the bells at 1:56 and everything between 2:50 to 4:05. I want to hear more of this soundtrack, and it would certainly elevate the game it would be made for. Awesome work!

I don’t have a whole lot of time to give much ratings/feedback on submissions, but I’m happy this one ended up in my queue because I love it, especially Linalool and Below the Skylight! I’m getting hints of Porter Robinson and Machine Girl at times, in a good way. And don’t you think Below the Skylight could use a drop section with some bass? Just an idea. But again, I really enjoyed listening to this soundtrack—it’s a creative, sonic journey that is fun to listen to. Great work!

Eight Summers Ago - Very nice emotional chord progression, and I like that synth melody that comes in.

Promenade - Beautiful work here! Good job developing this track with the falling piano figures and the synth (or organ?) melody. Lovely B section that references the main theme progression.

July’s End - Neat piano writing - nice hearing all those lines going at the same time!

After Everything - A perfect conclusion - great guitar melody and thinning out of instrumentation in the outro.

I really enjoyed this soundtrack which put a smile on my face. The guitar tones are nice and the compositions are strong, especially in tracks 2 and 4. My main point of feedback has to do with production quality—there’s some muddiness in low frequencies and reverbs at times. In some ways, it does help to achieve the unique vibe of the soundtrack, but I would still tone it back a bit to let the compositions breathe. Overall, I thought this was a beautiful soundtrack, and I really enjoyed listening to it!

Beautiful, especially the first track! I love the orchestration, microtonality, and string glissandos. I’m curious what the rest of the soundtrack would sound like if given more time!

Static Silence - Very nice work here! I love the structural rise and fall of this piece, and the electronic and orchestral elements are combined well.

Midnight Signals - This is a great ambient piece for gameplay. Though this one goes on a bit too long in my opinion, it’s just a minor criticism since the piece does develop throughout. Some things I would try sprinkling in could be: silence, dissonant swells, and cymbals. It’s still a great piece though, but perhaps a bit underwhelming when following after the opening track.

I really enjoyed this soundtrack, and, in my opinion, it conveys the night theme perfectly. While I would have loved to hear more tracks, these two sound cohesive and effective at portraying a continuous story. The first track in particular is an exciting and mysterious introduction into the game's world. Great work!

Comes to Life - I like the glitchy sounds towards the end of this track!

Ashore - I like the use of acoustic guitar and the string ostinato that starts at 2:30. There are also some sounds that are hard to identify starting at 2:30 that sound like flutes, but they’re cool too! I felt like this track had a lot of potential to explode into a faster, more energetic arrangement.

Under Currents - Interesting whispering and glitchy static with synth ambience in the background. Nice synth design and chime sounds in this track!

Really great work here! I felt like some effects could have been toned down a bit, especially with the reverb in Comes to Life at 1:15 and the guitar delay in Ashore. I also think tracks 2 and 3 could have used greater textural shifts, especially considering how long they go on for—maybe an extended silence, faster section, drums, or something like that. Overall though, I really do appreciate the compositional aspects of your soundtrack, which shine through in the development of “Comes to Life”. This was a cool submission, and I felt that it was still cohesive even with the different styles/moods explored so nice work!

What I really love about your soundtrack is your use of chords and sound design, especially in tracks 3, 5, 7, and 8. The guitar tone with the chords used in track 3, “Your advice is not for the present me”, sounds really cool. My main point of feedback is that some of your tracks could use a change in harmony or texture for a contrasting B section. For example, I love the sounds and chords in “Winsome Gloaming”, but a different section—perhaps a soaring synth melody—would put it over the top for me. Overall, I thought this was an eclectic soundtrack that was fun to listen to!

When it all went bad - Cool glitches and space ship sound design.

First steps + the carnival - Nice use of theremin, vocals, and whistling. Great storytelling through footstep sounds, night ambience, and music fades. A highlight for me was when the footsteps became a part of the music at 0:55.

This is a creative piece that blurs the line between soundtrack and SFX, which makes it somewhat difficult for me to rate in the context of the jam criteria and other submissions. The SFX design is great, but something that would be really cool that I thought of from listening to your soundtrack is if the diegetic music faded into a bigger arrangement of nondiegetic music (kinda like scource or transdiegetic music). Just an idea!

seaside - Some highlights in this track for me were the string notes at 0:50 and the piano chord at 1:09. The piano could have a more delicate quality to it (slower and softer dynamics).

wildchild - Interesting genre switch that is quite fitting for a rocker character archetype.

hermit - Cool use of retro sounds and nice job with reusing motifs.

flying tomatoes - Nice switch to a jazz style. I would make the saxophone louder in the second half.

distant waves - Great closing piece that calls back to the first track.

Good job here! Be careful with dissonance—I would use it more sparingly, contrasted against moments of consonance. Similarly, tracks 2, 3, and 4 would benefit greatly from B sections that contrast your existing ideas, like a change in texture or chord progression, for example. Overall, I think that it is really cool that you were able to work with so many different genres for this soundtrack and use the different genres for character themes—maybe that idea could even be extended towards entire chapters or different interactions for each character!

Twinkling - Nice chime-like sound design to accompany the hazy retro synths, and I like the contrary motion between the ascending main synth and the descending accompanying synth.

Smoke Break - Because of the sounds used (flute, percussion, synth), this one sorta gives me a lazy tropical/jungle vibe which is quite pleasant and relaxing. 

Break of Dawn - The idea and execution are well done here, but just be careful with the dissonant harmonies which could have been controlled with more intention. Very nice crescendo and resolution at the end.

Nice work here! I could see this soundtrack being used in games similar to Omori or Earthbound. My main piece of feedback for you is that each track could use a B section to contrast the main idea—like a greater change in overall texture or chord progression. Overall, I really like the joyful vibe of your soundtrack which helped make it feel quite cohesive.

Really interesting sound manipulation - it definitely feels... grainy. Good spacing between each sound element and good variation of phrases/articulations too. I think it would have been cool to replace the wind with an eerie pad at some point, or to layer something else in, but overall, this is a great fit for Soul Sand Valley and Minecraft. Good work!

I like this track a lot. Love the chord progression and the key change at 2:17. Unique interpretation of the Minecraft sound that still fits perfectly (though for the End, maybe it's too chill?) Overall, really great work!

Lovely piece, very cute, and put a smile on my face! Perfectly fits in with the Minecraft sound. Your choice of sounds are great and there is a good pace in how the piece develops. The harmony and melodies are simple but very pleasing. In the second half, I would suggest making the pulsing/modulation on the lead synth more subtle - a much smaller range of modulation and more locked into the tempo. Overall, I really enjoyed this piece. Great work!

Good job composing within this retro sound. What I liked most about it was the interplay of different melodic voices at times. It's somewhat difficult for me to identify the different sections, so in addition to changing the harmonic progression, I would suggest changing the arrangement during new sections too. For example, dropping out the bass and most of the percussion except hi hat for 4-8 bars. That way, the listener really feels it when you bring it back. Good work!

Your ideas and writing are strong. There are some similarities to Asian traditional music which I found interesting. The texture of short sounds in the first 30 seconds are great - I would love to sit in this texture a little longer, maybe with the viola on top. Nice feeling of calmness and slight sadness in the first half. The second half is a bit too busy for me with the low piano chords and constant rhythms on top. I think it's a cool idea, but I would keep the tempo slow and consistent, try to voice the piano chords in a slightly higher register, and simplify the melodies on top. Still, it's a really great work!

Such a rich and beautiful soundscape! I especially enjoyed the processed metal percussion and the phasing, panning wind. Most importantly, you've struck a fine balance between storytelling and ambience - good textural variation and incredibly focused. Great work!

Try to be careful with sustained sounds like the string pad and square wave synth. To make them sound more natural, fade the dynamics/volume over time. Otherwise, it sounds very Minecrafty! Good work!

This is so pretty! The ascending fifth in the left hand keeps everything centered. The piece is a good fit for Minecraft, but I still think there is more room to explore non-diatonic harmonies, different textures, and different orchestration. Lastly, I enjoyed the push and pull of meter and tempo in the piece. Great work!

You did a great job of exploring the full potential of this kind of texture in your different sections and buildups. However, it sounds more like a sci fi track than a Minecraft one. I would suggest slowing down the tempo and replacing some synths with real instrument samples like marimba - it could be cool to hear that mixed with the synthetic elements coming in and out. Great work!

This was a really pretty soundtrack with great orchestration and production quality, reminiscent of JRPG’s like Final Fantasy and Nier. Some of the sections feel so different I feel they can be separate tracks, like the end of Discovery and Quantus. Instead, I’d suggest that there is potential for these tracks to explode into B sections using similar but bigger orchestration, slightly different harmonies, and soaring melodies. I’m most impressed with your electronic sound design and your ability to seamlessly blend them into the orchestra - truly phenomenal! This was a beautiful soundtrack with good variety and a unified vision - an incredibly satisfying listening experience!
(Oh and I also liked the cover art too!)

Thank you! I wanted each track to have a unique character, so they each feature different metal percussion:
Dive - gamelan, Seafloor - tongue drum, Abyss - celesta, Fish Festival - marimba and vibes (marimba is wood, but still fitting), Trinket - music box and kalimba

For me, this was a complete soundtrack. Each track has a unique role in the world/narrative while still feeling unified. The decisions made in terms of composition feel deliberate and well thought out, but it’s also just a nice soundtrack to listen to on its own. Sunday Funday is the perfect vibe for exploring (I imagined a game like Space for the Unbound). I like the sound design and floaty feeling of A World of My Own - that might be my favorite. I really enjoyed this soundtrack! Great work!

Stuck in Time - My favorite track of the two - I definitely hear some Celeste and Undertale in this! Awesome expression in that lead synth, especially when you slow the vibrato towards the end. The arps are especially beautiful. In the intro, there is some interesting detail going on with the effects, low in the mix. I can tell this is going to be an emotional journey.

The Earth Can’t Hold Me - This was epic! Nice harmonies, bold panning choices. Based on your story, the way I see this track being implemented in a game is in vertical layers, where each layer fades in as the character walks closer to the end. So I think the drums and choir at 3:22 could each fade in separately, as well as the guitar at 4:02. The mix is somewhat overwhelming at times - maybe some tracks could be balanced better or EQ/filtered, like a high-pass filter on the panning synth. Good job with the key changes - these really complete the narrative arc!

Overall, the composition and production are emotional, dynamic, and creative. You have a very strong grasp of narrative writing, throughout the soundtrack and in each individual track. I also wonder what the rest of the soundtrack could sound like - perhaps with some lighter, neutral emotions to contrast these important story beats? Great work here!

I can tell you had a ton of fun with this project! Really good composition and orchestration. The production is great, just watch out for mixing stuff like reverb - I suggest sending everything to a reverb bus so they all sound like they are in the same room, and not too much! The Nest of the Unkindness might be my favorite - love the contrast between the fat bass synths, the marimba clusters, and upper melodic lines. This was a fun and well-crafted soundtrack that had me smiling throughout!

Inside my world - the keys/synth is very warm and cozy while the brass is fun and quirky. It was a great idea to have sections with and without brass because there is nice contrast!

Inside phantazia - cool sound choices. Dreamlike yes, but more nostalgic than ominous to me. The banjo sound in particular has a rustic charm to it.

Inside my guilt - creative use of rhythm here, kind of alternating between a swing in 4 feel to a straight 3 feel.

Inside my fear - love this track! The pad sound combined with the echo effects are beautiful - particularly love the vibes. The crackle is peak ambience. I was waiting for this track to explode into a breakbeat - could work for an alternate version with a synth lead maybe?

Inside my bravery - really nice open harmony in the pads! And interesting pitch drifting. This track goes on for a while without much change - I personally wouldn’t mind shorter tracks, especially since we know that most game music is meant to be looped!

Inside my innocence - beautiful instrumentation and groove especially in that slightly dissonant gamelan(?) sound.

Inside my comfort - great emotional melodic writing! It would be cool to have a contrasting section where everything shrinks down to a solo instrument, maybe piano playing the melody over arpeggiated chords?

Inside my heart - really beautiful way to close out the soundtrack. Nice extensions in the string harmonies. There’s a wonderful tension between the primal percussion and the sophisticated strings. This would be so beautiful with a solo violin melody on top! This is tied with Inside my innocence as my favorites!

Overall: I love the journey you’re taking us on - the game you are writing for definitely feels like an emotional one. And you captured the 2000s sound very well - I’m reminded of Pseudoregalia in some of these tracks and Undertale in others, and it sounds very cohesive! This is already a fantastic soundtrack - some contrasting harmony in B sections with melodies would push it over the top for me. But considering you did this in 24 hours, I have no real complaints. Awesome work!

I enjoyed the story that was told throughout this collection of tracks - my favorite track is Towards Our Reflections. Your composition skills and sound choices are good, and you have great potential! I would recommend learning about “avoid notes” since I heard this kind of dissonance in And it Stared Back. Overall, this was a nice soundtrack with strong storytelling - keep it up!

I'd appreciate some feedback! Thanks! https://itch.io/jam/ost-composing-jam-7/rate/2846728

Make a Fish - That awesome bassline makes this my favorite track. I think the drums could be louder and snappier. The vocal you used towards the end adds so much, and dropping out the bass there was a powerful move.

Load or Save Fish - This seems like a remix/reinterpretation of Make a Fish. The difference in sound design is interesting, I just wish there were new and distinct elements that set it apart from Make a Fish.

Ready to Dive? - The instrument sound you chose is very relaxing and reminds me of a kalimba in some ways. Combined with the arpeggios in the composition, it makes for a great file select track.

This was a fun soundtrack overall - good work!

Track 1 - love the vocal resonance in this one - it feels very mysterious. My favorite moment is 1:02 - 1:13, since I can hear a G# tone that seems to pitch bend down as the wind noise comes in. 

Track 2 - I’d suggest using fade-ins or filter automation for the start of those layered audio clips because the sudden room noise is somewhat distracting. And check out noise reducer plugins if you haven’t already.

Track 3 - the bassy drone and whisper noises are working really well for me, but the static room noise is a bit loud for me personally and overshadows the drone and whispers.

Track 4 - this track is genuinely scary. The combination of the drone, the thumping, and the snarling are perfect!

Just watch out for the finer details of sound production since that’s very important in this style. Overall, I had a very fun time trying to listen for the different sounds woven into your texture. Each track has their own character, but they still feel dark and unified. Very cool and creative submission!