ultraviolence.xx Posted July 26, 2018 Posted July 26, 2018 30 minutes ago, Corsola said: the way i said the exact same thing in my review wouldn’t know, i’m in the middle of a book right now so i’m not about to start another one x
ultraviolence.xx Posted July 27, 2018 Posted July 27, 2018 8 minutes ago, Corsola said: i actually served succint in my finale reviews thanks agreed but still wanted to drag x
Aurora Posted July 27, 2018 Author Posted July 27, 2018 three done x read the fourth but will do reviews 2nite
Aurora Posted July 27, 2018 Author Posted July 27, 2018 @Gastrodonatella ✪ Opening statement First things first, congratulations on making your first finale! It’s no secret that you were an early front runner and have remained a constant force to be reckoned with throughout this season. I don’t think anyone’s surprised to see you here, and it honestly would be a shame if you weren’t. 1. “Astral Bloom” From a technical standpoint, I actually think “Starlight on the Ocean Floor” was a great choice to write a sister song to as it gave you a lot to play with lyrically and thematically. While I still think some of the issues I took with that song carried over into this one, I did enjoy this. The imagery was very intense and definitely felt as if you were describing a vivid dream. This unique dreamscape element helped make some of the more familiar, regurgitated astral terminology feel a little less contrived and a little more genuinely immersive which is what I felt you were aiming to achieve. Despite feeling disjointed from the rest in some ways, the final section was definitely my favourite and almost read like an epilogue or closing scene from a film that has a strong epic vibe to it. 2. “Oblivion” [REDACTED] 3. “Paper Lanterns” Water and gold don’t seem like a match made in heaven upon first glance, but you certainly proved otherwise. I enjoyed how you went for a more conventional structure with this song because it shows you really don’t have to take a huge structural risk or delve into a very abstract arrangement to produce something that is still highly interesting. The entire time I was reading this I saw a magnificent golden hue so vividly, it actually made me grin at times. Evoking genuine emotion through lyrics alone is difficult, especially happiness, but this song achieved it for me. I almost wish you hadn’t altered the chorus because I do feel the first is ever-so-slightly stronger than the second, namely the “scattered in the sky” part which reads better than “while the full moon rose”. I’m going to analyse a specific lyric in the bridge, because I had two issues with it. Firstly, the “My heart beat” part should either be “My heart beats” or “Our hearts beat”, but secondly, if a heart beats to the “rise and fall of every gentle breath”, that would be quite an alarmingly slow heartbeat. Admittedly, it does sound pretty, but it doesn’t really work on a technical level. But really, this is like focusing on one unlit lantern in a sea of glowing ones. 4. “Eden” Hmm, re-submitting the (current) song of the season? Why does that ring a bell. Some would call it the ultimate risk, but I definitely think this was a clever decision. It has been a few months since we first reviewed this, but for me it’s still every bit as good as I recall. The changes you made were subtle but with purpose and did actually elevate the song from the original in those places. I can’t recall if I took issue with this the first time around–certain things do become more apparent when you’re down to just 4 writers rather than 26–but I would have liked to see another stanza in the second verse to create some uniformity between the three verses. I also felt the ‘other side/countryside’ rhyme had room for improvement. Minor critiques, but these are the things that separate the high scores from the really high scores and are worth noting nevertheless. ✪ Closing statement You’ve delivered a great collection of songs for this finale which showcase not only who you are as a writer but also who you are as a person and you should feel proud of that. I do have a clear favourite, but I don’t aim to belittle your other offerings by admitting this. I feel you made some clever choices, as well as some interesting ones, and I look forward to seeing if your risks ultimately pay off. You served four diverse, lyrically-focused pieces with great attention to imagery, meter and rhyming. There were clear messages or stories you wanted to share and didn’t let a specific structure restrict you from doing so in what you felt was the best way. Good luck and may the best artist win! @minho ✪ Opening statement Congratulations on making the finale and joining the ranks of a select few who have competed in two finales! You’re the sole returning finalist for this season (as well as the first former winner to make a second finale since Hug back in Season 9, if I know my PH history), so just by *being* here you’ve already knocked over a few more PH achievements. 1. “the fox (きつね)” This was a very cleverly constructed song because despite it not having any obvious structure or repeating sections such as a chorus, there were other techniques utilised to help the final product feel more like a song rather than a poem, despite it being very poetic. Every lyric in your first two sections is gorgeous. The prolonged rhyme scheme in the third is very clever and none of the rhymes feel unnatural or forced. The internal rhyming and alive/dead juxtaposition in the fourth is flawless. I loved the little reference to your other songs, and they didn’t feel tacky or forced. The whole piece read like a classic minho song and felt very authentic and true to you, showcasing the best elements of your style in a multitude of ways. 2. “Shadow of the Colossus” You had a rather difficult title to work with but I think the metaphorical approach you’ve taken was definitely a good angle… although it’s not entirely metaphorical, is it? I liked the jolt back to reality in the second verse, it brought a unique element to the song. I would have liked to have seen this dance between metaphorical and literal explored even further actually, because that was my favourite part of the song, it introduced a really interesting dynamic. I think you did well to capture what it truly feels like to drift apart from someone. 3. “summer” This was refreshingly casual for you and felt almost effortless at times. This was good because it was enjoyable, but in a way it also felt more like an air song than an earth song, or at least a hybrid of air, earth and even fire at times. While you stated your chemical element was iron, gold felt like it had more of a presence within your song, too. Technical challenge specifications aside, this was still a lovely song. I enjoyed the verses a lot, as well as the outro section. The hook had a real vibe, it felt like it had to be sung with a sense of carelessness, which was fitting, but I also think it could have been stronger. 4. “夢中夢 / Dream in a Dream” I recall this being my favourite song of the round it was submitted for, and I still believe it to be significantly underrated amongst your discography, so I’m glad to see you have chosen this for your retouch over the seemingly obvious #1 hit “Day One”. It remains one of my favourites from you, and this is true even within this finale. You’ve been able to create such a clear picture with your words and it feels as if I’ve been transported to this place. This is my favourite song of yours incorporating rain, which has been an underlying connection between a lot of your songs this season. ✪ Closing statement While I don’t believe I ever saw your submissions for the Season 7 finale, if they were of a similar quality to the entries you’ve submitted for this finale, I can see why you were crowned the winner. When you hit high you really, really hit high, as we’ve seen multiple times throughout this season already, and in this collection of finale entries again. I do feel you have some entries here that are stronger than others, but that’s only natural. I commented on a few of your songs having similarities throughout this season, but you’ve submitted four unique entries that showcase different skills and techniques that work well on their own. Good luck and may the best artist win! @ceremonials ✪ Opening statement Well done on making your first finale!… if we’re honest, this should be your second finale, but I’m sleep. You began this season boldly and set out to write songs inspired by video games all season, and that’s exactly what you’ve done, and done so well. I don’t think anyone’s managed to not only execute such a specific personal task before, but done so all the way into the finale. 1. “Twilight Princess” If nothing else, your video game inspiration has certainly provided you with some epic song titles. I really loved the concept of this song, and it’s interesting that you introduced a character who resented the twilight and stars because too often in PH these nighttime and astral elements are being utilised for positive or dreamy scenarios, so it was nice to see an alternate usage for them. There were a few scattered issues with meter, the most obvious being in the chorus: “The sunset is as a…”, I’m not sure if you meant to have both ‘is’ and ‘as’ but it was hard to read without it sounding awkward. The bridge served as a nice way to show that over time her thoughts on twilight had changed, but I wouldn’t have minded some more development to show us *how* she learned to love it; a few lines to show the reasoning behind her gradual change of heart would have been great. 2. “Anger Point” I find it rather peculiar that you decided to somewhat base your song on the original structurally, thematically and/or stylistically etc. rather than to completely reinvent it seeing as the purpose of this challenge was to take *just* the title of an underperforming song and give it justice without any restrictions. You mentioned wanting to step out of your box, which is fantastic, but I didn’t feel as if you were serving “one trick pony” anyway. Regardless, this is definitely “Björkpop”. I liked the extended metaphor and the analogies you used, admittedly the structure does aid with that build up to the climax when the pressure is just too much, so in that instance the structural choice makes sense. The fish lyric was a choice, but walking into the tsunami willingly was a powerful moment. 3. “The Wind Waker” Yeah, I really loved this. It was designed to be your most accessible song, and I swear I even picked up on elements of “Stardust” (will we ever stop mentioning this iconic song?) but it deserves all of my praise. Sure, oxygen might be a predictable chemical choice for an air song but you found an obvious connection and ran with it which is clever because it feels so natural. Not everything has to be a huge risk. Your rhyming and meter was super strong on this song, definitely the strongest out of your finale entries and possibly all season, the concept is familiar in the best way and represented in a unique one, and it definitely felt like an air song. Not much to fault here at all. 4. “The Last of Us” Of all your songs inspired by video games (which is essentially all of them, right?) I feel this is the most plot-heavy in that it’s a direct continuation of the events the characters experience in the game. Songs like “Twilight Princess” or “The Wind Waker” were inspired by games but the subject matters could apply to any real-world relationship, whereas this is definitely a lot more specific. I think that can be both a pro and a con. There is an element of relatability that the others have which this song does not… this is mostly just an observation. There are plenty of great lyrics in this song, which is why it served you so well the first time, and the bridge introduces a powerful twist element. There are still meter issues, which I think just comes from some of the lines being super long and wordy, but it’s still easy enough to follow along and enjoy. Your outro ends on a rather ominous and thought-provoking note, which is a fantastic way to utilise an outro. ✪ Closing statement It may be game over for everyone after this episode, but your high-scores will always be remembered. With each season you’ve competed in since Season 8 you’ve just gotten better and better and emerged as one of the most well-known and well-liked star competitors. Your run this season almost reminds me of my run in Diamond Hit, consistently placing in the Top 10 and snatching a #1 right at the tail end of the tournament. You stayed true to your underlying season concept right through to the very end, which is definitely admirable, and you’ve submitted another four great entries that can stand tall amongst the rest of your PH discography. Good luck and may the best artist win! @UFO ✪ Opening statement I’m beyond ecstatic to see you here in this season’s finale. You’re one of the few remaining active players who has been around since even before I have and you’ve been such an integral part of Platinum Hit’s development over the past few years, so it’s fantastic to see you get every bit of recognition that you deserve. 1. “Becoming Human” This destroyed me and my poor wigless scalp. From the social commentary to the uniqueness of the concept to the flawless execution to the interesting spoken elements to the near perfect rhyming and meter, there was just so much to love about this song. It felt like a real coming-of-age anthem in some ways and was bittersweet and managed to make you feel so invested within such a short amount of time. This was the kind of song that only you would write and you’ve done such a magnificent job in crafting it. I SCREAMED when I got to the key change because they’re my weakness, and although it doesn’t work because it’s just lyrics, the thought alone is exciting. Only thing I would say is you can’t really have a pre-chorus without a chorus following by rule (just a labelling issue) but all in all, this was amazing. 2. “Tonight / Skeleton Flower (산하엽)” This was somewhat refreshing coming from you being so succinct, especially considering that what you’ve written is essentially a two-part song. I appreciate the bravery in selecting the longer title, even though it was the far more restrictive option. I think you’ve done well to write a song which fits this title and doesn’t feel unnatural or forced. The “Tonight” segment was nice, but didn’t particularly excite me, and all felt rather unoriginal. I actually preferred the transition bridge. The “Skeleton Flower” section however definitely served justice for this wonderful title. I loved how you used both the literal flower, as well as the lyric about being a skeleton of winter and a flower in spring; that second interpolation of the title was truly creative. I would have preferred to see a full “Skeleton Flower” song fleshed out, but ultimately the decision was yours, and what you’ve written is still good overall. 3. “Candles in the Sky” By chance, there were multiple entries involving lanterns or candles this finale, but what gorgeous imagery do they invite? For me, this was the closest to your old style from seasons’ past which–to me–is raw with a clear direction but is perhaps lacking a little in the refinement department. This is most noticeable in the verses, but I also feel like your pre-chorus could have been cut down a bit and your chorus tightened up as well. Candles fit fire, sure, but I associate them more with the light they produce rather than the flame… I would have liked to have seen fire represented on a grander scale. This is still a nice song but I can’t help but compare it to “Paper Lanterns” and “summer” (and vice versa) and find where this sits amongst them all. 4. “Rings of Saturn” You probably had the hardest decision of all the finalists when selecting which song to submit for this challenge as you were the only finalist to not have a Top 10-peaking song in the early episodes of this season (besides your collaboration), but I think if anything you have shown that this song was maybe a little underrated the first time around. I compared this version to the original and the changes you have made were so wonderful and really elevated this song quite a way. The hook is so much stronger, and the first two lines of the first verse especially were really well set up. Every section is much stronger in this final version than in the original and it just shows the power of a few months and a fresh pair of eyes. Being an #11-peaking hit, the original obviously had potential, and this was the fully-realised version of it. ✪ Closing statement Your Platinum Hit journey has been one of the most elaborate and extravagant of the lot, and no matter what happens it’s good to know we can count on you to be involved with the next season, having been involved in all 9 (!!) seasons since your debut in Season 5. It’s honestly impressive that after so many seasons and (probably) hundreds of PH submissions, you’ve managed to re-peak and make your first finale. Your finale songs are all very indicative of your traditional style, some at peak form and would likely stand amongst your best-ever entries submitted for this tournament over the years. You’ve worked so hard to get to this point and improved so much season after season and I feel all of those hours have definitely paid off. Good luck and may the best artist win!
Aurora Posted July 27, 2018 Author Posted July 27, 2018 fun facts: - each challenge was "won" by a different artist for me - everyone received at least one 9+ (1,800,000) scoring (selling) song from me - 'uncovered' had my highest average and 'reverse engineering' had my lowest average - nobody flopped congratulations all!
SaintWest Posted July 27, 2018 Posted July 27, 2018 all reviews coming tonight, sweaties @Gastrodonatella @minho @ceremonials@UFO
SaintWest Posted July 28, 2018 Posted July 28, 2018 (edited) @Gastrodonatella, it's been an absolute pleasure reading your entries. We've had our ups and downs during the season, but we always delivered SOMETHING, so bravo on the perseverance. I'm not going to say anything sappy or bs you with, "YOU REALLY FOUND YOUR VOICE THIS SEASON..." because you found it a while ago, you just sometimes make it difficult to hear. Anyways, I know what it's like to pour your heart into a season, so congratulations and I sincerely hope we get to play side by side again next season. Your impact on PH, its players, judges and hosts, is greatly appreciated and I have had an absolute joy watching you bring light and laughter to the game each season. ASTRAL BLOOM – OK but this is actually more an appropriation of my song Constellations. I literally used that exact same word. I’m lowkey screaming. “Visions trapped in bubbles pass me by / Like snowglobes keeping universes bottled up inside.” That really knocked. I think Starlight will always be the favorite sister, but this was a cute relative that you see at family gatherings that has a little bit of a temper and a history of violence so you stay away from her, but she’s still fun and hates D*n*ld Trump so you can't like, HATE hate her. And tbh, I’m like 50% sure you stole lines from my songs on purpose, because this was kinda an amalgamation of Constellations. I actually preferred Paper Lanterns overall, but I also appreciate a well-executed Constellations ripoff. OBLIVION – Beautiful. PAPER LANTERNS – Rapunzel’s 60ft weave has been YANKED from the roots and has been found floating in a moat somewhere in Corona. This is what we ladies like to call, a SOTS. Starlight tried to pull a Tonya Harding, and take away the crown from Paper Lanterns, but she's the Nancy Kerrigan of this competition, pulling through despite her setbacks. This is my favorite Gastro song, hands down. The cohesiveness, the imagery, the STORYTELLING. I felt like this had a very clear beginning, middle and end and I loved that. Takes me back to Midsummer days (clock the self-promo, babe). Very few times is a song an effortless hit, so be proud that accomplished that, regardless of how you place in the finale. EDEN – We know her and we stanned. I definitely noticed things the second go around that made me appreciate it a lot more than I did when it was initially submitted. Edited July 28, 2018 by SaintWest
SaintWest Posted July 28, 2018 Posted July 28, 2018 (edited) Aw, @minho, baby. You were such an underdog this season for me (only because I don't really know you!) but I am so happy you're here in the finale. Summer is a song I fell in love with and I hope you realize what a great writer you are. Please never stop writing because you are too good at it! Best of luck! The Fox – Off the bat, the rhymes seem a bit too easy for me. BUT I really like the concept and what you were working towards. You definitely succeeded at carrying my interest throughout the song. I don’t think it’s your strongest piece necessarily, but it was still a cute read and I loved how whimsical and quaint it felt. Shadow of the Colossus – I think ultimately your song succumbed for feeling very surface level; I don’t think any of the ways you brought your concept to life were necessarily originally or creative. It definitely felt like a base level drifting-apart-from-somebody song. It was still written well, so don’t be too discouraged. You did well! Summer – Okay, verse, you better pop off! This is my favorite minho song to date! It was refreshing to read, and even though ultimately a sad song at heart, it felt very light and uplifting. Really good job! This is definitely one of the few songs from this season that I probably will remember for a while. Dream in a Dream – Nothing too crazy to note, except that I did go ahead and bump this score up from what it was previously. @ceremonials You will always hold such a nice place in my heart for being such a nice competitor my first season. I have loved being able to review your songs every week and they have always stood out amidst the rest for either your writing style, or concepts. I don't even know what to say, because you already know you're well deserving of this spot in the finale. I wish you all the best. The Last of Us – This was one of my favorite entries this season from you. Despite being a little too straight forward for me, I think it was a great song. I definitely had a much larger appreciation for it this second time through. Anger Point – Don’t you dare come at me with that opening hook and expect me to still be breathing? “Letting the anger build and build” WHEW…… Girl this was powerful! I take back what I said in your last review, this is my favorite Cere song. This is what we call a finale song; I could never. I’m sure I could find some faults in this song but I enjoyed reading it, it resonated with me, and I’m content with leaving it at that. The Wind Waker – The first line was definitely a mouthful. “Crisp,” “replenishes,” “rolling fields,” (for me) were a lot for one line. Also, I think I used tailwinds in my song Kite? So my lawyers will see you in court. But really, this was a perfectly good song. “I close my eyes then count to ten,” are great, personable lines that really help make the song accessible. You came, you saw, you conquered, as always. Twilight Princess – I think this was sweet, and succinct. I know someone else already addressed the “is,” and “as,” in the chorus, so I won’t point that out. @UFO! I am so proud of how far you've come. You have been such an amazing contestant this season serving us LOOKS and CONCEPTS galore. You have developed so much as a writer this season and I have absolutely looked forward to each and every one of your entries for the past few months. You made it to the finals! Go out and celebrate for accomplishing such a feat! Becoming Human – Ex-Machina is bopping to this right now. “You catapult me towards a dangerous dream,” wow. That’s a line, even out of the context of the song. In context, it perfectly encapsulates what this character is experiencing. You really went for a concept that was intriguing. This was simply fantastic from beginning to end. Truly, my favorite UFO song ever. I’d be surprised if you could ever top this! Tonight/Skeleton Flower – Well, you definitely made the title work. But that’s really no surprise; queen of creativity. Anyways, I actually really loved this song. I could nitpick somethings, but really at this point, it’s not necessary. I think this was a really great song that served emotion and depth. I also think the way you tackled the theme didn’t feel too derivative of a million other songs focusing on the same topic, so well done. That’s usually my biggest complaint about songs like these. Candles in the Sky – I think this wasn’t your strongest entry this week. I felt like this was the one (and it happened to everybody) that needed a little extra work. I like it’s optimistic, moving forward message though, and the pre-chorus was definitely a big standout for me. “In this festival of light, I see the hope in the eye of the fire,” was my favorite line by far. Rings of Saturn – Reading this a second time did give me a higher appreciation of the song, thus your score will reflect that. I think parts felt a little too abstract and discombobulated for me, but overall, I think this song is a perfect representation of your writing and creativeness and I loved ending this season reviewing this song. Edited July 28, 2018 by SaintWest
Aurora Posted July 28, 2018 Author Posted July 28, 2018 2 minutes ago, minho said: I know it's almost over! wow! so results? @Aurora Not tonight as there is a lot to prepare but I can do this time tomorrow night if that works for (most) people?
Hug Posted July 28, 2018 Posted July 28, 2018 I'm gonna pay for this They're gonna burn me at the stake
Aurora Posted July 29, 2018 Author Posted July 29, 2018 Episode 10 Chart Analysis ☆ Finale Welcome all songwriters, artists and record executives. The finale of Platinum Hit 12: Stardom will commence in approximately 20 minutes. Everyone who has participated throughout the season is welcome to don their best dresses and suits for the red carpet and congratulate the amazingly talented Final 4 on an immensely impressive effort this season. The Stardust Bar on the PH Discord server is also serving free drinks to celebrate. @ceremonials@UFO@minho@Gastrodonatella Who will be destined for stardom? 1 @Lane Boy 22 @ceremonials 2 @KatyCatPH 23 @ICEY 3 @Lucky#17 24 @Buyonce1814 4 @Lémur 25 @Witch Privilege 5 @Speezy 26 @Alesus 6 @PoKiTaurus 27 @MattyTacos 7 @Auburn 28 @Corsola 8 @Achilles. 29 @RihsusChrist(ATG) 9 @Satan 30 @beatinglikeadrum 10 @UFO 31 @Gastrodonatella 11 @r.e.m. 32 @Body Talk⠀ 12 @Obsession 33 @Avocado 13 @FCKNAmbrosia 34 @Nait Phoenix 14 @Kylie Jenner 35 @Citrus 15 @Xedretinz Lododnz 36 @funnellegs 16 @Lukey 37 @CountryBritney 17 @OreGuy 38 @Wild Child 18 @conatus 39 @SeanKevinMusic 19 @Tsareena 40 @Overprotected 20 @OKURRR 41 @Temporal 21 @Kunst 42 @minho
beatinglikeadrum Posted July 29, 2018 Posted July 29, 2018 (edited) Disco Voodoo Queen has arrived. Edited July 29, 2018 by beatinglikeadrum
Speezy Posted July 29, 2018 Posted July 29, 2018 I didn’t have enough money left over from my sales to catch an Uber so I’m galloping in on a horse Be there in a few
Aurora Posted July 29, 2018 Author Posted July 29, 2018 Episode 10 Chart Analysis ☆ Finale Welcome, welcome. We have gathered here for the final chart analysis of what has been one of the most… interesting seasons of Platinum Hit in recent memory. From multiple communications networks going down to last-minute challenge revamps to the first experience with song sales instead of traditional scoring, there have been many firsts. Like any season, there were the low points, but there were also plenty of highs and the community is really what makes this tournament one of the most successful and long-lasting franchises ATRL has seen. Our schedule tonight will be a fairly straight forward one, as there need not be any manipulation since the sales are just that close! SCHEDULE PRE-ALBUM RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ~ YIN AND YANG RANKING REVERSE ENGINEERING RANKING BALANCE IS ELEMENTAL RANKING UNCOVERED RANKING ~ FOURTH PLACE REVEAL THIRD PLACE REVEAL WINNER AND RUNNER-UP REVEAL ~ SONG OF THE SEASON @ceremonials@UFO@minho@Gastrodonatella Who will be destined for stardom?
Hug Posted July 29, 2018 Posted July 29, 2018 Really, it's 9:01 ESt and the winner hasn't been announced? Honestly the incompetence this season is baffling. (kidding)
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