tournament Vanishing Letters 9 | WINNER REVEALED (p.187)| #WinterComing

[ughgabriel]

GOOD LUCK

[Psycho]

[Noah]

[Noah]

stream love for sale

[Overprotected]

ROUND 16: HAPPY AND SAD

 

Rank the entries and send them to me through ATRL or Discord preferably

 

Excluding your entry, rank from 1-5:

 

1. ex: Home[BEST SONG]

2. ex: HIgher  [2ND BEST SONG]

…

5. ex: Against The Time [WORST SONG]

 

Judges will be ranking and critiquing too

 

Spoiler

Gwen Stefani - Cool

Grimes - Oblivion

HAIM - Don't Wanna

Lily Allen - LDN

Kelela - Rewind

Marina - Blue

Spotify Playlist

 

DEADLINE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2ND 9PM EST

Spoiler

 

@Kavish

 

@Alena

 

@Noah

 

 

 

 @ughgabriel

@Element

@Psycho

 

 

 

@clue  @minho  @thecptz  @mokitsu  @Navyofbadgals  @Fruity  @Staryu

 

[Psycho]

Cleared

[Alena]

my thoughts, round 16

 

Gwen Stefani - Cool - cool song indeed! it's such a cute song. however the lyrics are actually very positive/optimistic and not sad. like it does have a happy ending to it and all.

Grimes - Oblivion - such a wonderful song! the whole thing is just so magical to me.

HAIM - Don't Wanna - this is actually cute! HAIM's songs aren't really something i go back to but on these ATRL games some of them have been surprisingly good actually.

Lily Allen - LDN - a very smart choice!!! it fits the round perfectly. these old Lily songs still have that special feel to them.

Kelela - Rewind - love her voice!! a very nice song ^^

Marina - Blue - i LOVE FROOT so much and this song is so so so good. this also goes with the round perfectly.

 

♥

[Staryu]

 

Gwen Stefani - Cool

Really cute/pleasant song from Gwen, it's kind of a happy song and not really sad.

Ex lovers that are happy to be friends, they have a happy ending.

 

Grimes - Oblivion

This song is so cutesy and upbeat for such dark subject matter,

she's like a cute fairy singing about a night stalker  very on theme for me

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna

This is probably my favorite HAIM song, I know it's very light and simple production but I love how it builds up.

The lyrics are fitting for the round, a bad break up set to this peppy bassline.

 

Lily Allen - LDN

I love how upbeat and almost cartoony happy this song sounds and then the verses are all these ****ty things she's seeing :coma:

Very fitting for this round    

 

Kelela - Rewind

Another song I love, but I don't really get SAD from it? She's at a club and wants to go back to before

she was obsessed with someone/plotting her next move to make on them? IDK I just don't get sad.  

 

Marina - Blue

Another song I love [2] Blue is my favorite song from Froot, it sounds very upbeat the lyrics are kinda depressing,

she also comes across a little desperate in the lyrics, which is also sad. 

[thecptz]

 

Gwen Stefani - Cool

this is a cool song and the instrumental screams happy yes but the lyrics are not sad? like they're just the ex that in the end...

they want the best for each other so even though its a good song and i enjoyed it a lot, its not that fitting to the theme and is a problem here

 

Grimes - Oblivion

i think this is the grimes track that i enjoyed the most out of all that were submitted this season so there's that!! anyways, this fits the theme

and the production is very cute and just vibey but it packs with such a dark subject and i was like woah... its so heartbreaking, yea good job.

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna

oooh yea this is great.. i think haim with me is a hit or a miss but this is absolutely a hit.. its on theme and its a good song!!!

the production gives me like um happy but sad feelings and even though it doesn't like make me feel like ouch, its still a nice choice

 

Lily Allen - LDN

this is exactly what i want in this round. i love this lily first of all,, its just a fun and dark humor lily and the song is so great and packs with so much contents

the production is just so bright and it screams happiness but if u read the lyrics, you can see its all lies just like she said in the chorus  amazing.

 

Kelela - Rewind

please i love this song but this is totally like not on theme at all like its even worse than cool SCREAMS. this is like a full-on happy song

its about a new love and she just wants this person all the time and thats it LMAO omg.. but yes i do love this song a LOT. its just not on theme

 

Marina - Blue

yea i like this song and the first time i heard it, i thought it was a happy song because of the bright production but the lyrics are quite sad

like its the desperation even though its over and she just doesnt wanna be alone!!!! yea fitting to the theme and a great choice.

 

Spoiler

@Psycho @ughgabriel @Alena @Element @Kavish @Noah

[mokitsu]

 

Spoiler

 

Gwen Stefani - Cool -  Where's the sadness?

 

 

Grimes - Oblivion - I was shocked when I first read these lyrics. Amazing entry for this round and an immaculate song, still her best imo. The production is dark but danceable enough and her singing in a child's voice about sexual assault gives it a really eerie vibe. Love it.

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna - Not my favorite on this album, it gets a little repetitive. But it's a solid entry here.

 

Lily Allen - LDN - Nnnn Lily is kinda the master at this kind of songs isn't she? Very sunny and bubbly and breezy, and the lyrics are so sharp they could cut glass or whatever the saying is.

 

Kelela - Rewind - You just wanted to send a Kelela song regardless of how it fit the round

 

Marina - Blue - This was kinda the star of the era at least in my circles. The prechorus is like super iconic and the chorus just sends me to another stratosphere.

 

 

Spoiler

@Psycho @ughgabriel @Alena @Element @Kavish @Noah

 

[Kavish]

 

⸸ Kavish ⛧ Kritiques ⸸

~

 

Gwen Stefani – Cool

Lyrics :

Gwen is in a good place. She has found the love of her life and "everything is going right". The only bittersweet (not sad) aspect of the song is when she reminisces about her ex, but even that is seen with a positive outlook. She is glad that they are still friends, that he has found someone else, and she even gets along with the girlfriend. Great for them, but unfortunately for you, they are too cool.

 

Sound :

The instrumental matches the lyrics : the chorus is upbeat to match the notion that they are still cool, but the intro and verses reflect the nostalgic feeling that she conveys. Therefore, the song does not sound "happy" to me, but "bittersweet". It's one of my favourite songs and I love bittersweet-sounding songs, but it's not meant for this round.

 

Grimes – Oblivion

Lyrics :

Dark subject matter. Grimes warns about the dangers of being out at night and the possibility of being assaulted. She alludes to loneliness and how she has to be her own protector despite her weakness. The line that punches harder is "See you on a dark night", which refers to the paranoia that she feels every time she steps out. She is always expecting it to happen, and no one should feel that way.

 

Sound :

The overall atmosphere is ambiguous, which is a good reflection of the uncertainty of going out at night, and the instrumental gets lively and bouncy enough for it to sound "happy" in good Grimes fashion. The dancey beat at 1:50 as she sings "la la la la la" and the euphoric switch at 2:27 are both so deceptive that we forget that the subject matter is actually dark and traumatising to the singer.

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna

Lyrics :

Captures the feeling of breaking up with someone and still longing for them. The saddest aspect is hooking up with strangers for sexual gratification while hoping that one day your lover will return, because only them can fill the hole that matters : the one in your heart.

 

Sound :

The instrumental is groovy and upbeat, and the explosion during the final chorus and outro gives the impression that they have found love, when in fact they are trying to save it. It commands the listener to move physically, while the lyrics move you emotionally.

 

Lily Allen – LDN

Lyrics :

Lily sings about a seemingly beautiful day, but how everything is actually ugly underneath the facade. With this she highlights the illusion of everyone's life and how perception can be misleading. We can go around thinking everything is perfect, but "if you look twice, you can see it's all lies".

 

Sound :

The song sounds so celebratory that it masks the subject matter, which was a great production choice. The instrumental acts as the curtain of happiness and beauty, while the lyrics reveal the sad and ugly truth behind the scenes.

 

Kelela – Rewind

Lyrics :

She is talking about falling in love and how the person makes her feel every time he is around. The only "sad" part (in an "aww too bad" way) is that she isn't with him yet.

 

Sound :

The verses are sultry and the chorus is upbeat, but at 2:20 and also during the outro the song gets airy, which causes some of the heat to wear off. It's "vibey"-happy, not "happy"-happy.

 

Marina – Blue

Lyrics :

Even though the song is about not wanting to be down anymore, it still reeks of desperation, which by default makes it sad.  She feels lost and doesn't know what she really wants.  She pushes him away, yet needs him.  

 

Sound :

Encapsulates what it's like to dance through the pain and trying to ease your troubling mind. The instrumental is disco-nuanced and buoyant, and her vocal delivery is an audible contrast to how she is feeling.

 

~

 

[Navyofbadgals]

 

COOL - yeah this one.. doesn't hit the theme out of the park! Don't think I need to explain it any further than that, that said it's a cute song. 

 

OBLIVION - perhaps the most perfect entry one could send. The production is dance-able, but there are subtle touches of darkness here and there. The lyrics are incredibly dark. It's such a good song, one of the best of all time, and it FITS the theme. If you don't win we riot I fear

 

DON'T WANNA - fits the theme and also a lovely HAIM song. It's very cute-sy and very solid

 

LDN - surprised to only see one Lily song this round, this is kinda one of the things she's best at nnn. Anyways this is solid and I love the extreme difference of the sound and the lyrics. Great entry, I miss early Lily 

 

REWIND - bitch **** u for using this song in a round where it doesn't fit. 

 

BLUE - not a big MariNO fan but this def fits the theme which already puts you above two other entries!

Spoiler

@Psycho @ughgabriel @Alena @Element @Kavish @Noah

 

[Navyofbadgals]

10 hours ago, Noah said:

stream love for sale

pass

[touya kinomoto]

Whoever sent Oblivion deserves an automatic slot in the finale.

[thecptz]

34 minutes ago, Navyofbadgals said:

REWIND - bitch **** u for using this song in a round where it doesn't fit. 

 

mte baestie ??

[Psycho]

Gwen Stefani - Cool:

Grimes - Oblivion:

HAIM - Don't Wanna:

Lily Allen - LDN: 

Kelela - Rewind:

Marina - Blue: 

[Noah]

Gwen Stefani - Cool - very cute classic but the lyrics feel more positive or bittersweet at most and not necessarily sad as others have said 

 

Grimes - Oblivion - such an amazing song  possibly one of the best ever me thinks  a perfect fit for this round too 

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna - a bop and one of my favorites from them 

 

Lily Allen - LDN - a cute sing and very fitting for the theme 

 

Kelela - Rewind - a nice song but I agree with others that it’s a bit of a reach for the theme 

 

Marina - Blue - such a classic and a great choice for this round 

[ughgabriel]

 

gwen stefani - cool

this was one of the songs i’ve been wanting to send for a long time. i love it. i think i understand what you tried going for but at the same time it feels like an interpretation from the listener rather than an objective approach. in the end, the main message of the song is: “even though we didn’t end up together, we found happiness somewhere else”. as i said, i could understand the bittersweetness behind the message, but happiness is a key part in the lyricism

 

grimes - oblivion

i’m a big grimes fan. it’s so fun to think how at times i still dance in my kitchen, cooking while this song is playing. i mean, in the end it’s a song about predatory behavior and sexual assault. i love this just as almost any visions song

 

haim - don’t wanna

the ear pearcing nature of their agonizing squealing expresses a profound suffering, it continuously begs the listener to end the misery of these three porcine beings

 

Spoiler

ok, now honestly, i’m biased but they always play this at work and i’ve found myself bopping and feeling ? around the store when this song plays. i was shook when i found out it was them and i might listen to this album because this one is really really pretty

 

lily allen - ldn

this was the first lily allen song i ever heard. the instrumental sounds straight from the title menu of viva piñata or some campy videogame which i really like and it’s just very peculiar! very fun song on the surface…

 

kelela - rewind

this was a cool listen! i need to explore more of her discography because she has great songs. this one is no exception! i think this one suffers from the same problem as “cool” which is that your interpretation might’ve gotten in the way of the objective meaning. when i read the lyrics, instead of despair and hopelessness (which is what i think was your interpretation), i think of accepting your craving for someone, stubbornness

 

marina - blue

this one is kind of the epitome of the theme. it’s super upbeat while the lyrics are melancholic (a little juvenile too, but that’s marina overall n). this makes me think of those candies that are sweet on the outside while containing a sour filling. really good choice!!

[minho]

 

cool - very melancholic lyrically, I think there’s enough of a hint of sadness/bittersweet reflection that this fits fine. It’s arguably one of her best songs I think, it balances the like soft rock qualities Gwen/ND have with some of the cooler electronic elements you’d find on Gwen’s earlier work. I’m a big fan of this and think it’s a classic~
 

oblivion - visions is her best album by far. The production is just so hard hitting on almost every song. That’s what elevates it here for me. Lyrically it’s quite dark, but because of her vocal delivery you might not attach that sentiment to it. Because you have that instrumental it really clicks. Genius song

 

don’t wanna - oh wow it’s HAIMsties!! Super solid choice, fits the theme, and is a highlight from their best album.

 

ldn - a cute concept for a song but I find it annoying. She isn’t an artist I connect with so I get nothing out of it

 

rewind - not the best for the theme. I would be fine with it if there was more of a bittersweet quality but I don’t find that here. Good song tho, won’t be last

blue - one of her most interesting songs. I don’t find her spectacular, she’s kind of Lana esque for me where I don’t find them artistically endearing, but this is solid and I like it

@Psycho @ughgabriel @Alena @Element @Kavish @Noah

[Overprotected]

 

Gwen Stefani - Cool - Hmm very cute song and kinda on theme? I mean the lyrics don’t strike me as happy to me, she definitely sounds like she’s still a bit emotionally attached to this person. On the other hand the instrumental doesn’t sound that happy to me either, it's got more of a nostalgic sound.

 

Grimes - Oblivion - knocked it out of the part when it comes to the theme, now is this a song I enjoy? Well I wouldn’t turn it off if it started playing which is something I can’t say for most of her music.

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna - Obsessed with this submission, not only is it a banger, it fits perfectly with the round. I love the way the instrumental keeps building up to an explosive “happy” ending that contrasts the fact that she doesn’t wanna let go of her ex lover. 

 

Lily Allen - LDN - Another great entry, I’m usually not a fan of her music but I couldn’t help but bop to this :selbop:

 

Kelela - Rewind - Um idk the lyrics read as just a cute love song to me, I guess you could make a case that there’s some deeper meaning here but then the music isn’t even that happy sounding to really create the kind of contrast we were looking for with this round :(

 

Marina - Blue - I mean the message is very straightforward here, she’s feeling blue and she’s expressing it through a poppy catchy tune, good entry. 

[Element]

Gwen Stefani - Cool

I absolutely understand the interpretation. This is a song that has a lot of pain and historical struggle masquerading behind the shimmering synths and cute melody. Yes, it's a song of acceptance and they are going to move into the future happily... but the emotions preceding are quite relevant and melancholic.

 

Grimes - Oblivion

Yup this has an extremely cool production and makes you want to dance, but the lyrics are quite dark. Great choice.

 

HAIM - Don't Wanna

Very very good song! I enjoyed the production and melody quite a lot, and I think the lyrics worked quite well too.

 

Lily Allen - LDN

I'm sorry but I don't really get this one. I think that if you're criticizing Cool and Rewind for being too abstract, then this could also be in the firing line. The vocals and instrumentation are not for me.

 

Kelela - Rewind

It appears as if the person who sent this song recognized a complexity to the lyrics that might be going over everyone's heads. While it is true that love and obsession has permeated her mind, that joy has been undermined by the fact that this love interest has completely vanished into the aether. She will never see them again. The elevated passion and emotion that she felt will now linger within her soul... but it will never actually be fulfilled, slowly writhing away into bitterness and hopelessness. She will be permanently suspended in a limbo of "what if" while the pulsating club beats surround her broken heart. You want to dance... but you feel nothing but emptiness. WOW. An excellent entry.

 

Marina - Blue

Another really great entry! A bop that really hides a lot of emotion behind its fun exterior.

 

[ughgabriel]

:grimes: 

[ughgabriel]

Ya

[ughgabriel]

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