1. bulletproof
   cotmm68030
2. Dodge, Lift
   Misael.K
3. Savage, Tokai, and Meistr - Femme Fatale
   Meistr

Yeah I had to reward the more creative and different styles this time around.

1. Dodge THAT
   ethansight
2. Timebender
   DDRKirby(ISQ)
3. avoiding the question
   coloradoweeks

All comments are replied to on Discord, making this section irrelevant. Onto the voting!

TheVideoGamer - This track is pretty wild, but that was because the theme was a little unorthodox. Basically it's gabber, but with a very relaxing edge, but not like Ambient music at all, it's still very hyper syncopated, and features a lot of thick synth work, giving somewhat of an 80's feel, even though this is not intending to sound like the 80's. Nearly every chord here is a form of Major 9th chord, but played in a super fast and rhythmical way. Also unlike other gabber tracks i've done, this one is centred on these very very long buildups for about a minute, that anticipates you to the next section, instead of it being a simple intro, and then the drop. The ending is also interesting, because i modulate up from the key of E Major to the key of F# Major and then at the very last minute, it goes crazy fast into speedcore territory effectively making the BPM 376. All in all, it's not the most accessible, but i was working with a strange theme in this one, so i got a little creative let's just say. Oh well, glad you liked it too!

cotmm68030 - Ooh i like that beat, it's basically a proto DnB beat, but with a context of a more industrial vibe. Your vocals is NIN style, but with a more electronic edge. The mix is very good here, i love it. The vocals are very clear and extremely nicely mixed, and the basswork isn't too overpowering. It just feels very much like a hype proto-DnB piece, with some sick drums and bass work. Honestly at the moment it's my favourite mix you've done, especially from a EDM standpoint. Loved this one a lot, it's definately voting worthy, even if i can sadly only choose 3. Awesome work!

DarkShadow - DarkShadow going all out in the laser sounds. The filtering isn't as strong as your normal entries, feels mildly subtle compared to the rest. I mean it's still pretty filter heavy, just more milder. The drums are very clicky, but they aren't loud honestly, just a bit....out of place personally for this style. The double time thing was unexpected and comemorable to be honest, however i do feel the drums don't work for that speed, but you do bring in some gabber elements, which work better for that style than the others. Not my favourite from you personally, this was a little all over the place, but it was a lot of fun, so good job!

DDRKirby(ISQ) - Chill synths, were in the classic DDR territory, but with a lot of major 7th chords, and a more of a stronger abundance of a tape stop, which is not a common technique you use. I was expecting more of a downtempo vibe, but you ended up going thr 80's route instead, which was suprising. This is as beautiful as ever, which is not suprising considering how good your mixes are. The sound effects are really great here, and the melody at the end really seals the deal for me. The tape stop effects weren't as jarring as i thought it was gonna be. The ending part was lovely, so many slow brooding synths, really felt like i was floating. Just absolutely lovely stuff, so lovely i decided to place you 2nd, it was just beautiful stuff. Incredible work!

RukkuVT - You know i wasn't expecting you to go to the 6 minute mark, i feel you might end up taking over cotmm68030's job lol. This is not what i was expecting for the theme, but it's very pretty. I love the soft subtle piano chords, with that nice comofrting home feel, it makes for something relaxing, and the lo-fi beat is tight as ever. The chord progression is lovely, but it's also mostly an 8 bar vamp that never really changes throughout. Now for this style it does work don't get me wrong, and the long breakdown in the middle was really great, but for 6 minutes, i definately felt by the end, we perhaps overstayed our welcome, just a tad. Not saying you need 20 different progressions to make it sound good, i just feel a mild chord variation (Even in just the piano) will keep it interesting, without it overstaying it's welcome. The rest though is very pretty, the robot styled background vocals were really nice in this, as were the bells and chimes that don't exactly change the whole composition, but it really kicks it up a bit. Honestly even with my critiques, i felt there was more to like than dislike, really it's just a little bit on the....long side (In terms of repetition), but aside from that it was kind of beautiful. Despite my critiques, it's still a beautiful piece worthy to be voted on. Awesome work!

Nukage - The arp is quite happy for a Nukage production, however this doesn't last at all, as we go straight into what sounds like Lorcrian mode? It's definately the most weirdest in terms of Nukage melodies, and i love it. I like suprisies and that was definately one of them. The breakdown is killer, very haunting and unsettling. The metal drop is also very hard hitting, one of the rare cases of Nuke going instrumental, and yet clearly pulling it off. The mix is awesome too, very nice and clean, not in your face or overblown, and the melodies are weird enough to the point where i can enjoy it, and not feel like it's just too dissonant. Loved this one a lot, it's great. I could definately vote for this, awesome work!

Starla - That is a very intimate piano, very deliberately on the dry side, and more up close. However it does change when the vocals come in, almost like were transitioning from a practice room to a concert hall. Mixing on the vocals are absolutely killer, you know your vocal mixes. The piano and synth combo is also super nice, i really love the different chord progressions, that flow seemlessly. Drum work is tight, great blend of Trap but with a more lo-fi IDM edge (In terms of sound, not rhythm). Do wish it didn't end so suddenly, i was just getting into it, that's a shame. However everything else was just lovely stuff, so lovely, if there was a 4th place vote, this would be it, i loved it loads, amazing work!

Misael.K - 90's techno, ooh that is my weakness. Well ok, to me this isn't really 90's techno, and is more 90's inspired techno. For one the kickdrum is more closer to a tighter kick, suited for more electro stuff, and to me tends to not really represent 90's techno. It also sounds more cleaner, and more of a modern sound upgrade. The beauty of 90's techno is the rawness, and the use of what was once less desirable synthesizers. However i am being extremely pendatic at the moment, it still sounds great regardless. The synths do scream retro sounding, even if it's in a more modern setting, and the breaks (Whilst unorthodox for this genre), do add more of a Dub element, i don't know why, which works well for this piece. Absolutely love the sound effects here, really adds to the atmosphere, as well as the bells and chimes, that also really make it kind of spacious, but without loosing the groove. At the end of the day, whilst some mild smoothing may be reccomended, it was still catchy as hell, and enough for me to definately give you this one. Defiantely voting worthy, amazing work!

Coloradoweeks - Those chords are very oldschool, but the beat is reminiscent of modern trap music, it's very cool. 80's trap essentially. The overal mix is very much filtered through some kind of retro boombox, it sounds deliberately dusty, i love it. It makes for a nostalgic listen. Those chords are killer, loving the mix of Minor 7ths, it's both simple as it's complex. Vocal work is awesome as always, but then again it's awesome singing, how can i critque that lol. Always spot the Colorado ending when i see it. A tiny bit on the short side, but not to where i really have to play it a few times to get it. Overall it's super catchy, with some sick chords, it was just lovely, so lovely i placed it third, and this was after a lot of delegation between all of the potential candidates, it was tough. Incredible work!

Meistr - Not a lot of collabs this week, that's unusual. This is very much reminding me of that 2000's Punk Ska that was quite popular at the time. The guitar sounds extremely fake, it's very much deliberate. Almost like you took a chunk, and then played it like a sample. The trumpet line was amusing, i don't know why. Whole track was kind of amusing to be honest. The vocals were so random, one minute i'm hearing a very closed mic, the next minute i'm hearing random autotune bursts, and then one just shouting for no reason. It's actually kind of funny, and works well with the objective you set out to do. Honestly, it was fun as hell, defiantely voting worthy, awesome work!

Ethansight - Ooh that bassline is a weakness. This is definately a hardcore late 90's trance vibe, those chords are really sick, totally goes with that bassline. Sidechain is awesome, the mix is pumping as hell. You really kick it up with the Ethansight harmony towards the end, it isn't just straight up minor keys. So many sick changes, i feel like i'm in a science fiction movie but for Dora the Explorer if you get me, and that's a compliment, not a negative. I just felt hyped the whole way through, with a killer mix, some lovely melodies (Especially that whistle flute at the end), and some thick juicy basslines. Nothing to critique at all, it was fire as hell. In fact it was so amazing i placed it on the top spot, incredible work!

Arcana - That....is quite the tail. Great intro, the filter to the drop was a cool drop (If a little aggressive). The vocal work is really nice, the autotune is also really great, and i usually prefer your singing voice. The melodies here are very nice, lots of great lines in the lyrics. I do think the mix is perhaps a tad bit squished, and the percussion in here is overshadowed by the rest, however as a whole it's a great idea. The vocals are not loud, but in comparison to the rest, i would have blended them a bit more. All in all, this has a lot of potential, the idea was sick, don't be discouraged, good job!

Top 3 - Ethansight, DDRKirby(ISQ), Coloradoweeks.

Extremely tough call, so many excellent bangers, but i had to narrow it to 3, and this is what i ended up with. Could have gone either way.

So many excellent entries deserve to be on the list:

cotmm68030 (Such a banger man, shame it can't be on)

RukkuVT (A little long, but absolutely beautiful. Also wish it was on)

Nukage (Super hard hitting man, so wish it was on)

Starla (If there wasa 4th place option, this would be it, it was amazing)

Misael.K (Another super catchy song, denied on the list)

Meistr (Extremely fun stuff, also wanted it to be on the list)

Awesome - cotmm68030, DDRKirby(ISQ), RukkuVT, Nukage, Starla, Misael.K, Coloradoweeks, Meistr, Ethansight.

Needs Work - DarkShadow, Arcana.

1. Timebender
   DDRKirby(ISQ)
2. avoiding the question
   coloradoweeks
3. Dodge THAT
   ethansight

Gut feeling choices because everyone was excellent this round.

awesum: Arcana, coloradoweeks, cotmm68030, DarkShadow, DDRKirby(ISQ), ethansight, Meistr, RukkuVT, starla, TheVideoGamer.
good: nukage.