Tune Contest: I Shall Play You... (8 Feb - 24 Feb)

[tamatic]

... The Song of My People.



"You take a bunch of people who don't seem any different from you and me, but when you add them all together you get this sort of huge raving maniac with national borders and an anthem."
~Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment.
 


National anthems, who hasn't heard of national anthems?
Speaking of witch, here is one now: Russian National Anthem. That makes for a fine introduction to our subject. Please note how this russian specimen shows similarities to one of your favorite side-scrolling game tunes: Yoshi's Island Intro.

National anthems, in all forms and shapes.
Oh oh, Oh Canada what arrangements do to thee.
80's tv-commercial?
Lion King?
Space opera?
Christmas agian?


But yes, forget all this now.
We will be making our own national anthem.
To be more precise: you.


Guidelines:

- For this challenge lyrics are permitted but not encouraged.
- Human singing is also not encouraged.
(Humming maybe, choir synth perhaps, robotic voices would be awesome... but basically the idea is to make an instrumental anthem)
- The nation you are composing for can not be a typical, "real" nation.
(A country, or place, from a work of fiction could lend itself. But also, for example, a Minecraft village, anthill, the first Mars colony, inhabitants of a sugarcube... Just take it where you want.)
- Entries should sound convincing in their own domain/style/genre.
(So they don't have to sound like any archetypical anthem. Although I imagine it's helpfull relating to such one way or the other.)
- Entries should communicate a sense of effort.
(Unfortunately no random water/air bubbles and claiming it's the anthem of fishbowl nation.)



I will be picking a winner February 24th or shortly thereafter.

Good luck, may guidelines guide you!

[Diamond16]

Here's my entry for the competition :-)

Lion Manta Neath

Imagine a nation that has gone through a lot of heart ache and suffering in it's time, only to rise from the ashes, victorious and hopeful for the future.
Or something like that

[greenpower]

Here is my entry.

Android Nation Anthem

It's an Anthem for a nation formed by androids, under war circumstances with the human race. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed composing it!

[janleht]

Here's national anthem for The Republic of Obsessed Hearts

I'M WATCHING YOU FROM SHADOWS

[tamatic]

Thank you all for your entries!
I will write about some things I see as up- and downsides, in the light of this contest, and then announce the winner.


Lion Manta Neath
One has to appreciate a traditional sentiment. Cliché is often used as dirty word while, in fact, it's not quite the easy road sticking near conventional notions. It can be very hard to balance stuff and keep things interesting for long. I think Diamond16 did manage to do both.
Almost deadly, or at least unflattering, however how it just cuts off at the end. Makes you feel like there should be more to it.

Android Nation Anthem
For me this one stands out in many ways. The progression is captivating and the whole speaks to the imagination. It's interesting, daring and greatly sensible overall.
As downside, in the light of this contest, I would say: the length. (or how it perhaps works best as a loop, not a "full" song.) But it sure is original, inspired and inspiring.

I'M WATCHING YOU FROM SHADOWS
Now this tune generates a alternate reality where national anthems kinda try dragging us into a multitude of dark corridors.
This provoking take on the challenge perhaps gets a bit overclouded by it's own gloom. And I think the percussion could have used some more attention.


It been hard picking a winner. And I have enjoyed listening to the entries multiple times. In the end I had to pick Diamond16 as the winner of this contest. The floor is yours.

[greenpower]

Congratulations, Diamond16!

[Diamond16]

Thank you so much! 

I will put up the next contest shortly