By Erik “Jit” Scheele
Begins with such a simple little motif. One of my favorite introductory tracks on any Homestuck album. It could make for a really cool live ensemble, with such unique parts for each member of the string section.
By Eston “silence” Schweickart, original “Walk-Stab-Walk” by Erik “Jit” Scheele
Another take on Walk-Stab-Walk. The new-agey bookends (with an especially interesting intro) cap an otherwise faithful synth remix of the original.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
That skittish piano drives the song, with most of the main melody provided by oboe-led woodwinds. My favorite bit starts around 1:40, where one of the piano parts sort of lazily plunks around the main beat.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
This tune feels… old. Like something that an heirloom music box might play. In listening to it a couple of times, I think I can see how it might have come to be called Unlabeled. It’s cut from the same sort of cloth as tunes called simply Adagio, Rhapsody, or Minuet.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
Like October, the main instrumentation reflects the kids: piano and violin, flute and percussion. But there’s a new, hard-won maturity to this tune: one year older, I suppose. A great choice for the closing track on the album.
By Mark Hadley
MELLOW AND RELAXING! LIKE SEEING A STARRY NIGHT REFLECTED IN THE SEA, I SUPPOSE! THE RISING STRINGS AND HARP PLAY OFF ONE ANOTHER WELL!
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
A BIT OF A LULLABY IN ACOUSTIC GUITAR AND HARMONICA! ALL YOU NEED IS THE CRACKLE OF THE FIRE AND A SQUIDDLE IN A TEN-GALLON HAT TO TOP OFF THE PICTURE! I’D IMAGINE THEY’D BE REALLY GOOD AT PLAYING THE GUITAR, TOO! WHAT WITH ALL THOSE ARMS! TOP TRACK? TOP TRACK!
By Robert J! Lake
IN ITS FIRST HALF, IT’S A BOOKEND TO THE TITLE TRACK! RJ’S WEIRD ETHEREAL, BREATHY VOCALS ONCE AGAIN FIND A GOOD FIT! THEN, AFTER ALMOST A FULL MINUTE OF DEAD AIR, HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE THINGS START TO HAPPEN!
THE SONG BETRAYS THE DARK UNDERPINNINGS THAT INSPIRED THE CARTOON SQUIDS, OF COURSE (NO BETTER WAY TO CLOSE IT OUT, I THINK)! THIS ALBUM CAME OUT MONTHS BEFORE THE MEMORABLE FLASH THAT FEATURES THIS SONG! IT’S REMARKABLE HOW WELL THE ART AND THE SONG FIT TOGETHER: A COMBINATION OF MR. ROGERS AND H. R. GIGER!
By Robert J! Lake
It’s a little more melancholy than you might expect for an opening track. That’s not to take away from it, though: the first half’s gloomy and brooding, and the second half picks it up into something a little more frantic.
Image source: MSPaint Adventures.
I imagine the gravity of his predicament is really setting in at this point. Not only is he stuck in jail, but he’s subject to the whims of a manic command prompt. Pumpkins phase in and out of reality randomly. There will be blood.
By Mark Hadley
Love that deep bass triangle wave and plucky melody. A good fit for a set of woodland elves that are probably evil (their policy with regards to infants is particularly troubling).
Image source: MSPaint Adventures.
A rare musical accompaniment from our protagonist. Go ahead, I dare you. Make these words fit the song.
By Andrew Huo
Another tune with a solid, strong intro that opens up into a consistent beat. The main chiptune track is pretty improvisational, especially in the second half.
Images source: MSPaint Adventures.
A fitting salute for an officer of the law. And one that at least one other law enforcement agent has been subjected to.
If you’d like to read the high-resolution version of Jailbreak, you can find it here.