By Joren “Tensei” de Bruin. Original ‘Homestuck Anthem’ by Clark “Plazmataz” Powell
OK, it’s elevator music. Let’s just put that on the table where everyone can see it. Now that that’s on the table, we can talk about it as a song. Before the advent of Muzak, bossa nova used to be pretty popular in a real, non faux way (and it still is in some real, totally non-fake circles that I wouldn’t know anything about).
This song takes a basic existing melody (one of my favorites, as it happens), and executes it in this new style very, very well. I dare you not to like this song. Go ahead, try it.
By Mark Hadley. Original ‘Black’ by Toby “Radiation” Fox
There’s two versions of this song in the catalog, and I’m a big fan of both of them for completely different reasons. Restrained, skittish piano set against deep, gloomy strings. The otherworldly synth whomping that starts in the second half is great.
By Toby “Radiation” Fox. Partial remix of “Unbreakable Union” by Kalibration, “Courser” by Alexander Rosetti and Seth “Beatfox” Peelle, “Carefree Action” by Mark J. Hadley, and “Homestuck Anthem” by Clark “Plazmataz” Powell
Source: Homestuck
It wanders from calm traditional introduction to frenzied tribal rhythm, and hits every point in between. My favorite part of the song, by far, is the piano interlude in the middle. It’s ominous and terribly foreboding: the most reserved part of the song serves as an accompaniment to the biggest reveal in the webcomic, up to that point.
By Mark Hadley. Original ‘Squiddles!’ by Alexander Rosetti. Original 'Dissension’ by David Ko
There’s been a few good songs on the Dissension theme, but this one’s my favorite. It has a personality of its own. It dances around the main melody with its own unique voice. Just when you think it’s about to move into familiar territory, it sidesteps towards something new and different.
And then, you’ve got to give credit to a track that uses the Squiddles theme as a source, yet results in a song that would fit into a dramatic moment in an action movie.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
It’s sort of a slow burn, what with the deep piano lead-in and the string backing, but the payoff comes about a minute in. After all of that, it’s a fun video-game chiptune piece. Definitely an interesting mix.
By Jeremy “Solatrus” Iamurri
An atmospheric, shimmering chiptune track. The backing percussion’s my favorite part: it’s really muted, and serves to complement the song, rather than overwhelm it.
By Toby “Radiation” Fox. Guitar by Joren “Tensei” de Bruin
Source: Homestuck
Not enough troll violence for you yet? Here’s some more. Another great mash-up of genres, with a synth / chiptune lead dueling with an electric guitar. The hook’s as catchy as they come.
By Toby “Radiation” Fox
Yeah, it’s a novelty song. And the first part is clever and entertaining: Nicolas Cage probably sets a record for ‘largest quantity of batshit crazy packed into a career’. I’ll check with Guinness on that.
But frankly, even a song like this starts running on fumes in the middle when the entire set of lyrics consists of the word ‘boner.’ I guess that was the plan.
By Erik “Jit” Scheele
Source: Homestuck
Shocking, I know. Yet I cannot tell a lie. I can’t even enjoy this song on an ironic level. It just makes me want to punch Dennis in the face. He was so wasted, ha ha, I mean damn.
RATING: 7 / 13 - im 0k with it. im 0k with a l0t 0f things
Perhaps it’s inevitable that the follow-up release to Homestuck Vol. 5 doesn’t quite reach the same heights as that album did.
Volume 6 is significantly shorter than Volume 5 (though with a somewhat reduced price). And it’s hit or miss: there’s some excellent tracks on the album, but it starts losing steam around the second half. The production values are there: there’s a great deal of experimentation, and some of the tracks tread on new ground. Umbral Ultimatum perhaps best illustrates this on the positive side. And then there’s tracks like Tribal Ebonpyre: it’s very well done, and it’s of a style completely foreign to the library so far, but it just doesn’t have that ‘hook’ that leads me to want to include it in a playlist.
Click here for individual song reviews from Homestuck Vol. 6.